I was five years old and had a sudden, very painful inguinal hernia from trying to lift my cousin (just to prove that I could). The pain was very intense and my parents rushed me to the hospital. The doctors decided I needed surgery performed immediately. I recall being taken on a gurney to the operating room. The next thing I remember was a mask being placed over my face (for the administration of ether). I have since learned that ether is tricky to use on young children, but it was apparently the only choice at that time.

I immediately slipped into unconsciousness, but then found myself observing the doctors and myself on the operating table from several feet above. I floated there (quite peacefully, I think) for a few moments, then my body which was in a prone position just as it was on the table began to turn slowly toward a window high up on the wall. A bright light streamed through the window and I felt drawn to it and began to float slowly in that direction. Just as I was about to pass through the opening and into the light, I awoke in my hospital room gagging and throwing up from the effects of the ether. I recall the nurse being very angry with me for making a mess. Later, I told her of my experience in the operating room. She just laughed and said that I had been dreaming while I was asleep on the operating table. When my mother came to visit, I told her the same story and she said it was just my imagination.

I never told the story again until a few years ago when I began reading books written by others with near death experiences. I knew then that my experience was real and not a dream or imagined. This event has remained fresh in my mind for 63 years now, as vivid as though it had just happened yesterday. A couple of interesting things have come into my life since that experience, but I don't discuss them. Over the years I have had numerous precognitive dreams and I can recall having at least two out-of-body experiences that were not near-death related.