Consciousness Beyond Life

Consciousness Beyond Life

The Science of Life After Death Pim van Lommel Introduction All science is empirical, all theory is subject to perception; a single fact can disprove the whole system. Frederick van Eeden In cardiac resuscitation, a signal is triggered anxiety. On a monitor showing patient's electrocardiogram myocardial infarction - a straight line. 

He's in cardiac arrest. Two nurses rush to the patient who is no longer reacts, and quickly close the curtains around his bunk. One sister starts to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the other puts the mask on the patient's face and supplies oxygen. The third nurse hurriedly brings up the "resuscitation cart" with a defibrillator. It is loaded, on the "irons" applied gel, the patient's chest is exposed, all medical the staff removed their hands from the patient and his bed are being defibrillated. 

Electricity is applied to the patient's chest discharge. No effect. Cardiac massage and artificial respiration resume, after consultation with a physician a dropper is administered additional medication. Then defibrillation is carried out a second time. This time the heart rate is restored, and in a little over a minute, having spent approximately four minutes, the patient comes in themselves, much to the relief of the nurses and present doctor. I was the doctor present. That year my internship in cardiology began. Everyone rejoiced at the successful resuscitation - except patient. Despite being brought back to life, he to everyone's amazement, was extremely disappointed. He said something about a tunnel, different colors, light, beautiful scenery and music. And he was extremely excited.

The term "/near-death experience/" (NDE) in that time did not yet exist, and I never heard for people to remember stop your own heart. During my studies, I learned that such memories, in fact, absolutely impossible: to be unconscious means not realize anything and this applies to patients with stop heart or in a coma. At such times it is impossible to be aware of, nor to remember anything, since the functioning the brain stops completely. In the event of cardiac arrest, the patient is unconscious, not breathing, he has no pulse and pressure. Near death experience in the hospital The first cardiac intensive care units in the Netherlands hospitals were opened in 1966 when massage hearts, application of oxygen and defibrillation were recognized as effective measures in case of cardiac arrest in patients. Cardiac arrest was and remains the most common cause of death in patients with acute myocardial infarction: in the USA one person dies from it every minute, in the UK, about one every two minutes. 

In the Netherlands, about Since implementation began modern methods of resuscitation and creation of cardioreanimation departments, death due to stop hearts plummeted and nowadays patient survival despite stopping heart is a common occurrence. Near death experience in the hospital The first cardiac intensive care units in the Netherlands hospitals were opened in 1966 when massage hearts, application of oxygen and defibrillation were recognized as effective measures in case of cardiac arrest in patients. Cardiac arrest was and remains the most common cause of death in patients with acute myocardial infarction: in the USA one person dies from it every minute, in the UK, about one every two minutes. In the Netherlands, about Since implementation began modern methods of resuscitation and creation of cardioreanimation departments, death due to stop hearts plummeted and nowadays patient survival despite stopping heart is a common occurrence.

Working as a cardiologist, I almost daily encountered with death. It is impossible to be a doctor and not think about emotional, philosophical and physiological aspects of life and death. But of particular relevance are such reflections acquired only after the death of one of family members is reflected in the doctor. In my case it happened when my mother died at the age of sixty-two, and my brother at forty-one. Although I will forever remember the successfully resuscitated in 1969 the patient and his memories of the stopping period hearts, there was no use for this experience – until 1986