Have you ever wondered what a near-death experience is like?
We've seen them dramatized in film and TV countless times. A white light, a figure, "turn back, it's not your time;" the whole shebang. But what is it actually like?
u/HymnForTheShameless asked:
Here were those stories.
Waking And Dying
Giphy
From my grandfather:
He has heart issues and had an internal defibrillator fitted to help his heart beat normally. To test it they stopped his heart while he was awake, but he kept talking to the doctors about the weather and normal 'old man stuff'. When his heart restarted he felt a little shock and asked "what was that? I was enjoying myself." The doctor replied "welcome back to life."
The doctor told him afterwards that he should have just stopped being awake and fallen unconscious, and thus was the only time anything like this had ever happened to one of his patients.
Stubborn old man.
It Will Be Okay
My heart stopped when I was in the ER for 34 seconds, not really a "life flash" but a very calming feeling of as I describe it: "what was I even worried about? Everyone/everything is going to be fine".
Naught But The Burning Road
I was hit by a car 3 years ago (11th of Feb 16), I was walking across the road with one of my friends and they crossed the road and I waited a few seconds and then crossed but I was very short at the time and couldn't see the car coming. I remember seeing the car coming on the right-hand side on me and the next thing I remember is being hit from the right side and flying through the air and landing with a thud on the side of the road and then hearing the tires screech.
Luckily the only injury I sustained was a compound fracture to both the bones in my right leg meaning the bones snapped completely in half and came out of my leg and as they snapped and came out of the skin it snapped the artery in the leg and all the nerves. I went into shock from the injury so I couldn't feel any pain besides the burning from the hot road (Australian summer weather).
I looked down at my leg and noticed the blood coming from my sock pouring all over the road and my leg bent in half and thought "Well it's broken alright". Then I just remember being surrounded by people and I called my mum and since I was in shock I wasn't distressed or crying and I called my mum and told her I was hit by a car and she didn't believe me because I was so calm she thought I was kidding.
I lost a lot of blood at this stage and had a seizure and passed out but I didn't think it was serious and I kept trying to move and get up only to be held down by bystanders. I remember this white ring in my vision and it kept getting bigger and bigger blocking my eyesight (It started from the edge of my sight closing in).
Like everyone else seems to be saying I don't remember any life flashing before my eyes, I just remember feeling extremely tired and losing vision, I felt so at peace and relaxed like it was a dream and I was ready to pass on if you will, not caring about what my death would mean to my family and all my friends.
Even though it was a severe situation, I've never felt so at peace and calm before in my life and I honestly can't wait to die just to experience that feeling again.
Outside And Away
I had a near death experience when I was about 5- I was drowning in a pool. I probably didn't have enough memories at that point for anything to flash before my eyes, and I was also very focused on trying to get my head above the water again. I remember looking up at the sky through the water, that the surface started to look geometric/like tesselations. Then I experienced some sort of depersonalization - I had a distinct feeling that I was outside of my body, and I watched what happened next (my mom saving me) from a distance.
A Relationship With What's Next
I was a passenger in a car driving home from holiday to celebrate my high school graduation, when the car swerved and the driver hit an embankment. The car flew into the air and bounced off the ground three times, and I was asleep when it happened. I should have at least been hospitalised, and when ambulances (for the driver), police and passersby stopped, everyone mentioned how its a miracle that we were alive at all.
But when it was happening, I didn't have time to open my eyes before I experienced a violent force I couldn't have imagined (kinda felt like I was put in a metal box and shaken around, you know, which is what was happening) and my head was so weirdly clear, I just had this intense feeling of like, God no the car is crashing.
This is happening, and I didn't feel any pain (I got banged up significantly) and I had this unbelievably overwhelming feeling that I was not ready to die, I was going to get out of that car, that my life was not over, and it was like my soul just said, "No."
I'm not exactly religious, but I've always tried to form a 'relationship' with at least my idea of God, and in those incredibly fast, confusing seconds, idk if it was my brain doing what humans brain do when they freak out, but I really felt like I was talking to God when I thought, "Not today, thank you, I'm not ready." It was such a peaceful, intense presence, and I've never been the same since. I can't ever forget that feeling like I was not alone, and I really want to believe I'm right about that.
Void
There was absolutely nothing. No light, no memories, nothing. It was like a didn't exist for about an hour or so. I didn't experience the passing of time either, so the entire time I was dead seemed like an instant. It was sort of like teleporting into the future.
A Shared Dream
May be a little late to the thread, but my dad flat-lined with a failing heart. When they brought him back the doctor asked where he had been. My dad said he was picking blueberries with his long deceased mother and his sister. 1000 miles away that sister woke up in the middle of the night, woke her husband and said something was wrong with her brother. She had been dreaming that she was picking blueberries with my dad and their mom. I get teary eyed every time I tell that story. He died a few months later. Miss ya, Dad.
Turn Back
I bled to death after a car accident. I went somewhere. I can't say for sure if it was real or just a weird chemical trip in my brain but the best way I can describe it was like being in a hallway made out of space. It was beautiful, and incredibly peaceful. I saw flecks of memories passing by me but I wasn't focused on them. Then a womans voice that felt like it was everywhere told me I could wake up and suddenly I was alive again.
The State Of Death
I remember slipping into a relaxed, giddy state, a place where it felt OK to not worry about a thing because it didn't really exist or mean anything anyway. It was a detachment while also being aware of people around me tending to me, discussing me amongst themselves, and I just submitted my body to them while my mind enjoyed this totally chill, at peace, dreamlike state. I imagine it was due to blood loss and shock but it was interesting all the same. I often wonder if its a state we enter naturally near to death, and if it is, I'm OK with that 👍
Lethifold
Giphy
I had my heart stopped. At the hospital because my heart was going 150 bpm for hours. I even had the read out printed out of me flatlining. I had a heart condition and was on acid.
My life did not flash before my eyes. It felt like a black cloud spreading through my body (the heart stopping injection ). Which makes no sense. I should note I have over 4 years drug and alcohol free now. But when it was over the doctor was walking out of the room turned to me and said "better living through chemistry, huh?" Crazy experience would not recommend.
Of course, most of the time, it was “just a phase". And looking back, those phases are regrettable, to say the least. Here are some prime examples of that.
SirGergoyFriendman asked:
What was your biggest/most regrettable "It's not a phase, mom. It's my life." that, in fact, turned out to be just a phase and not your life?
The enthusiasm of a young person can lead to some unexpected changes that parents are just not ready for.
Hi, Wheeljack!
I was VERY into The Transformers when I was a wee lad in the 1980s. One day, I decided to change my name to the name of my favorite Autobot. My name was lame, and I wanted an awesome Transformer name. And I was VERY insistent that my parents only call me by my new name. Calling me by my 'old' name would cause a big fat tantrum on my part.
So for the better part of a week, my poor parents had to call me Wheeljack.
Very 2008.
Ariana Grande Shrug GIFGiphyMy cat-ear phase. I wore cat ears every single day. Everywhere. I had like 20 pairs of them. Now everyone thinks I'm a furry.
I find that very cute and wouldn't have thought you'd be furry. Even if you'd had cat mittens. I think my suspicions would have started if you moved a bit like a cat, displayed catlike grooming habits or got a cat mask.
Not gonna lie, that car sounds cool.
I went to a car show once as a teen, and the only newer car there was some chick's PT cruiser. It was hot glittery pink, and at the time I was obsessed. I insisted that one day I would have a hot pink car, with pink seats, pink dash, pink carpets, etc. I was pretty heavily goth at the time, so my parents just rolled their eyes.
These phases can often lead to some very strange fashion choices.
That’s commitment.
When I was a teenager (early 00s), I was waiting for my mother to pick me up and was wearing one of those sh!tty sports wristwatches. It was itching me so I took it off for a second, but then she arrived and because I was struggling to get it back on my wrist, I looped it around the equally sh!tty chain I had around my neck in a rush to get out the door.
My mom asked me about it in the car, and I told her this was my new style and I planned to wear it like that every day. She rolled her eyes.
I wore that watch on a chain around my neck every single day for 3 years or so. There are even professional family photos where I'm wearing it because I refused to take it off.
One day, the chain broke and I lost the watch. I was in high school at that point anyway and it was a major lady repellent, so... phase over.
Not everyone can be Eminem.
slim shady eminem GIFGiphyBaggy pants, being a rapper someday and being a professional skater.
When I was about 14 and Eminem was starting to blow up I bought myself a keyboard with a synthesizer. It cost like $200 which was all the money I had saved up. It finally came (this was way before amazon prime and such) and I tried rapping.
My sister told me "you're effing horrible" and I gave up right then and there.
This should be a sin.
I used to button the top buttons of polo shirts.
I must say, this is probably the worst one I've read.
Looking back at our regrettable choices, all we can do is cringe.
An optimistic look at bad tattoos.
check me out season 3 GIF by PortlandiaGiphyBeing a tattooer. Regrettable because of those poor people who have my awful doodles on their bodies.
Take heart! My favorite tattoo is the one I drunkenly got my buddy to do in his living room one year during March Madness! It's dumb and frankly mediocre? But such a good story and has such good associations I smile every time I see it.
RIP Fredro’s.
My friend and I decided we were going to open a bar in Jamaica with exotic snakes in glass cages in the walls at each booth. We convinced ourselves it would be amazing for at least two years in college. It was going to be called Fredro's.
My entire family made fun of me for it. Once we got out of college, we realized it was not feasible and joined the office grind. We're also two white guys with no ties to Jamaica.
Talk about cringey.
I wore a top hat with an anime pin on it for around a year. Met one of my current best friends while wearing it, idk how he could bear to speak to me after that.
My weirdest phase was probably when I insisted on wearing knee-high rainbow socks to school every day. But honestly, I don't regret it. I rocked those socks, and I wish I still have a pair.
To all the people out there cringing over their past selves, remember that you were just a kid, and to be easy on yourselves. After all, we've all been there
Yet, too often, manufacturers who oversell their products fail to deliver what is promised and are inevitably left with angry customers who want their money back.
Whether the merchandise was defective or ridiculously overpriced, strangers online shared some of their worst purchases when Redditor BooksMcGee asked:
"What is the worst product you ever paid money for?"
Short Life Span
"This NERF gun that's supposed to shoot tennis balls for your dog. I bought it cause I thought you could load 3 at a time and shoot them far, but it's just one and it's super loud and the gun broke after like 4 shots (reading reviews later, this was a common issue)."
Lame Pets
"There were these toys called squiggles when I was a kid and the commercials made it seem like the toy was alive. It looked like you would get this crazy little fuzzy worms as pets that would follow you around an so sick tricks and listen to your every command. It was really just a piece of fluffy string tied to another piece of string with googly eyes on it. People may say that it was supposed to be a magic trick but they should also explain that to a 5 year old who really wanted a pet."
Card Value
"Not their fault, but I paid $70 for a Yugioh card hours before it was limited to one copy. Probably dropped to $20 by the end of the day."
These purchases were bad for your bum.
"A bicycle that literally fell apart before I made it out of the parking lot."
Not Worth Sitting On
"Joybird brand couch. Was so terrible, we returned it. Still hard to believe, we returned a freaking couch."
Going Nowhere Fast
"A 2000 VW Beetle (used)."
"Biggest piece of sh*t that literally had to have just about everything replaced before 100k miles and would still break down every time you left the driveway to the point where the tow-truck driver knew us on a first-name basis."
Expensive Lemon
"An Oldsmobile Achieva from one of those buy here pay here places. I should have known better, but I was young and thought I was getting a good deal. I had the thing for about 5 months, I drove it for maybe 3 weeks. The rest of the time it was either in the shop, or in my driveway waiting until pay day so I could afford to fix whatever broke on it this week. Eventually told the dealer just take it, I'm not paying for it any more. He said nope, and I will make sure your credit is ruined. I said well you sold me a lemon, do you really want to go this route? He came and took it. Never reported anything to credit. I heard he got sued by several other people who sold sh**ty cars too and eventually went out of business."
"Always amazes me when I see them driving around still, I can only assume there's enthusiasts who just love repairing horribly designed cars."
– zerbey
These Redditors were not convinced what they ingested was edible.
Bad Cereal
"A box of plain Cheerios. Thought they were honey nut, poured a bowl, was very disappointed."
"If I wanted to taste cardboard, I'd just eat the box."
– gor8884
Space Pizza
"A burnt frozen pizza at the air and space museum cafe in DC. I Don't wish that experience on anyone. There are some amazing restaurants in DC, don't settle."
– Alseids
The following electronics just gave off a bad charge.
"Asus Transformer Pad TF700"
"This was one of those early 'high end' Android tablets that was grossly underpowered, and it showed. Thing was slow as sh!t in no time flat. Rookie mistake investing into shiny new tech while they were still working all the bugs out. Think I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $350-400 for it..."
– Luke5119
Bad Apple
"macbook pro 2018 13" touchbar. 2 years old and dead (battery). they're asking $300-$400 to change the battery. malfunctioning keyboard with double presses and missing presses. that's a lot of money for bad design."
Chilly Reception
"Past winter my old room heater broke down and I had to buy a new one. Went to a store nearby and somehow got convinced to buy a very costly heating device.. It's also my fault, since there were some sligthly cheaper options around, but nope. I wanted the expensive one thinking it will make my small room a volcano with little to no effort/cost (that's also what the seller told me). Long story short the device wasn't doing ANYTHING. No significant temperature changes, too much space, a weird noise, and was doubling my previous device in utility cost. I still gloom over those 80 euros.."
Some of my disappointing purchases was clothing, but only because I purchased them online. Unless they are a brand I'm familiar with, I'm usually fine with buying new jeans off of their websites.
But when it comes to graphic tees only available on specialty shops, an M-size shirt is not necessarily the same size as those found in other reputable stores.
I bought a medium sized T-shirt from a boutique store online because I loved the look of the design. But when it arrived, the supposed medium fit me like an XL.
At least I gained a fierce cleaning rag from this impulsive purchase.