17 "Almost My Last Trip"
My Near Death Experience
My Near Death Experience
I know that most people that claim to have had a near death experience claim to have seen the light at the end of the tunnel or were visited by angels or something exciting like that. Well my story might be a little boring if that’s what you’re expecting. Nothing like that happened to me in my experience.
My story starts with a normal Monday at work. I’m looking forward to the Wednesday of that week as my last day of work and the fact that Thursday afternoon I will be leaving on vacation for a week. I will be driving to see my dad in Arkansas for the first time in at least 20 years. I had the very strange feeling that I needed to see my dad because of his age and health. He had prostate cancer. Also, this would be the first real vacation I have taken in a very long time. For the record, this was in early 2004.
As Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday went by, my anxiety was really building. My plan was to leave early afternoon on Thursday afternoon, drive from Ontario, CA to Needles, CA where I would get a motel room and then drive into Laughlin, NV to spend a couple of hours gambling.
Thursday finally came and I got up in the morning after a night of feeling like a little kid the night before Christmas not being able to sleep. I took care of all of the business I needed to before hitting the road. At about 2:00 pm I loaded the car and I was ready to go. I stopped and filled the gas tank and since I didn’t sleep well the night before I grabbed an energy drink to help keep me alert.
I love to drive so I was really looking forward to the drive. I made it to Needles, I found the motel I had selected and got a room. I settled into the room and then drove to Laughlin,NV. It was already getting dark and it seemed like a very long drive. For some reason I wasn’t feeling very good and I just figured it was because I was tired. I played a few machines in 2 or 3 of the casinos and decided that since I wasn’t feeling up to par I would head back to Needles and the motel room. When I got there I took a shower and went to sleep. I woke up early without an alarm and anxious again, I got dressed, checked out, stopped next door and had breakfast, filled the gas tank and hit the road again.
I drove through to Flaggstaff, AZ before I stopped again. There I stopped, and since I was feeling tired again, I picked up a couple of energy drinks, got gas and hit the road again. I drove on to Gallup, NM before I stopped for a hamburger for lunch hoping that would give me some energy. I still wasn’t feeling up to par. Actually I was feeling worse.
I should take this opportunity to explain about a little problem I had a few times in the past. I had some incidents of internal bleeding. I had gone to the doctors with the problem and they said that I was bleeding. They ran all kinds of tests, went in with cameras for exploration and were never able to find any problems or any reason for the bleeding or any place where I was bleeding. After that I found I could control it myself and when I felt like it was happening I would take it easy. I would take vitamin K to help stop the bleeding, where ever it was, Kaopectate to coat the insides and iron to rebuild the blood. It always worked and still does. One thing I have never been afraid of is dieing.
Anyway, with this in my background and my own knowledge of it, I still don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Maybe I just didn’t want to admit it to myself because I didn’t want to have to change my trip plans. I was also very anxious and nervous about seeing my dad after so long. That didn’t help my situation with the nerves.
OK, back to the trip. I was really getting tired and it really wasn’t very late but when I was driving through Santa Rosa, NM I saw a motel that had easy off and easy on access to the freeway so I decided to stop. I went in and registered and naturally they put me in a room on the second floor. I took my luggage up the stairs to my room. Then I decided to go get something to eat. There was a fast food place just on the other side of the freeway so that was where I went for a quick dinner. I took it back to my room. I started eating and really started feeling weak. That’s when I admitted it to myself what must be wrong. I decided I would go find a drug store or market and get what I needed. I got in the car and started driving. After blindly heading to I don’t know where, and being a small town where they roll up the sidewalks at 6 o’clock, I started getting so weak that I felt like I was going to pass out. I decided to go back to my room and accept whatever happened.
Once I was back in my room, without even getting undressed, it took everything I had to kick off my shoes, and then I just lay there on the bed. I just totally relaxed and let myself think that if I wake up dead it would be OK. I just really don’t want to die this far from home. I don’t want to be this far from my girlfriend, the love of my life, when my time comes, but I would accept it.
I went to sleep. Like I said in the beginning, I didn’t see a mysterious light, any angels or anything unexplainable. I fell asleep very peacefully. I just know that when I woke up in the morning I wasn’t dead and I was feeling very weak but better than the night before. Even though I felt weak, I did feel refreshed. I got up and showered, got dressed and checked out. No breakfast, just gassed up the car and hit the road. I stopped in Amarillo, TX and picked up what I needed to make me feel better. By the time I got to my dad’s in Gravette, AR I was feeling stronger. Not much, but better.
The visit was great and we did get a few things straight so the trip was well worth it. My sister and her husband had come up from Hampton, AR in the south. I hadn’t seen her in quite a few years either. After visiting with my dad for a few days I followed my sister and brother-in-law down to Hampton and stayed with them for a couple of days. Really, it wasn’t my dad that something down inside was telling me that I had to see. I was really there to see my sister because that was the last time I ever got to see her, she passed away in 2005. I feel deep down that was the only reason I didn’t die that night too. For the record, my dad is still alive at age 95. I was able to take my other sister to see him and we were there for his 95th birthday this last February. She hadn’t seen him in many years either.
Greg
Comments
gregas - I've read a lot of your stuff. Pardon me for asking, but I'd appreciate it, from one human to another if you wouldn't mind writing more. Anything really. I've read a lot of stuff over the years and although I am few years younger than you (born 1962) I enjoy your style. It reminds me, in some way, of Steinbeck and Hemingway, but different. I miss both of those guys. That is the only reason I hunt and peck on this keyboard sometimes. It's for me - I'm selfish in that way. Most of the other stuff here, on Hubpages and beyond, to me, is just content. Your stuff is beyond all that.
I like your writing style: spare, straightforward, objective. It puts the reader smack dab in the middle of your reality. Reminds me of an Edward Hopper painting for some reason. Thank you for such honesty. I am sorry about your sister. I look forward to reading your prolific offerings! Thanks again!
Hi Greg, Thank you for following me. I hope you enjoy HubPages.
Your story is beautiful and interesting. I hope that you read my hub, about the love of my life. "Count Down To A Miracle" about what almost killed my husband saved his life.
Without Divine help, he would not have survived.
I am glad you are here to tell your story.
Shyron
Depending on where your Air Force service took you, you might have a doctor consider parasites as the source for the unidentified bleeding. For example, some parasites will eat through the walls of the intestines, or in other ways cause internal bleeding. A case my wife was familiar with involved several operations until she told the doctors to look for three specific parasites and the man was cured once he was rid of them. Exotic places can bring on exotic problems US doctors may not be aware of.
What a strange, but wonderful experience - I feel that there is a reason for everything - we may not always know what that reason is, but if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, we may find out - so glad that you went forward and so could spend that precious time with your sister - B.
I have never experienced such thing, you are so brave and honest to share with us.
Thank you for the follow also Greg! Wishing your dad many more years AND I'm glad you are around to share your message :)
Hi Greg,
Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm glad to hear your dad is winning his battle against Prostate Cancer. My husband has been at war for 3 years against PC and being an advocate for Prostate Cancer I've witnessed many lost battles. Thanks for the hope.
Thank you for sharing this amazing story! God was absolutely with you on your journey to see your father and sister. I am glad that no harm was done to you. I am sorry to hear about your sister though. I am glad you had the opportunity to see her, not many people get that chance before a loved one passes.
I use to live in Pasadena, and I can see where Colorado might be a draw for you. Keep up the good writing.
Hi Greg, I loved your writing. I am so glad you didn't die. I, too, am sorry about your sister, but at least you were able to spend time with her again. When are you moving to Colorado? Be safe and thanks for the great comments you have made on my hubs.
Lela
Hey Greg, welcome to HubPages. You said in your intro that you can't write--you lied right off the bat--just kidding, you are just humble.
Loved this story, I'll read more of your stuff. Voted up and beautiful.
Great twists in your storyline and ending. Glad to see you got to visit with your sister one last time, and happy belated birthday wishes to your father.
Thanks for the tip about vitamin K--I'd never heard of such a cure. It might come in handy for me, y'know, cuz I where my heart on my sleeve...lol.
Great write.
Hi Greg, I noticed you were following me so I came to investigate. Interesting experience. As a nurse, I've worked with people who became anxious in the same manner that you have described prior to their deaths. In both of the cases the women died a couple of days later, all the time experiencing this anxiety and 'doom'. Nice to meet you and welcome to hubpages.
I liked your story. It reminds me of a show that I watch about people who actually were pronounced dead who survived their experience and were revised. Very intersting show. You should catch it sometime.
you have experienced everything in your life............
sorry for your sister but happy for your dad........
you were in air force???
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