Experience #1

My Father was diagnosed w/ terminal cancer on 10/31/04.  On 11/14/04 he was given one week to live.  He lived until 6/3/05.  He did pretty well for himself up until 6/2/05 when he went into the coma that morning.  Although he was in a coma - I knew that he heard every word that I said.  I had a care-giver here that day for my Mother - cause I could not care for them both @ the same time.  The care-giver brought in some CD's for my Mother to listen to - but she doesn't like listening to music - but I reviewed them anyway.  One of the CD's was 25 Greatest Hits and the 1st song was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" my Father's all time favorite song.  He used to sing this song while I was growing up and whistled it ALL the time in the shower - he hadn't done it in awhile.  So I played this song on the CD for him a few times - cause although he was in a coma I knew he heard it.  I even sang it to him without the CD on - and told him that he can now go over the rainbow with the birds. 

The last time I played the CD for him was around 10:00 pm on 6/2/05.  I then put the TV on and fell asleep on the sofa next to the hospital bed around 2:00 where I had slept for the last 7 months.  My daughter was there with 2 of her friends - who watched TV until about 3:00 or 3:30 (he was still alive) - shut of the TV and went to sleep.  Sometime slightly before 4:00 am - my daughters friends were woken up by the CD player going on - playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" - they tried to wake up me and my daugther but couldn't.  That was song 1 on the CD - by the time the were able to wake up me & my daughter (which is odd - cause usually when you call me I get up) - So I jump off the couch and say - is he alive - and they said I don't know - I don't hear him breathing - I looked over and he had passed - then I ran over to the CD player looked at the clock and it was 4:03 on song #3.  From the time they woke me up til the time I realized he was dead was about 10 seconds.  They said they heard "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" - and that's what woke them up - I couldn't understand WHY - they heard it and I didn't.  He was still HOT - so I knew he had just passed away -  

The next night 6/4/05 after his passing - none of us could sleep - so we just watched tv - stayed up and talked.  The following night 6/5/05 I fell asleep my daugther was out with her friends - and called me to get me up to talk to her (she was very scared by the 1st experience) - while she got ready for bed.  We were upstairs in her bathroom talking - I was telling her how Poppie would not have wanted to scare you that it was a beautiful gift he gave us - when all of a sudden from downstairs we hear very loud music again.  My daughter starts crying - I am a little freaked out - go down the steps - at the bottom of my steps I just smelled my Father - go down and the CD is on again.  Exactly 4:03 am - on Song #3 of the CD - odd.  My daughters 2 friends were there - ran down stairs - and we talked for a while before finally going to sleep. 

That morning - I was just looking at the CD player - trying to figure out - why did that go off again - was it an alarm?  nope - couldn't figure it out.  So I figure you know I should listen to song #3 - and see if there was a message on the song.  I looked at the CD cover - and there were a variety of songs on the CD - The Lady is a Tramp - Swannee - then I looked at song 3 and it was called "I Believe" - I never heard that song before - but I figured ok -I'll play it and see what it say - just hoping it wasn't some meaningless song.  If you haven't heard the song - this is how it goes: 

"I believe for every drop of rain that falls a flower grows

I belive that somewhere in the darkest night a candle glows

I believe for everyone that goes astray - someone will come to show the way

I believe - I believe

I believe above the storm the smallest prayer will be heard

I believe the someone in the great somewhere hears every word -

Everytime I hear a new born baby cry or touch a leaf or see the sky - then I know I believe. " 

I still shake from that beautiful gift I was left with - and that fact that it happened twice is amazing - cause we did NOT get the message the 1st time - we just thought - that he died to Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which probably did happen - and I was devestated that I wasn't woken up by that - but by stupid song #3 - Song #3 I KNOW was meant for me - cause song #2 and song # 4 were just "showtunes"

The Other experience

My boss offered to give me a tree to be planted in the yard - in memory of my Father.  So I thought about what kind of tree I would want - and I thought of a cherry tree - that was his favorite tree - every June in his old house - we would pick cherries and make a cherry pie.  I mentioned this to my "boyfriend" who said - oh they are too messy - if you get one - I will just chop it down -  

So then I spoke to my neighbor - to think of a tree - and told her the cherry tree story - she said - well you have a flowering cherry tree in your front yard - yeah but that's not the same.  So I thought maybe I would get a Dogwood Tree or get some roses bushes - hadn't really decided. 

On 6/8/05 - I was putting out trash and crying - I am NOT allowed to grieve in front of my Mother who has chronic parnoid schzioprehnia - you are not even allowed to speak of him in front of her - and I am with her all the time - so anytime I get a few minutes alone I cry - So I am putting the trash in the trash can - and the flowering cherry tree catches my eye - there is a red thing hanging down from it - I look up and the tree is COVERED with cherries - everywhere.  I started to shake and ran to my neighbors house.  I have lived here over 4 years and NEVER ONCE did that flowering cherry tree have cherries -so I asked her if she had ever noticed cherries on that tree before I moved here.  She was very close with the people who owned the house before me - and said no - I remember when they planted that tree - it was supposed to be a weeping flowering cherry - but it grew like a regular flowering cherry - NEVER did it EVER have any cherries - she started to cry - and said that is your Father - and I already knew that..........

Was this experience difficult to express in words? 

No

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?         

Yes

            Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:  

As stated above the CD player two times playing "I Believe" at exactly 4:03 am

            Did the voice or sound seem to originate externally or outside of you, inside you, or did you not hear a voice or sound, but had a sense of knowing what was communicated? 

It was external - it was real it was the CD player - nothing internal

            If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?          

Didn't hear my Father's voice - just his message

            Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?          

yes - the CD player

            Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?  

NO

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?           

No

Did you see the deceased?        

No

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?     

Yes

            What smell, scent, fragrance or odor did you smell?          

The 2nd night that the CD player went off - I smelled him at the bottom of my steps - it was a mixture of his scent - combined with the brill cream he used to wear in his hair - it was just him.........

            Was the smell, scent, fragrance or odor familiar?    

YES - exactly his scent - how he smelled combined with brill cream - which was 4 rooms away in a bathroom closet

            Was anything communicated by the smell?  

I just felt he was there - by the strongness of the smell - ONLY at the bottom of my steps

            Is there any possibility that the smell, scent, fragrance or odor was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?       

NO

How long did the experience last?       

A few minutes

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?        

More sudden - I was running downstairs to check the CD player and when I hit the bottom of the steps - I just smelled him and stopped for a few seconds - but then ran to the CD that was in the other room playing

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          

No

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know? 

I don't know - but I think that by him playing that song 2 x's - it was his message to me - saying I am ok - there is something more out there - I am really ok - don't worry about me -

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?          

Experience was definitely real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:         

I guess the biggest reason I view it as real is cause other people where there to witness it - but the sense of peace and happiness the expereince gave me - it had to be real

            Was the experience dream like in any way?  

No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:          

The 1st experience - I was asleep - I don't think I was feeling anything - cause I just realized he had passed

The 2nd experience I was trying to calm down my daughter - but I almost felt fear when I smelled him and the CD player was going off again to the exact same song at the exact same time

The 3rd experience - I was sad and crying - and then after the experience I was just shaking - and crying w/ happiness

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?          

Yes

Well I never really had time to grieve my Father - before the experience - but I do believe that without these experiences I would not have been able to go on.  It still hard - I miss him dearly - but I believe that HE gave me the GREATEST gift he EVER gave me - and he gave me a lot in his lifetime - He made sure that I KNEW he was ok - and gave me the ability to KNOW there is something more out there and has brought me closer to God

What was the best and worst part of your experience?     

The whole thing was the BEST - the only worst was experience #1 when I realized he had passed away - but the experience itself was wonderful

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?        

Yes                 Describe:     

I started reading more about God - ADC's - mediums - religion etc

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes     Strong pull to God - afterlife -

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?           

Yes     Now I KNOW there is something more.  I always had the basic concept but NEVER thought about the details - since nobody I ever knew close to me ever died.  Now I am exploring the details - although I have not made any conclusive decisions as to what details I REALLY believe - still reading and studying before I know........

Death Compacts are when two or more living people promise among themselves that whoever dies first will try to contact the other(s).  Have you ever made such a compact?       

Yes

Yes - I told him to let me know he was there - to shut off my lights at night (cause I always forget) - that he needs to let me know he is there - and to send me a wonderful man - who will love me in that unconditional way that he did - since he won't be here -

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?         

No

What emotions did you feel during the experience?           

Thankful -

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?          

Yes

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         Yes

Yes - another person I knew Mother was dying of kidney failure - I had this strong feeling that sometimes wasn't right and I sent her an e-mail 2 minutes after her Mother died - checking in to see what was going on "cause I had an odd feeling" - this occurred - around 6/25/05

Have you shared this experience with others?        

Yes     Nobody was really influenced - some where amazed and thought this was great - and amazing and said it goes to show what a special bond you had with him - others cried - and a few thought it was all in my head

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?  

No

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?            No

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?        

No 

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?              

Yes

Please offer any suggestions you may have to improve this questionnaire.   

Good questionaire -

I hope my experience qualifies as an ADC - cause I really thought that it did -although I have NEVER seen or HEARD him - I just knew that was all from him 

Thank you for letting me share my experience.