Spiritual Experiences

CeliaSue Hecht sent me an email about her experience with deceased loved ones. She gave me permission to share it with you, and I think you will find it interesting.

As a skeptical New Yorker, I thought the paranormal and spiritual (New Age, metaphysical), whatever your term/words are was a bunch of hooey... That is, until I started having experiences firsthand... Next thing you know, I was teaching and leading personal growth transformational seminars and workshops in Europe and California, land of the woo-woo, right....

Well, it took another few years and then I started having flashbacks (Shirley MacClaine) past life, reincarnation type experiences ... oh boy...

Then my father came through to me in a very vivid dream, during my divorce in 1996, it was a visitation, and I started having all kinds of woo-woo experiences and started doing psychic readings for others. As my gifts grew, the folks from the other side started talking to me, in dreams, in words, in visions, and even through music.

A recent experience: I was driving into Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Park. It was a beautiful warm sunny summer day. A song came onto the radio. And there were wildflowers everywhere, gorgeous colors. The song reminded me of an old boyfriend who had always wanted to show me wildflowers. And I wept because I knew this was his way of letting me know he was still around. (I found out last year that he had passed).

Another time, I was doing a writing class with an older woman. She kept talking about everything BUT writing, and any time I could get a word in to change the subject, she interrupted and kept up her monologue. At some point, I saw this young man, brown hair, in his 20's, who told me that he was her son and he had passed from AIDS. He was cracking jokes and finally, I asked her to verify what I was seeing and hearing. You would think that would have gotten her attention, but no, she kept right on. And she confirmed everything he told me about his name, and his dog. I spent the rest of the time listening to her and to him making me laugh. So you just never know who will come through and what they will say.

The first time I am aware of a loved one that I did not know in this life who came through and talked to me for awhile, was my grandmother who I was named after but she had died before I was born. Her name was Celia. She and I chatted while I was watching John Edward for the first time. I did not know who he was then. Funny that he, James van Praagh and I all come from the same vicinity, Queens, NYC.

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Warning Signs Of Suicide:

Sometimes people do not exhibit signs that they are considering taking their own lives, but there are warning signs that have been noted when someone is thinking of committing suicide:

• Talk about suicide or death
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Sudden behavioral changes
• Wanting to “tie up loose ends” or give away belongings
• Reckless behavior
• Withdrawal from regular activities
• Sudden change in sleeping patterns or eating habits


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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Bader Field: A Journey of Love, Forgiveness & Acceptance

Carl David's new book, Bader Field, embodies the emotional story of a son's loving relationship with his father - a legendary art dealer whose life is suddenly taken by a massive coronary at the young age of fifty-eight years. His death plunges the twenty-four-year old man onto the front lines of the family art business, which he had entered a mere three years prior. Battling with his own grief while trying to help his adoring but fragile mother survive, David forges forward with all of the elemental tools his father imparted to him. His journey proves a difficult one, not having yet recovered from the horrific loss of his brother to suicide just eight years earlier when he was found dead on the fourth floor of the Rittenhouse Square tonwhouse, which was home to the prestigious David David Gallery. His self-imposed obligation is to successfully take the family art business to the next generation and to give his own children every bit of love, kindness, and wisdom bestowed upon him by the unique man whom they will never know other than the mark he left on everyone who knew him.

Bader Field adds significant insight into the myseterious workings and dealings of the art world. David speaks from experience of having been immersed in it all of his life and having lived it from the inside out. There will be a tremendous crossover interest in this book as it combines the elements of an American family, it's goodness and its tragedy interfaced with the multifaceted aspects of the art business and flying small airplanes. Bader Field in Atlantic City was the oldest airfield in the country. With little sophistication, its two asphalt runways juggled single and twin engine aircraft and exuded a character and charm that created memories to last a lifetime. That is where this saga begins and where it ends as life comes full circle.

http://www.nightengalepress.com

Listen to Carl David's Interview on Wellness Roadshow:
http://www.wellnessrdshow.com/archives/shows/?id=100098

Carl David is the third generation of a four-generation family art business in Philadelphia. He is the author of Collecting & Care of Fine Art published by Crown in 1981. His article about Martha Walter, an American impressionist painter (1875-1976) was published in the American Art Review in May 1978.

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Life and Death Are Choices We Make

Life and death are not random events; they are choices we make at a soul level. Everything that happens is in Divine order and is assisted with Divine help.

As it is in heaven so it is on earth and vice-versa. Birth, death and rebirth are simply part of a cycle similar to the seasons of our earth. There are seasons of planting, growing, waiting, harvesting, fading and resurrection. Even the time of winter or dormancy is an active time; for without it decomposition could not occur. And what is decomposition except for one thing being transformed into another? Energy replaces energy whether we see it or not. Death may seem like a dormant season, but it is far from it.

Like the proverbial glass that is both half full and half empty, a soul is both here on earth and on the other side. There are many dimensions and facets of our soul yet to be discovered. Death and life show a work in progress—a work intended to help us return to Source.

Do not be afraid! If death is upon you, rebirth is on its way. There’s always a springtime to follow. We are just passing through this veil. There’s always more than meets the eye!

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Ways Our Deceased Loved Ones Communicate With Us

Our loved ones who have crossed over communicate with us in a variety of ways. They may bring a familiar smell, or leave coins, feathers or other objects in our path. They may appear as a bird, an animal or take human form. They may come to us in our dreams, or may be the voice we hear in our head.

No matter how you sense their presence you can be assured that you're not crazy! They really are near and they want to communicate.

Do you have ears to hear what the spirit is saying? Do you see More Than Meets the Eye?

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Knowing In Advance That Someone Has Died

Have you ever had an experience where you just “knew” something significant was occurring and yet you couldn’t explain it at the time? Linda Jones-Ellis tells about communicating telepathically with her dying co-worker who then affirmed, after his death, that he had received her message:

Ken was a handsome Rock Hudson-like gay guy whom women loved and admired. He and I worked together in the real estate business and were not all that close until I walked into the office one night and found him cleaning out his desk and packing his belongings. He was leaving the company because of a horribly rude comment a co-worker had made in which she told him people were only pretending to like him. She said that everyone knew he was gay and that no one liked him, and that they were laughing at him behind his back. I was able to help him see that this woman was lying as it was common for her to manipulate and upset people, and get them into trouble in any way she could. Ken's co-workers loved him dearly and were not talking critically of him at all. Ken was thankful for my explanation and made the decision not to leave the company.

About that time Ken had a farm listed for sale and I had a client who wanted to purchase the property. Ken and I made the 150 mile round-trip several times working on this sale. That is when we began to get to know one another, and I learned that he had AIDS. His parents refused to accept that he was gay or support him in any way. Ken's parents rejected him and all the friends and co-workers who did support him.

When Ken became too ill to care for himself, his friends at the real estate office took turns sitting with him day and night. When we received the call that Ken probably would not make it through the night, I jumped into the car with another co-worker and off we went to be with Ken in his final hours. On the way there she asked, “What are you going to say to him?”

“If I get the chance, I'm going to ask him to let me know he's okay when he gets to the other side,” I answered.

“You're NOT going to ask him that, Linda!”

“Only if it seems right,” I replied. I was deep in thought.

When we arrived, there were so many of Ken's friends and co-workers present we had to wait in line just to get a chance to see him for ten minutes. When my turn came I took Ken's hand and looked into his eyes. Our eyes seemed locked into eternity and I didn't have to say a thing. All the love inside us merged and I just knew that everything I had wanted to say was being downloaded into him. When I left his room, I burst into tears. Ken passed a few hours later.

The next morning a Teri, a co-worker, phoned me and said, “Linda, the strangest thing happened last night and you are the only person I can tell this to who might understand.”

“I got the call this morning. Ken passed last night,” I said.

“I know,” she said, “but he came to see me when I was in the shower last night! I was getting ready to go and sit with him for the night shift. He appeared in front of me while I was shampooing my hair.” He said, ‘Hi Teri!’, and I said, “Ken, you look great”, and he said, 'I feel great!'. Then I heard other voices saying, 'Come on Ken. If you're going with us, you have to come NOW!'”

Teri said, “At that moment my roommate walked in to tell me that she had received a call and that Ken had passed. I told her, “I know, he just came by to visit me while I was in the shower!”

I believed Teri. I knew that her experience was real. At the funeral, Teri and I were the only ones there with dry eyes. We were actually smiling!

As the days went by I frequently thought about Ken and wondered if he would let me hear from him. Late one night I was lying on my side in bed when I felt the weight of someone sitting down on the bed behind me. I panicked and wondered whether I had locked my doors before retiring. Instantly and without moving I thought, “Ken! Is that you?” The mattress moved downward the way it would if someone quickly pushed the weight of their hand on it, just behind my back. I knew that signaled “yes”!

I turned to look for him and saw a light at the foot of my bed. It was a white light, as bright as a welding torch flame and I knew in my heart it was Ken. I remembered my dad saying you shouldn't look at a welder's flame because it would damage your eyes. I hid my face in my pillow, and cried out, “Ken, I'm scared.”

In that instant he was gone, but I knew with all my heart that Ken had come to let me know he was okay. Berating myself for being afraid when I had asked for contact, I continued to try to communicate to him that if he would come again I would not be afraid.

Six months later Ken came to me in a dream in which I was giving a report to some people located to my far right. Ahead of me and slightly to my left was an open doorway where Ken appeared with his right hand in his pocket, casually leaning his left side against the door frame. He was making contact with the people to my far right and during their exchange I had an opportunity to just observe him. Slowly he turned his head, and smiling, looked straight at me. “Are you surprised to see me?” he asked sweetly.

As my heart swelled with joy, I smiled back while shaking my head indicating “No.” Then he walked forward and embraced me. Instantly I awoke from the dream, but I will never forget how it felt to connect with him again.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

What Other Forms Do Our Loved One Take When They Visit Us?

Our non-physical loved ones don’t always appear in human form when they come to let us know they are okay. Sometimes they appear in disguise. Lisa Moran tells her story:

In the summer of 1991, I went on vacation at a macrobiotic health resort in Estes Park, Colorado. My one week vacation turned into two weeks, and then a sabbatical from work for a couple of months. I paid my way at the resort by keeping the books. By the end of the summer, I felt led to move to Colorado.

My consulting job was 100% travel, but my employer didn't accept my proposal to work from the Denver airport. So I quit. Over the next year, I became a certified Pilates instructor, opened a studio and began teaching Pilates strength and flexibility techniques to dancers and other residents in the Fort Collins area.

Randy was the choreographer for the local dance company. He had a tall, thin frame with dark hair and he had a distinct way of making ballet fun and playful. Randy participated in several Pilates mat classes at our studio and helped promote our business among the dancers. When I attended a performance of the ballet company, I was very impressed with Randy's choreography. As I became more integrated in the community I served on the Board of Directors and then became the Board President for the ballet. Randy and I worked together on several projects.

Colorado was far too cold for my liking and after a few years I moved to Phoenix, Arizona to warm up. I was saddened to learn that Randy had AIDS and was becoming ill. The ballet needed someone to train with Randy while he still had the ability to dance and mentor. The company received an application from a dancer/instructor in Phoenix, and called me to do a first interview. Oddly enough, the job candidate was named 'Byrd'. After passing my interview (I thought Byrd was delightful!) he was interviewed and hired by the ballet. Byrd moved to Fort Collins and started the job, but it was only a few weeks after his arrival when Randy died.

Byrd called me at 6 a.m. the next morning to tell me Randy passed on. As I left my house a few minutes later and drove slowly toward the stop sign at the end of my street, a dove swooped over the top of my car, down the windshield and across the hood, swaying from side to side with wings outstretched. He landed a few feet in front of my car and strutted to the side of the road. He then turned around and stared at me. I knew it was Randy telling me he was fine. Randy dancing in the after life.

I've heard from the Abraham-Hicks teaching that birds are easy for non-physical beings to manipulate and that many people will have visit from deceased loved ones in the form of a winged creature. My grandmother (who is over 101) told me a couple of years back that when she passes she will give me a message from the afterlife by presenting herself as white birds. Okay, grandma, this is Tennessee. I don't know how you're going to pull that one off, but I'm watching!

Spirit Being Comforts During Divorce

I am reminded of the kind and nurturing being who stayed near me on those lonely nights when I was processing through my divorce. It seemed that whenever I cried, this loving presence touched me in a warm and motherly way. I assumed it was an angel so I began to ask for her to touch me. She always complied, and I could feel her soothing warmth envelope me as she caressed my shoulders and back. When I met my current husband, Randy, my life became full of love. With his arms around me and didn’t really notice when the presence stopped visiting me.

One day during meditation, I asked my spirit guide to introduce me to some of the other beings who assist me on my journey. There was Ginny Lee, the mothering spirit who had consoled me during my divorce. He said that she had lived in the U.S. within the past decade, and had passed only a few years ago. He said she was a mother with a great sense of humor, who loved to care for people, and that she was the one who led me to the church where I met Randy.

I was so overwhelmed by this revelation that I started crying, and when I did, I felt those sweet, tender arms around me just like before! I shared my story with Randy and his mouth fell open, “You have just described my mother to a tee,” he said. “Her name was Virginia Lee, but people who were close to her called her Ginny Lee! She kept everyone laughing until she died suddenly three years ago.”

That was about the same time I started sensing her presence. Randy and I realized that his mom had chosen to leave her physical body in order to complete a Divine assignment—to bring the two of us together. We set a plate for her at the dinner table that night to honor her and thank her for blessing our lives. I rejoice now, knowing that those who pass to the other side still have missions and want to assist us in our earthly journey.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Why Do Deceased Loved Ones Visit Us?

Our deceased loved ones want us to know that they are okay and that they are still concerned for our welfare. One woman told me she had a visit the night of her mother’s funeral. Her mother had been ill for a long time and suffered greatly before she passed. The woman was sitting in her bedroom when she audibly heard the voice of her mother say, “I just wanted to let you know I’m fine now.”

It seems that many deceased loved ones continue to linger around their family. I’m not sure why some choose to make their presence known while others do not, but perhaps Vickie Majors’ story will shed some light.

My father died in 1990. We were so close that I just knew he would come to me. Many years passed and I gave up on the idea of hearing from him. When I was going through my divorce in 2000, he finally came to visit. I was in a deep depression. Most of my inspiration comes to me when I sleep or when I am slightly awake in the early hours of the morning, and that was when I heard my father’s voice. He was at the foot of my bed and looked just like he did before he got sick. He appeared to be in the form of a mirage or a hologram. I asked him why he hadn't visited me earlier. He said that I hadn't needed him before. He wanted me to know that he was fine and that I was going to be fine too. He said he was always close by, watching over Mama and me. He said he was proud of me and that he loved me.

His visit brought me tremendous peace during that very difficult time in my life. I’ve known of his presence since then and have heard his voice, but have never seen his image again. And now, as I write this I can still feel his presence. Sometimes I experience a tingling down the whole right side of my body. It grows stronger, and at times it will immobilize me and my hair stands on end. I remain still while the sensation subsides, then I speak to my dad and acknowledge his presence. I also try to listen to what he is trying to tell me. I feel so incredibly loved and blessed after one of these episodes. It doesn't happen very often but I wish it would. I LOVE to feel his presence.


This article was excerpted from my book, More Than Meets the Eye. This post is many years ago, but it still gets a lot of traffic. I encourage you to read the comments and reply to one another and share your stories. I do check back here often and will reply if you address me personally.

With love and light,

Yvonne Perry
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Deceased Family Member Appears to Great-grandson

After my grandfather, Pap, passed away in 1988, his energy and spirit continued to be with our family. My grandmother reported many occasions when she saw him in her bedroom at night, talked to him throughout her day, or conversed with him in her dreams. My brother’s son was not yet born when Pap passed, but when he was three years old he began to tell his mom that Pap was in his room at night and that he was afraid of him. Knowing my grandfather as the prankster and practical joker that he was, he may have been teasing the toddler. My brother’s wife did not like the idea of a ghost in her son’s room so she asked Pap to leave and to never come back. He has not visited them since. My daughter-in-law has also mentioned having visits from Pap even though she didn’t know him while he was alive. After ten years, all family members stopped receiving visits from him. I wondered why, but I assumed he had a good reason for moving on.

About a week after my uncle passed, I heard him speaking to me in my head. He told me he had connected with his father. “Pap is in school”, he said. I laughed at the prospect of my grandfather being a student. I imagined him wearing a dunce cap or having “time out” for acting as class clown or picking on the girls! “Why is he in school?” I asked. “He’s learning his lessons!” he replied. We both laughed. My uncle explained, “It’s not a typical school like you have on Earth. Pap is in a “review and redo” conference with his guides and angels to negotiate his next life’s contract.” In other words, he was preparing to reincarnate.

I Saw My Deceased Loved One in a Human Form!

Sometimes, deceased loved ones stop by for a visit, just to check in with us or show us that they are alive in a different form. After his death, Jesus manifested in a modified human form and was able to appear and disappear at will. He ate and drank food and was able to disguise himself so that others didn’t recognize him even though he retained his physical characteristics (Luke 24:36-39).

A similar thing occurred when Randy and I drove to visit my family in Georgia after my uncle Edmond died. We stopped at a convenience store to pump gas and I stayed in the car while Randy went inside to pay. A man walked out of the store that looked just like my uncle when he was 40 years old and in good health. He was wearing jeans and an unzipped blue denim jacket that had a red and black plaid lining. Edmond was a smoker and he loved Jack Daniels and Coke. My mouth fell open as I watched this man try to open a pack of cigarettes with one hand and hold a Coke with the other. He had a little brown sack under his arm about the size and shape of a pint of whiskey. He sat the Coke down on the trash can, lit a cigarette and looked right at me. He seemed to know me and I was paralyzed, unable to move or speak. His physical features and mannerisms were identical to my uncle. Then he walked by the driver’s side of our car. My heart was pounding and I tried not to stare. As he neared the back door I turned to get another look at him, but he had vanished. I turned completely around in my seat and scanned the parking lot in all directions, but there was no trace of him.

Randy returned to the car. “Did you see him?” I asked excitedly.

“Who?”

“My uncle, Edmond! That man who came out of the store with the Coke and cigarettes?”

“He was my uncle’s spirit! I KNOW I saw him!”

I was ecstatic! Randy just looked at me, not really knowing what to say.

“Well, he was here!” I announced. “I just saw him.”

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Will I Be Possessed If I Try to Contact Spirit Beings?

I realize that many people are afraid they might contact the wrong person or be possessed by an evil spirit or get into trouble with dark entities if they reach out to their deceased loved ones. When I was doing spiritual warfare, (as taught by the church I was attending) I encountered all kinds of entities and my energy field was being infiltrated by lost souls looking for their way Home. I didn’t know what was happening, but I was hearing some awful things in my head.

Now, I know how to help souls cross over and protect myself from being vulnerable. Dark beings gravitate to fear, but they are repelled by love and light. Simply send a mental beam of love and light to the dark entity and it will flee. When I stopped giving power to the belief (or expectation) that I would contact dark entities, they automatically stopped showing up.

I can still feel negative energy around a person, but I remind myself that we are all one in Spirit and that nothing can harm me unless I open myself to allow it. Remember that we are never working alone; we have helpers of the highest light to assist us. If you have closed your psychic powers down because you are afraid, simply ask the angels to put a hedge around you and protect you from all harm or evil, and allow you to connect only with the light beings who are willing and able to assist you in doing God’s will.

As you begin to trust your guidance and intuition, you will find that you receive only God’s highest and best. Then you will be able to assist souls on both sides of the veil without fear.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Seeing Ghosts and Departed Loved Ones

Why do some people see, hear or sense the presence of departed loved ones, angels or spirit guides while others do not? Possibly some people are more psychic than others because they have been equipped or gifted with these tools in order to fulfill their life’s mission.

Maybe they are here to serve as intuitive healers, psychic detectives, spiritual readers—occupations that require the ability to converse with the other side. I believe that everyone has some degree of psychic ability that can be developed. Maybe you hear and see in the spirit world, but don’t acknowledge it or want to admit it!

Jesus said over and over again, “Blessed are those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.”

Perhaps he was referring to those who can see through the veil that separates the world of physical and non-physical. Some say that seeing is believing, but I think that one must believe before they can see. Everything that we call “reality” exists because we believed, at some point, that it could be. Whether it’s drawing a picture, rearranging your furniture, decorating a cake, making a golf shot or inventing a new tool; whenever you create something, you at least have a mental concept of what it might look like or how it might operate. The Bible says that God calls those things that are not, as if they already are. In other words, what you believe affects what you experience. The good news is you can always change what you believe! Following are some ways to enhance your ability to see and hear in other dimensions and to interact with angels and deceased loved ones:

• Practice thoughts of non-separation (believe you can see/hear)
• Remove limiting beliefs and self-talk
• Heal past wounds that block the psychic gateways
• Practice energy work (such as Reiki) to remove clutter from your auric field or space
• Train your eye to see finer vibrations (learn to read auras). Also watch for plasma splotches or multi-colored sparkling light trails when in a dark or dimly lit room. You may get mental pictures rather than seeing with your physical eyes.
• Listen quietly during meditation. The most common way people experience the Other Side is through an internal voice that may sound like their own voice or the voice of their loved one.
• Be aware of an energy shift around you or a change in temperature in the environment. This may feel similar to the times when you’ve caught someone staring at you from across the room—you could “feel” them looking at you.
• Trust any sense of “knowing” you get. We all have intuition!

Pulling the Plug on a Patient

My husband is a respiratory therapist. The task of turning off the ventilator to allow a patient to naturally transition has occasionally fallen to him. He tells a story about helping a friend cross over:

I work with lung transplant patients almost everyday. However, for some reason I bonded with Jerry from the get go. I met him less than a week after his single lung transplant. I remember how anxious and apprehensive he was about the post-operative phase. He had a lot of questions. After his first bronchoscopy, I went to his room and started a conversation with him and his wife. I remember it to be a joyful experience, sharing not only medical knowledge but also information about ourselves and our families. After that encounter he was always glad to see me for his procedures. He would praise me and tell me he loved me and how thankful he was. His lung transplant was a blessing to him because it allowed him to have his wish to live long enough to see his daughter get married.

From the time of his transplant to the time of his passing, Jerry had one complication after another, but his strong Spirit never waned. After eight months his new lung stopped functioning and his native lung was in horrible condition. He was placed on a ventilator with the hope that it might give him time to recover, but it was not meant to be. Jerry had not wanted to be placed on the ventilator. After three days, his doctor asked me to talk with the family because he knew how close we were. His beautiful, loving family and friends gathered to give Jerry their love and to say their farewells. It is believed that your hearing is the last of the five senses to dissipate, and even though Jerry was well-sedated, I’m sure he could hear them when they told him how much he had blessed their lives, (he had led many to know of Jesus). The ventilator was turned off and removed but he did not pass immediately. In fact, his blood oxygen level actually improved as his friends and family ministered to him. As they sang hymns in his room that afternoon, I could see a pink and purple aura around his face and head. There were some who did not want Jerry to go and they were essentially grounding him by holding onto his feet and hands. This went on for many hours. Before I left for the day I told Jerry how much he meant to me. It was not until after midnight that his spirit departed. I believe Jerry's life mission was fulfilled and he left us at an early age because he has another mission to accomplish. I have no doubt he will be as successful in the next life as he was in this one. I am so grateful for the privilege of having known such a loving human being.

It’s never easy to let someone go, but it can be a peaceful experience when we realize the favor we are doing them by setting them free.

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

My Views on Euthanasia

People with strong religious beliefs may not agree with my views on euthanasia. Many hold the opinion that voluntarily ending a human life is immoral and should not be legalized.

The Nancy Cruzan case provides the U.S. legal framework for honoring the legal right of a patient in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). Nancy Cruzan had sustained severe injuries in an automobile accident, and had been in a PVS for five years when the Cruzan family petitioned for the removal of her feeding tube. Hospital employees refused, without court approval, to honor the request of her parents and co-petitioners, to terminate her artificial nutrition and hydration, since that would result in her death. The Missouri Trial Court ruled that Nancy Cruzan had the fundamental right to ask for the removal of her feeding tube. The court rejected the argument that her parents were entitled to terminate her medical treatment, concluding that no person can assume that choice for someone else in the absence of clear and convincing evidence of the patient's wishes. Nancy had expressed to a former housemate that she would not wish to continue living if she became sick or injured unless she could live at least halfway normally. The court, however, decided that the State Living Will statute strongly favored the preservation of life, and that Cruzan's statements to her housemate were unreliable for the purpose of determining her intent.

In 1990, the US Supreme Court affirmed the state's right to determine its requirements for “clear and convincing evidence” and held that a patient in a PVS had the right to discontinue nutrition and hydration when sufficient evidence of their desire was available. In the end, a state trial court authorized the termination of Nancy Cruzan’s feeding tube on June 25, 1990, and found that a person in Cruzan's condition had a fundamental right under the state and federal law to do so. In this case, it would have been ideal for Nancy to have had a living will which stated her end of life wishes in writing.

My book, More Than Meets the Eye, has a legal copy of a living will in the appendix. Or, you may DOWNLOAD YOUR LIVING WILL HERE, and then print it and sign with two witnesses to legally secure your desires concerning life-sustaining treatment and end-of-life procedures.

Could You Unplug Your Loved One and Let Him Go?

My uncle underwent open-heart valve replacement surgery three times. During the third operation to replace his valves and repair an aneurism, his left lung was sliced open when his breastbone was being separated to access his chest cavity. The heart surgery was a complete success, which gave his family hope that he would make it. The damage done to the lung though was so severe that he was not expected to live. My family continued to hope for his survival.

With narcotics, and the help of a mechanical ventilator, he remained unconscious for weeks. When he finally woke up, unable to talk, he was given a paper and pen with which to write. The only word he managed to weakly scribble was “DIE.”

Prior to this, he had signed a document which gave his wife, and his medical staff, permission to decide what procedures would be done for him. Because of this, he gave away his power to choose. Even though he expressed his desire for passive euthanasia, he had several more surgeries as his wife exercised the rights assigned to her in his living will. To my knowledge, none of his physicians conducted an end-of-life discuss with my family, (such as the type mentioned by Dr. Milstone in chapter two of my book More than Meets the Eye about Death, Dying, and Afterlife), to help them make a decision about life support or to let him go and prepare for his death. Therefore, they continued hoping against all odds that he would recover.

After several months of intravenous feeding, he weighed only 108 pounds. A tracheotomy was performed to relocate his breathing tube, in hopes of allowing him to take nourishment by mouth. He was unable to swallow, so another surgery was performed to place a feeding tube in his stomach. His body made several attempts to carry out the will of his soul, which was to die. He contracted staphylococcal infection, then pneumonia. An aneurysm appeared in the vein where the IV had been, and had to be surgically repaired. Then a drug allergy, an intestinal infection, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and gall bladder inflammation threatened. The longer he lay confined to a hospital bed, the more depressed he became. His doctor prescribed Zoloft to alleviate his depression.

My uncle wanted to leave his body, yet my family, with good intentions, continued to hold him back.

How do you feel about unplugging someone and letting them go? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts on humane euthanasia.

Suicide in the Elderly

USA Today has reported that, among older people with terminal illnesses who attempt suicide, the number suffering from depression reaches almost 90%. Even Jack Kevorkian, the notorious “suicide doctor,” said at a court appearance that he considers anyone with a disease who is not depressed “abnormal.”

Kevorkian and others who argue in favor of physician-assisted suicide believe that even though depression is treatable; the disabling disease is not. Treating depression in critically ill patients will help to alleviate some of the emotional despair, but it does little to relieve physical symptoms. The patient will still lie on “death row” until the angels come.

My personal opinion is that we have more compassion for our pets than we do for our dying family members. We will euthanize our sick and dying dog, but we will allow our loved one to suffer to the end. I’m not trying to pin guilt on anyone about any end of life decision they may have made for someone, I am simply making an observation in hopes of helping others avoid the end of life trauma that my uncle endured.

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Struggling with Emphysema and Life Support

My grandfather was diagnosed with emphysema fifteen years before his struggle to breathe confined him to his climate-controlled bedroom. Much of the last year of his life was spent in a hospital. The non-stop care for his declining health was beginning to take its toll on my family who never left his side. My grandfather knew that he would not be able to recover from his illness and lead a normal life. Therefore, he signed a document in which he requested that he not be resuscitated or placed on life support in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. I remember talking with him in his final days. I asked him if he was ready to die. “I believe I am,” he affirmed. He passed peacefully in the hospital without the assistance of life support.

My experience with a loved one’s decision regarding life support, has led me to believe that every person has the right to choose. This is one of the reasons that compelled me to write this book. I believe a person, who is kept alive by machines against his/her will, becomes a victim of someone else’s choice. No one should be denied the God-given power of free will.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.

Thoughts on Euthanasia

Some people believe that it is not wise to circumvent the dying process. The late psychiatrist and famous author, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, shared that her experience in working with thousands of dying patients and their families convinced her that euthanasia was wrong even for patients with terminal illness. She believed that euthanasia (which she called suicide) cheats people out of the opportunity to complete their unfinished business. The unfinished business she referred to is the contemplation of the ultimate meaning of one's life. She felt the “end of life” period is a time for resolving old disputes, mending relationships, and coming to a final recognition and appreciation of all the good things that have been a part of one's life. That may be easier said than done if a person is on life support and barely have a brain wave!

Personally, I believe we need to do our resolving and keeping our relationships up to date on a daily basis. We never know when our last day is.

Dr. Kubler-Ross believed that, despite their compassionate motives, those healthy bystanders who encourage or even assist in euthanasia are stealing the last precious moments of these patients' lives. I understand her theory, but I believe that every person’s unfinished business must eventually come to an end. If one is unable to live without life support, and feels his business is complete, it would be cruel to force them or their family to suffer needlessly.

Side note here: we induce labor to bring a child into the world against its will. That soul doesn't get to choose its own birthday. Shouldn't a soul get to decide when it enters or leaves the earth plane?

What do you think about euthanasia in a situation where there is little hope for recovery? If that person has a living will stating that he or she does not want to be kept alive on machines, would you have reservations about enacting their wishes and letting them go?

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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.
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My Uncle's Spirit Visits Me Before the Death of His Body

Before Christmas in 2001, after almost a year of struggle, my uncle’s body completely shut down and he went into a coma. After five days, his spirit came to me during meditation. He asked me to assist him with his transition so I began to sing, “Edmond crossed over to the other side today. Angels are with him, he is safe and at peace.”

I connected with the spirits of my aunt, my mother, and my grandmother to let them know that Edmond wanted to leave and asked them to please let him go. I never spoke to them in person, but the next day my family allowed the machines to be unplugged and my uncle was finally free to go.

During his spirit visit that day, my uncle gave me the words he wanted me to speak at his graveside to comfort those he was preparing to leave behind. He also wanted me to play and sing at his funeral service and mentioned a few songs that he liked. On the day of his ceremony, I felt an enormous peace and joy even when the rest of my family was experiencing sorrow.