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Name: Amazon.com: Near Death in the ICU: Stories from Patients Near Death and Why We Should Listen to Them eBook : Bellg MD, Laurin: Kindle Store
Rating: 4.6 (1681 reviews)

Laurin Bellg

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Near Death in the ICU: Stories from Patients Near Death and Why We Should Listen to Them Kindle Edition

by Laurin Bellg MD (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 1,681 ratings

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A phenomenal collection of medical patient accounts of encounters with the mysterious during severe illness and life-threatening injury from the voice of the physician who took care of them. Both touching and thought-provoking, this book invites you to reconsider what happens when we die, and in doing so, challenges you to ponder that perhaps we are much more than our earth-bound physical bodies.

Near-death experiences are often profoundly meaningful, yet when they are reported, they are frequently met with skepticism and dismissal by medical caregivers and family members. But do we have to fully understand these events to honor the transformative role they often play in the lives of those who experience them?

For nearly twenty years, Dr. Laurin Bellg has been present at the bedside of critically ill and dying patients. As she has worked to create an accepting and supportive relationship with them, her patients have shared with her the mysterious experiences they sometimes have during moments of crisis of apparently seeing beyond our physical world. In telling their engaging, powerful and sometimes humorous stories, Dr. Bellg invites the reader to consider that bearing witness to a patient's near-death experience is a respectful and meaningful part of medical care, a way for families to support their loved ones, and an important part of the patient's healingDo we need to prove they are something more than the result of illness, medication or a dying brain to acknowledge their power to impact lives in a positive way?

Editorial Reviews

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"Laurin Bellg writes beautifully - I couldn't put the good down...(her) writing is clear, well-organized and reaches both the lay person and the most sophisticated surgeon...The book leads the reader on a fascinating journey, exploring the different aspects of near-death experiences and demonstrating the need to keep an open mind about the phenomenon, because we don't know the whole story yet." - Robert Mays, researcher in near-death studies and board member at the International Association of Near-Death Studies

"No one has addressed so well the need to offer a helpful response to those reporting a near-death experience...Dr. Bellg's book addresses the heart of the matter."- Janice Holden, Ed.D., Chair, Dept. of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas, Editor of Journal of Near-Death Studies

"This will be an exciting, life-affirming account of phenomena of consciousness that will change how you think about death - and life!" - Eric Sanderson

"Near Death in the ICU will be a book worth waiting for. I've read many of Dr. Bellg's stories in various publications and can't wait to see them together in one collection." - J Stratton

"My time with Dr. Bellg's book was profound: inspiring, comforting, and a gentle reminder of so much that I can easily forget. Also, it helped me to pause for reflection on some of my own personal journey." - Patricia A. Muehsam, M.D., Founder of Transformational Medicine

From the Author

EXCERPT"I can't find the damn bleeder!" he heard the surgeon say in frustration.
"Keep the blood coming. If you can't get it fast enough, then I want plasma! Now!" The surgeon's panic was only barely veiled by his intense determination not to lose this battle.
Dr. John heard it all; he saw it all. He was astonished at how aware he was as he looked on. Then a sound distracted him and his attention was drawn to the slowing of his heartbeat on the monitor near his head. At the same time, he felt himself drifting farther away from the drama of his surgery. The last thing he recalled of that scene was the surgeon cursing and yelling out that they were losing him and his own solitary thought, "I must be dying."
His next awareness found him completely and peacefully enveloped in what he could only describe as a soft shroud of mist with tiny points of light blinking in and out quickly as they moved all around him. He felt completely weightless and peaceful, void of any fear. The feeling of love was immense, almost unbearable, and recalling it now, Dr. John's voice became fragile as he paused to fight back tears.
Regaining his composure, after a few moments he continued. He described floating in such a beautiful and bright place of total peace that he lost all thoughts and concerns related to anything connected to his physical existence. He was aware of nothing except how good it felt to be there where he was - wherever that was. How long he lingered in this space, he could not say because time had immediately lost meaning for him.
Suddenly, though, he heard a very distinct voice say gently but firmly, "You can't stay, John. It's not your time to die." Whether the voice was male or female, he couldn't determine, but it was commanding and he did not protest its directive. Instinctively, he knew it would be pointless to argue.
Still feeling peaceful and detached, he felt himself descending and slowly his body came back into view as the mist surrounding him dissipated and he could once more hear the clamor and tension of the operating room. Hovering above the scene, he watched the weak representation of his pulse on the monitor slowly gain strength as the resuscitation efforts of the surgical team reclaimed their hold on Dr. John's physical body.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0198NRFH0
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sloan Press (December 10, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 10, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #124,945 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1 in Physician & Patient Medical Procedure
- #4 in Mind-Body Connection
- #243 in Alternative Medicine (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 1,681 ratings

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Laurin Bellg

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I am a critical care physician working with very ill patients in the ICU. My training prepared me to care for the very sick, but it did not prepare me for encounters with the unknown. Over the past twenty years I've heard numerous mysterious and beautiful stories that patients have returned from the brink of death to share with me. They are both incredible and life-affirming.

I wrote Near Death in the ICU because I felt I had something to contribute to the conversation about near-death experiences as a part of good patient care. Many well-meaning care providers will discount patient's experiences for which we have no scientific proof, but as many patients reported to me during interviews for this book, this approach is not only unhelpful, it is potentially harmful.

Near Death In The ICU is a collection of patient stories that I've encountered over the years and I hope it will contribute something new, powerful and lasting to the conversation of near-death, out-of-body and other anomalous experiences not only surrounding trauma and severe illness, but also during routine medical procedures. Patients have a story to tell and it is our role and great honor to listen to and respect them.

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They appreciate the compelling stories and the author's unbiased, non-judgmental approach. The writing quality is described as well-written, easy to understand, and forthright. Readers describe the stories as heartfelt and comforting. However, opinions differ on the unbiasedness - some find it unbiased and non-judgemental, while others feel the author spent too much time justifying NDEs.

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Readability Thought provoking Writing quality Story quality Comfort level Unbiasedness

110 customers mention "Readability"106 positive4 negative

Customers find the book engaging and insightful. They appreciate the author's perspective and consider it a valuable read for anyone interested in near-death experiences. The book takes readers on an intriguing journey exploring different aspects of NDEs, providing hope and solace.

"...The book is so good I didn't want to put it down. She never loses the reader, even during her descriptions of medical proceedures where I have no..." Read more

"...A great book and I highly recommend it." Read more

"The main thing I love about this well-written and fascinating book is that the author is an ICU doctor who transcended her early medical training,..." Read more

"This was a wonderful, really educating read. It was written in a very easy to understand manner. I enjoyed it very much." Read more

94 customers mention "Thought provoking"94 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and educational. They appreciate the author's understanding and compassion for the subject matter. The stories are short and easy to read, portraying the phenomenon with open minds and hearts. Readers mention that the personal encounters as a physician are captivating and make for a meaningful and touching page-turner. Overall, readers describe the book as fascinating and well-written.

"...One is the open-minded and compassionate attitude Dr. Bellg takes toward people who have had anomalous experiences during moments of trauma or..." Read more

"...as the NDEs inform us that the individual soul is precious, amazing in its abilities, and connected to others through love...." Read more

"...and knowing that it was ME that I was looking at from above, was truly freeing and it is true that the sense that it no longer matters what is..." Read more

"...Since she has such an open mind and is so curious she is able to get people to talk about their experiences in detail...." Read more

56 customers mention "Writing quality"53 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's writing style. They find it well-written and easy to understand, with descriptions that are beautifully described. The language is forthright and unpretentious. Readers appreciate the clear-headed approach and perspective from which the insights are presented. Overall, they feel the book provides a gentle touch without trying to persuade them of any author's hypothesis.

"...I really admired about the book is Dr. Bellg's unbiased and clear-headed approach to the topic of what NDEs are all about, what they signify...." Read more

"...I feel this is perfect for medical professionals to read as it teaches how to honor a person's experience even if you have different beliefs...." Read more

"The main thing I love about this well-written and fascinating book is that the author is an ICU doctor who transcended her early medical training,..." Read more

"This was a wonderful, really educating read. It was written in a very easy to understand manner. I enjoyed it very much." Read more

50 customers mention "Story quality"46 positive4 negative

Customers find the stories compelling and interesting. They say the book conveys stories of real people and their experiences, with accounts of near-death experiences shared with a critical care physician. The stories are short, easy to read, and credible, offering hope that there is more to life than the termination of death. Readers describe the book as accurate and different from other works on near-death experience.

"...death experience books and this one is just filled with the most beautiful recollections I've ever read...." Read more

"...The book's narrative is totally believable because of the detailed descriptions of the medical cases...." Read more

"I really liked this book for it’s telling of what people experienced without embellishments...." Read more

"This eBook is different than any Near Death Experience (or serious medical situations) that I read and I found it a delight to read...." Read more

32 customers mention "Comfort level"32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book comforting and heartfelt. They appreciate the author's compassionate and accepting approach towards her patients and their families. The book provides hope and closure to readers, allowing them to find peace after death.

"...One is the open-minded and compassionate attitude Dr. Bellg takes toward people who have had anomalous experiences during moments of trauma or..." Read more

"...something for everyone as the NDEs inform us that the individual soul is precious, amazing in its abilities, and connected to others through love...." Read more

"...She is completely understanding and supportive and has recorded stories in this book that amaze...." Read more

"...The ability to explain, even though limited, will give some solace and peace. That perhaps that is the foundation of the book...." Read more

15 customers mention "Unbiasedness"10 positive5 negative

Customers have different views on the book's unbiased and non-judgmental approach. Some appreciate the author's respect for her patients' truth and lack of religious bias. Others feel the book has too much reasoning and justification, which gets boring. The book is also described as scientific and redundant by some readers.

"...The second aspect which I really admired about the book is Dr. Bellg's unbiased and clear-headed approach to the topic of what NDEs are all about,..." Read more

"...There are no religious suppositions. She has a wonderful, scientific curiosity & a caring disposition towards her patients & their families. Bravo!..." Read more

"...want the what's on the other side that we must all travel the book is too scientific" Read more

"...compassion for the patients was remarkable and I believe the lack of any religious bias allowed for a straight forward depiction of what the patient..." Read more

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Morgan
Laurin Bellg Nails It
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2020
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This is the best book on NDEs and NDEers I've ever read, and I've read many. For starters, Dr. Bellg is a brilliant writer. The book is so good I didn't want to put it down. She never loses the reader, even during her descriptions of medical proceedures where I have no idea what she's talking about. I could pretend I was a medical progessional standing beside her, thinking, "Ok, yeah, I agree that's the best course of action. Please proceed" lol. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it's too short. I wanted more.

For me, there are two aspects of this book that really make it stand out. One is the open-minded and compassionate attitude Dr. Bellg takes toward people who have had anomalous experiences during moments of trauma or emotional distress. Her viewpoint helped me shed a new light on my own struggle with dismissing anything for which there is not solid evidence in the physical world. There are things I want to believe, things that would probably have a positive impact on my life; but there is always the harsh taskmaster within that says, "You have no evidence for that. It's nothing but a thought in your head. You need proof." Dr. Bellg gently reminds us that if an experience or belief comforts us and gives us a better outlook on life, perhaps it is okay to hold onto it, despite lack of concrete evidence. We don't need to know everything before we believe something.

The second aspect which I really admired about the book is Dr. Bellg's unbiased and clear-headed approach to the topic of what NDEs are all about, what they signify. Do they prove the existence of an afterlife? Dr. Bellg's position is that we must be very careful about jumping to conclusions and making generalized statements of truth based on these anomalous experiences. At this point in our evolution, we simply don't know what these experiences are or how they originate. Many authors who have written books about NDEs already made up their minds before they started researching that NDEs prove the existence of an afterlife. Their research is colored by their previous beliefs. It is refreshing that Dr. Bellg acknowledges that NDE phenomena may be entirely creations of neurological activity in the brain, and we just don't understand how the brain does it yet. But that doesn't necessarily mean a person's NDE account should be dismissed as meaningless, especially when it has such a profound impact on their life. What matters is experience, not theories and rigidly structured paradigms.

Two thumbs up, way up, for Dr. Bellg's book. I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about NDEs from a physician's point of view.

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Vital
Brilliant and Courageous
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2024
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This book offers something for everyone as the NDEs inform us that the individual soul is precious, amazing in its abilities, and connected to others through love. Dr. Bellg's brilliance shines through as she shares some of the wisdom she gained by trying to help people deal with NDEs over the past 20 years as ICU physician. One goal of the book is to help other doctors provide better patient care by offering them a way to affirm a patient's experience despite personal skepticism. A second goal of the book is to help patients make sense of their experiences. It would be to everyone's benefit if Dr. Bellg's book was part of medical school curriculum as well as part of every hospital library. Finally, Dr. Bellg's book inadvertently offers a healthy category of interpretation to practitioners of mystical religion (yoga meditation, vision quest, etc.) so they do not fall prey to the narcissistic megalomania of "oneness with God". Thank you, Dr. Bellg, for your wisdom, courage, and love.

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Nicole
I, too, have had an out-of-body experience.......
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2019
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dr. Bellg's book. It was worth every penny I paid for it. When I had my first child, I had an out-of-body experience too. I was told much later that they had almost lost me. It happened 51 years ago and I can remember it like it was yesterday. The feeling of being out-of-body is the most intensive experience I have ever had in my life. Being suddenly totally out of pain and knowing that it was ME that I was looking at from above, was truly freeing and it is true that the sense that it no longer matters what is happening to the body - to me - is a gift from God. Never will I ever be afraid to die. As a matter of fact, I am quite looking forward to it. I just pray that I won't suffer for a long period of time though (I'm not crazy after all....) but I know how it will end and that brings me great comfort. In those days, we didn't talk about those things but now that my husband had one too (at the point of death, but survived) we are able to talk and share the experience. Dr. Bellg is so right on. Although, I was a tad disappointed that any spiritual attachment was avoided (I can only guess, must have been) I still am amazed at her incredible compassion for her patients. We are so aware of the perceived lack of emotion in our doctors - it's called professionalism - that sometimes I wonder why?? Just saying! I love my doctor and treasure the care she gives me. May God bless all doctors - I'm not so sure I would want to go thru what they go thru. A great book and I highly recommend it.

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Carol Ellan
Great professional perspective
Reviewed in Canada on September 1, 2017
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Dr. Bellg documents her professional experience with people who have had remarkable experiences at times of dire injuries or trauma. The book is interesting not only because of the experiences and their veridibility but because of her compassionate take on the standard medical dismissals of those experiences. Particularly impressive are the conversations with patients and family members who prefer to deny these experiences rather than acknowledge them and the positive results that arose from letting the patients "have" their beliefs in what they thought had happened to them.

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Kushal
A beautiful and captivating compilation of NDEs
Reviewed in India on March 25, 2018
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I came across this book on a facebook page for NDEs, read the sample and could not stop myself from buying it. The book makes you realize that the universe is strange enough to have an open mind about these extraordinary experiences you come across. Definitely recommended! Enjoy.

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Obiwan
Well-written and thought-provoking.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2016
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I've just finished reading this. I have to say I think it is an excellent book. Firstly, I think it is very well written. Secondly, it speaks with the authority of an experienced medical practitioner based on both her direct personal experiences and those who have reported their experiences to her very soon after they occurred in most cases. The experiences reported do not seem to me to have been embellished by her or made to be anything other than what was reported to the author. It is very matter-of-fact. There is no hype.

It isn't meant to be a science book. There are no fancy statistics in it. We do of course, have to rely on the honesty of the author, however there is nothing in it that suggests to me any sense that it isn't an honest report. The elements of the book that talk about the importance of listening with an open mind and not judging the experiences of others is very important I think.

I'd certainly recommend it to anyone with an open mind or to those who have had, or know people who have had similar experiences, or to those supporting seriously ill friends or relatives.

As MB mentioned, the author says that some of the experiences are actually composite. The only the observation I would make is that it is not possible to identify which experiences are composite and which are not in the book. I don't think this detracts from it necessarily and the author makes the point herself in the introduction.

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Annette
A very intriguing and insightful read! Well worth the effort!
Reviewed in Australia on August 27, 2016
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I really loved the stories told of what people have experienced beyond 'the veil'.

It is definitely worth purchasing particularly if someone is interested in the topic, facing a critical illness themselves or have recently lost a loved one, as it offers a tremendous sense of comfort in the fact that our consciousness may in fact survive our physical death.

The only thing I didn't like was being constantly reminded that we should be open to being tolerant & accepting of people having & telling of their experiences. I totally agree, but don't need to be told over & over again!

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Paul Hayes
A touching account.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2024
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I really enjoyed her writing.
Sad that Doctors have felt so afraid of being open about their experiences in this field.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Laurin Bellg Nails It

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and Courageous

4.0 out of 5 stars I, too, have had an out-of-body experience.......

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Great professional perspective

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful and captivating compilation of NDEs

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and thought-provoking.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very intriguing and insightful read! Well worth the effort!

5.0 out of 5 stars A touching account.

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Laurin Bellg Nails It

Brilliant and Courageous

I, too, have had an out-of-body experience.......

Great professional perspective

A beautiful and captivating compilation of NDEs

Well-written and thought-provoking.

A very intriguing and insightful read! Well worth the effort!

A touching account.