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4843
qualitative
book
Simon Bown, Verified Near Death Experiences, Chapter 17: A Sleeper Who Saw Everything, Andrew Elkan, pp. not specified, 2025
Verified Near Death Experiences, Andrew Elkan, Chapter 17, 2025
2025
M
Andrew Elkan suffered continuous life-threatening seizures (status epilepticus) causing severe brain swelling. Forty-minute delay in treatment due to police searching for drugs worsened his condition. Medical team placed him in induced coma to halt seizures and reduce brain swelling. Each attempt to wake him triggered immediate seizures. After 24 hours, he showed no response to any stimuli indicating profound neurological damage. Staff advised parents to consider end-of-life care. He remained in vegetative state for 28 days with brain showing no activity.
During his coma, Andrew stood beside his hospital bed observing events, understanding communications despite not hearing speech. He watched family members bring friends against ICU rules, seeing when staff caught his friend Tyson and asked him to leave. He observed his brother applying Vaseline to his dry lips. When transported for stent insertion, he consciously followed his body down the hallway, watching the entire procedure including X-ray guidance. He observed two medical personnel, one in the room and one monitoring from separate area. During the procedure, he saw his lung get accidentally punctured - a complication not disclosed to parents but noted in medical records. The day before waking, he watched amused as priest administered last rites while rabbi offered prayers, thinking "I'm not dying." Friend Tyson confirmed sneaking into ICU and being caught by staff. Brother confirmed applying Vaseline to Andrew's lips. Medical records verified lung puncture during stent procedure that parents weren't told about. Parents confirmed arranging both priest and rabbi visit. All observations occurred while brain was in vegetative state for 28 days. After 28 days, Andrew regained consciousness but required five more months of intensive therapy to relearn walking and writing. His recovery defied medical expectations given his brain's extended inactivity. Multiple witnesses verified his observations made during vegetative state.
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Hospital
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41
Moderate Evidence
15
28-day medically induced coma with vegetative brain state. Status epilepticus with severe brain swelling. No response to stimuli indicating profound neurological damage. Medical team advised end-of-life care.
Four verified observations: Friend Tyson's ICU visit, brother applying Vaseline, lung puncture during stent procedure confirmed by medical records, priest and rabbi visit. All during vegetative state.
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Induced coma for 28 days
7/31/2025
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