Sepsis Visions: The Church | By Matthew Laverty – Sepsis Survivor

I want to share one of my most vivid visions / experiences with you. I will try to give the account of my most weird and profound dream which I had whilst in intensive care.

 

It was set in the town of Ballymena, in N. Ireland. I’m originally from Cullybackey, outside Ballymena, but I did live for a while in Ballymena itself. I would have a very strong Christian Faith – I don’t want to offend anyone by saying that it would be of a ‘Protestant’ nature. Likewise I do not wish to offend anyone, in anyway, by sharing this experience with you. 

 

The dream which I had, was as I said situated in Ballymena. I was at the place known as ‘the top of the town’ – I think the chapel is called St Patricks Roman Catholic Church. Now, as I said, I do not wish to cause anyone offence, but for me, being inside that church is unlikely because of my own personal beliefs.

 

But I can remember walking along the footpath and entering the church with what I believe was two other people. As we enter the church I’m not sure who the other two people were, but we stood at the back of the church.

 

The church was completely empty. No seating or pews etc.

 

And when I say I’m there, I mean I can see no pews and no chairs in front of me. But at the same time, at the front to the right hand side of the altar, I could also see myself lying on like a table, with my feet lower than my head being slightly elevated.

 

And I believe that three nurses who were dealing with me, were giving me a bed bath, or working with me. Having worked in a hospital theatre medical / job, and seeing a ‘body’ being prepared for removal to a waiting place. I now believe I could have been looking at my body as life had either left it or was about to leave it!

 

However, up in the pulpit was someone standing – a man! This man was dressed in a long brown coloured habit – like what a monk would be wearing. He had a bald head. He was just milling around and not really giving me any notice to what was going on.

 

I do believe now that he was waiting on the nurses to finish what they were doing before the would start to speak, or before he would do whatever he was waiting to do!

 

To the left hand side of this pulpit there was a set of steps – possibly about three to four steps. It was there that he was standing. It was quite a narrow set of steps and whenever you would have walked up them, you would have sort of faded into a place of Darkness. Possibly, or that there were a number of curtains hanging all around that would have shaded out all light.

 

At that point, I believe that he was still standing waiting for something to happen. Now what this was? – I don’t know! But as I said I was standing at the back of the church watching everything going on.

 

I do know that whilst I felt the seriousness and the gravity of all that was going on, I also know I was not alone. I had the support of some-‘one’, or some others that were with me.

 

I am not saying that there were any bright white lights, or angels singing. But amidst the sombre gravity of what was going on around me at the front of that church, there was also a peaceful calmness of not being on my own and even a protection around me!