logo
I was on the roof smoking weed as my baby girl fought for her life in hospital – and I used the drug constantly through both of my pregnancies. This is the startling truth about being a middle-class 'addict': ELIZABETH WALKER

I was on the roof smoking weed as my baby girl fought for her life in hospital – and I used the drug constantly through both of my pregnancies. This is the startling truth about being a middle-class 'addict': ELIZABETH WALKER

Daily Mail​15-05-2025

Lying motionless in a hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines attached by wires to her tiny body, my four-month-old daughter was fighting for her life.
As a new mother, I felt guilty for not spotting the signs of bronchiolitis, a viral lung infection that can leave infants gasping for breath, before it got this far.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Last chance for spring Covid-19 booster jab in Surrey
Last chance for spring Covid-19 booster jab in Surrey

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Last chance for spring Covid-19 booster jab in Surrey

The NHS in Surrey is reminding those who are eligible to get their spring Covid-19 boosters before the seasonal campaign ends in later this NHS says uptake in the latest round of boosters has been low, with just 49% of people eligible in Surrey having received their most recent booster eligible for the booster are adults aged 75 and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and individuals with weakened immune booster provides "vital protection against different strains of the Covid-19 virus" and helps to reduce the risk of serious illness and hospital admissions, the NHS says. Dr Charlotte Canniff, Surrey GP and joint chief medical officer at Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board, said: "It is not uncommon to see less people come forward for their booster over the spring and summer months."However, Covid-19 is still circulating, and it is important that vulnerable people are protected so that their risk of becoming seriously unwell is reduced."Appointments are available at pharmacies and GP practices across the county, with walk-in appointments also offered at various campaign ends on 17 June.

I died for eight minutes... my encounter proves the soul never dies
I died for eight minutes... my encounter proves the soul never dies

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

I died for eight minutes... my encounter proves the soul never dies

She died for eight minutes, no pulse, no breath, and no brain activity, and then came back to life with a chilling, vivid story about death. Brianna Lafferty, a 33-year-old woman from Colorado, was battling a life-threatening neurological disorder when, as she describes it, her body simply 'gave up.' She was pronounced clinically dead, but according to her, her consciousness did not die with her. 'Death is an illusion because our soul never dies. Our consciousness remains alive. And our very essence simply transforms,' Lafferty said. 'I did not see or remember my human self. I was completely still, yet I felt fully alive, aware, and more myself than ever before.' Lafferty suffers from myoclonus dystonia, a rare neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle jerks and can disrupt bodily functions. During one of her medical crises, she flatlined. Before she lost full physical awareness, she said she heard a voice asking if she was ready, then everything went dark. What happened next, she said, defies scientific explanation. She described her soul 'floating' above her lifeless body and entering a realm where time did not exist. Near-death experiences (NDEs) are complex and not fully understood, but scientific research suggests they are likely neurological phenomena arising from specific brain activity during moments of critical illness or near-death. While various theories exist, a key aspect involves the brain's continued activity, even after the heart stops, potentially leading to altered states of consciousness and vivid perceptions. But Lafferty is sure she died, experienced life after death and returned to the world of the living. 'I was suddenly separated from my physical body,' Lafferty said. 'There was no pain, just a deep sense of peace and clarity. This detachment from my physical form made me realize how temporary and fragile our human experience is.' She also claimed that she noticed something extraordinary, her thoughts began to shape her surroundings in the afterlife. 'My thoughts instantly materialized,' said Lafferty. 'I realized that our thoughts shape reality there, it just takes time, which is a blessing.' After she was revived, Lafferty had to relearn how to walk and speak. She underwent experimental brain surgery to treat damage to her pituitary gland. Though she fears the possibility of another near-death experience, she no longer fears death itself. 'It changed the course of my life,' she said. 'What I feared no longer had power over me, and what I used to chase didn't seem important anymore.' Though her account is deeply personal, it resonates with findings from a recent study that suggests awareness may persist long after the heart stops. Researchers across 25 hospitals in the US, UK, and Bulgaria tracked 567 patients who suffered cardiac arrest in hospital settings. The study, published in Resuscitation, used EEG monitors to measure brain wave activity during CPR. Nearly 40 percent of the patients monitored during resuscitation showed signs of brain activity associated with consciousness, some as long as 60 minutes after their hearts had stopped. Dr Sam Parnia, the study's lead author and director of critical care and resuscitation research at New York University (NYU) Langone, said the findings may offer a glimpse into what happens as we die. 'These experiences provide a glimpse into a real, yet little-understood dimension of human consciousness that becomes uncovered with death,' Parnia said. In one case, a woman believed she was being tortured in hell as a nurse inserted an IV, a traumatic, semi-conscious moment that may have been interpreted through a haze of near-death awareness. Lafferty described a similarly surreal experience as she encountered 'other beings' that didn't seem human but felt oddly familiar. She also described the presence of a 'higher intelligence' watching over her with what she called 'unconditional love,' a moment that altered her perception of life and death. 'There's a presence, or intelligence, higher than ourselves that guides and watches over us with unconditional love,' she said. The NYU-led study is among the strongest scientific evidence yet that consciousness may persist after clinical death, and that memory, perception, and awareness do not necessarily stop the moment the heart does. As for Lafferty, the experience left her with a sense of clarity, and a belief that life's pain has meaning. 'I feel empowered and trust life's events, especially the hard ones,' she said. 'Everything happens for a reason.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store