"The hood of my down suit, drawn protectively round my face, became the frame of a television screen from inside which I was observing the outside world."
Fascinating imagery!
I have no experience remotely related to the authors quoted; however, I do recall at around 13K I once experienced a feeling of peering through a looking glass that had become longer as I ascended, thereby further distancing my psyche from my surroundings. It was reminiscent of Nitrogen Narcosis that one sometimes experiences when SCUBA diving at depth of 90-100ft.