X-Message-Number: 25933 From: "Brian Wowk" <> Subject: Living Wills and Advance Directives Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 10:22:15 -0800 James Clement recently posted a sample living will basically saying that life support is not be terminated under any circumstances. For a cryonicist, this is a potentially fatal mistake. Here is a note on this subject from Cryonics, May, 1982: >> May, 1982 A NOTE OF EXPLANATION ON "RESPIRATOR BRAIN" Some cryonicists have brought to my attention the fact that others might not understand how it can be that prolonged placement on a respirator can destroy the brain, especially in view of the fact that our bracelets specifically ask for us to be placed upon a respirator. The subject is complex; however to summarize it briefly, if we are placed on a respirator in a hospital situation, rather than as part of cryonic suspension, our body temperature will be maintained at the normal human body temperature of 37 degrees C. If it happens that circulation to our brain is not reestablished, this will mean that our brain cells would remain deprived of oxygen and nutrients for a long time while at a high temperature. This will cause all of the deteriorations we recognize as happening with ischemia, made worse by the high temperatures. After a period of abou t 24 hours with this treatment, very little cell structure remains in the brain. Neurologists attending patients on a respirator recognize this condition and give it the name "respirator brain." << One cryonicist I know has an Advance Medical Directive with the following language: >> "I specifically desire that my life not be artificially prolonged nor my physiological functions maintained by use of a respirator in the event of severe brain injury or damage from any cause, including by not limited to: stroke, aneurysm, trauma, poisoning, or cardiac arrest. I stipulate that 'severe injury' constitutes any condition in which flow to the brain is irreversibly compromised or in which electrical activity is absent (where there are no overlying reversible reasons for absence of electrical activity, such as the presence of barbiturates or hypothermia). If a sever injury of this nature has occurred and current medical techniques cannot reverse it, I instruct that I immediately be disconnected from life support equipment, that I be declared legally dead as soon as possible, and that my remains be promptly transferred to ALCOR Life Extension Foundation. To this end I authorize any and all tests required to establish continued cerebral viability, blood flow, and/or electrical activity as may be required in the judgement of my health care agent on advice from my physicians." Bottom line: The distinction needs to be made that you want life support to get you to Alcor as long as such life support would not result in deterioration of your brain, but that you would want life support removed immediately if it would result in deterioration of your brain. << I *strongly* recommend that all cryonicists read the article by David Brandt-Erichsen the begins on page 26 of the November, 1988, issue of Cryonics magazine: http://www.alcor.org/cryonics/cryonics8811.txt ---Brian Wowk -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.8.4 - Release Date: 3/27/2005 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25933