X-Message-Number: 7767
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 09:37:49 -0800
From:  (Olaf Henny)
Subject: The need it great; Message #7759 from Dave Pizer

>> The above quotation touches on a phenomenon, which I have 
>> observed on many occasions throughout my life:  The prospect 
>> of death appears welcome, when we are in a state of complete 
>> exhaustion, as most of us of course will be, when we are 
>> near death.  Its impact on cryonics dawned on me the first 
>> time, when I read the account of Timothy Leary changing his 
>> mind on cryopreservation.
>
>This opens up the subject of how one can protect one's self when he/she gets 
>old and the mind starts to go before the body.

What I have talked about had nothing to do with getting old and 
feeble. the individuals involved in the little episode I described 
were all in their twenties.  The complete lassitude, which resents 
*any* activity (presumably including cryonics and 'the bother of 
subsequent revival') appears to happen to anybody with a sound 
mind to some degree, who is under severe (near terminal) 
exhaustion and traumatic stress.  It is as if under such 
conditions the body released a strong 'protective' sedative.  
The unfortunate thing is, that we will be nearly all in such a 
condition during the last hours or minutes of our lives, when 
this 'just let it go' attitude may lead some of us to canceling 
out on a potentially whole unlimited life span, especially, if 
this serves to shut up some relatives, who wish to talk us out of 
that whole cryonics thing.  We will be all vulnerable to this 
phenomenon during the final stage of a lingering sickness, even 
if our minds have not suffered any appreciable deterioration.

>There have been several cases where long-time cryonicists changed their 
>mind and did not get frozen or did not communicate well with their cryonics 
>service provider and did not get a good suspension.  People drop their 
>membership every year and the service provider never knows why in many 
>cases.

I am not sure how you would go about it, but I would suggest, that 
some research into the causes of such cancellations would be 
helpful.  In lieu of that. a discussion of the problemon this forum, 
especially with people, who have considered cancellation or observed 
the 'resignation toward death syndrome' in near death patients,  may 
prvide constructive insights.


Olaf Henny


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