X-Message-Number: 362
From att!Relay.Prime.COM!violin.Prime.COM!mkaminsk Tue Jun 25 19:12:57 EDT 1991
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 91 19:12:57 EDT
From:  (Mark Kaminsky)
Message-Id: <>
To: 
Subject: submission for cryonics mailing list

Hi, I'm new to this list and the field so I'm sorry if these
topics have been covered recently.  I just got/read the new
Cryonics book from Alcor and I have some questions:

1) Insurance.

    At one point it mentions that someone in their 20s/30s can get
    $41k of life insurance for $45/month.  Is this a typo or are they
    talking about some whole life/annuity plan.  Otherwise I expect
    it should be $45/year.  My current SBLI for $100k is about
    $110/year (age 33 non-smoker).  Also I've heard of $250k term
    life plans for about $450/year (guaranteed rate for 20 years).
    What do most folks do?  Term or some sort of term/annuity combo?


2) Organ Donor + Neurosuspension?

    I currently carry an organ donor card because it's better to give
    a burn victim my skin than to bury it, same for the other organs.

    Now that I'm learning about the cryonics option I think I rather keep
    them.  But what about the rest of the body in the case of a
    neurosuspension?  In the book Alcor says they cremate it.  Could it be
    used for organ donations? Sounds to me like a better idea than burning
    it.

    The organ donation process is obviously not paid for by the donor.
    I assume it's paid for by the receiver's health insurance or some
    non-profit group.  Wouldn't this go a long way to pay for the
    neurosuspension up to the point for the liquid Nitrogen?  Since there
    would be an incentive for hospitals to do the beginnings of a
    neurosuspension (the only way you allow them to get the organs
    is if they cooperate) could this be a way to cut down on "Standby"?
    I understand this would not be the case for old or AIDS patients
    since their organs are not wanted, but it is an idea for accident/
    massive heart attack victims since these both make for the best
    organ donors and the worst response times for starting suspension.


3) Spouse doesn't approve.

    One of the problems I have with cryonics is that my wife doesn't
    approve of it.  She has some quasi-religious beliefs and also
    wants a grave site to visit/share, but mainly the thought of cryonics
    leaves her cold (sorry - I guess you heard that a thousand times).
    I am working on her.  I rather go together, but if not that, I'd
    go alone - if able.  Anyone have a similar problem that they have
    overcome?  A directly intellectual argument won't work with her -
    it's got to "feel" good. 
    
    If I de-animate before her (which is the most likely), I assume that,
    as next of kin, what she says pretty much goes (the dead having no
    rights).  Thus it is mostly pointless to proceed with membership
    without her consent.  Is this so?  I speak here of just my
    suspension - I'd of course respect her wishes with respect to her
    own body.

Mark B. Kaminsky - 
Computervision/Prime Computer, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA

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