X-Message-Number: 15591 Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2001 06:58:23 -0700 From: Fred Chamberlain <> Subject: George Smith's Comments Date: 2/9/2001 From: Fred Chamberlain Re: George Smith's Comments (From Message #15585 by "George Smith" <>) >(3) Paul was right that there have been some folks (I do not know the >percentages) who have not been signed up for cryonics and who, in last >minute rushes at or following their deaths, have managed to get into >suspension after all. Within the last year or so, we at Alcor had the occasion to talk to a mortician who worked for another cryonics organization and cited a case of holding the prospective suspendee at water-ice temperatures for over three weeks. Perhaps the delay was owing to "working out the arrangements"? We do not know! This is not my idea of a reasonable way of "managing to get into suspension after all"! >I also don't know how many folks waited too long and FAILED to get >suspended as a consequence. There are *frequent* cases of this, in Alcor's experience. This is why there is an extensive section linked directly from the bottom of the entry page on Alcor's website (<http://www.alcor.org/>http://www.alcor.org) on urgent and/or emergency inquiries. The purpose is to warn about the difficulties of waiting until the last minute, and to encourage advance arrangements, or if not, an attitude of acceptance to the lack of them for the time being. *** PERSPECTIVES *** Those who have *not* elected advance arrangements, but who are aware of the possibility of them, have (for the time being) chosen *not* to be suspended in the event of their deaths. This is an "act of omission". It is just as much a choice as the choice to sign up. Every day is a gamble. If you keep spinning the wheel, and "your number doesn't come up", then you didn't need arrangements. If you spin the wheel and your number is on it, then the outcome is almost certain to be determined by your arrangements or lack of them. Many say that they are concerned about signing up because they don't know "if it will work"! For those who *are* signed up, if they should be so unlucky as to be suspended, their last thoughts might be, "I'm about to find out!" For those who are *not* signed up, if they should be so unlucky as to die, their last thoughts might be, "I guess I'll never know!" This an individual choice, for each person, and the consequences are entirely individual. The important thing to recognize is that either way, you *have* made a choice. Fred Chamberlain, President/CEO () Alcor Life Extension Foundation Non-profit cryotransport services since 1972. 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916 Membership Information: (877) GO-ALCOR (462-5267) Phone (480) 905-1906 FAX (480) 922-9027 for general requests <http://www.alcor.org/>http://www.alcor.org Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=15591