X-Message-Number: 20355 Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 23:16:56 -0700 From: James Swayze <> Subject: My next project References: <> > > There's been some excellent news in the cryonics world this year including > the funding success for James Swayze, and the prospects for increased > cooperation among the organizations for a potentially powerful mutual synergy > is inspiring. Speaking of my funding, I'll always take another opportunity to thank everyone once again. Thank you all again and I'm working to make policies in facilitating safe and swift suspension for myself and everyone. To whit, I also want to update about this latest project. I've talked with a judge and an EMT, together by serendipity, and both were quite favorable to my intentions. It began with a discussion over why in my state we can't be allowed to know what political affiliation judges have when we choose to vote for or against the election thereof. They are supposed to be "impartial", in a pigs eye I say, and so they are slated as "non partisan" in the "Voter's Pamphlet". Well we all know damn well they are people too and so do certainly have a party affiliation and so because of that identify with that party's particular line. So I asked this judge to explain for me why we weren't allowed to know their 'registered as' status and why in the world the powers-that-be could ever really believe in this so called theory of impartiality. He explained it in terms of some states are affiliated and some not. That in some you vote straight down the party line of demarcation and along with that you get judges for that certain party but in Washington State, my state, the belief was judges were supposed to maintain a separateness. Like I said to him, I hear you but I don't buy it still. Then I went on to explain why. I told the two of my interest in cryonics, reminded them of the Ted Williams case both for recognition of what cryonics is and for my segue into why I wanted to know what the predetermined values of judges might be that I was to vote for or against. I don't want conservative judges that are likely to side with Leon Kass or George Bush in luddite, "you're playing god", fashion. I said, if they are likely to ever preside over whether I am allowed to be suspended or not for a various number of reasons of dispute, I don't want conservative preconceived ideas ruling their judgments. I explained some issues that may come up. A family member objects. The Medical Examiner doesn't believe in it and throws around beaurocratic weight to impede the process. That it's ideal to have a family member or friend or suspension team begin immediately CPR and continue that uninterrupted and in so doing might in some states be in trouble for touching the body before it was signed off on by the coroner/ME/doctor for death certificate. They could be charged with obstruction of justice if a wrongful death issue was to be investigated. Many more issues could ensue. The judge put some of my fears to rest with one simple statement. In the state of Washington, one's body is the property of one's family or estate. We talked this over in some detail and the EMT fellow had some ideas as well. For instance, if 911 is called and they find a dead body they are obligated to take it to the morgue. Both felt this could be avoided if proper plans were made and the local agencies involved be informed ahead of time of our purposes. There is more to all this and when I have all the details assuredly, securely and accurately sorted out I will report them. I may even be able to publish for all of us a generic plan to follow. The judge is going to help me write up the necessary legal documents. This will entail a Will and a Living Will and for hospitals a very detailed Resuscitate/Do Not Resuscitate (depending on strict what ifs) document and possibly other documents or at least recommendations from a friendly official to use to help persuade the agencies that might possibly become involved. These would be local law enforcement, Emergency Medicine, Coroner/Medical Examiner and Hospital Administration officials and doctors. Another issue discussed was how to notify the uninitiated of my intentions so that one may reasonably expect the instructions to be carried out without knowledgeable individuals present. If one deanimates away from home or away from hospice or hospital, there is a need to inform folks in a timely fashion of what you hope to have occur. Those individuals need to be assured they can do so with impunity. Some things needed done before and until suspension team or funeral director arrive are injection of heparin, ice cooling of body, continuous cpr. The judge and the EMT and I brain stormed such things as a Med alert bracelet, a laminated card in wallet with phone numbers and instructions and even a tattoo with same. Alcor has bracelets but I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what if anything CI has. Can a standard Med alert bracelet contain the numbers to call, funeral director, CI and family/emergency contact and as well the instructions for meds, icing and cpr? I wonder. Hence I've thought about the addition of a tattoo and wallet card. The idea for these stemmed from a shop owner friend of my mine asking what she would do if I deanimated in her presence. These are things I would encourage discussion of here on cryonet. At every turn I intend to head off any objection or hump to be hurdled. I will be talking with representatives of all these agencies and will develop a strategy of argumentation/presentation for friendly persuasion to at least acceptance for and respect of my wishes regardless of their belief or not in the process. One issue that I will investigate is a practice I've been informed of in this state implemented to deal with immigrant religious beliefs. It seems certain Orthodox Russian beliefs, if I've been informed properly, do not allow or at least discourage the removing of the body from the home for a period of mourning of the space of a day or two. This also objects to autopsy. In short I will pursue whatever avenue will keep the beaurocrats from interfering. I hope what I come up with will be of help to others in my state and that it might carry over to other states as well. James -- Cryonics Institute of Michigan Member! The Immortalist Society Member! The Society for Venturism Member! MY WEBSITE: http://www.geocities.com/~davidpascal/swayze/ While there follow the links to photos of me and some of my artwork and a radio interview on Dr. J's ChangeSurfer Radio program with me and the father of cryonics Prof. Robert Ettinger, author of "The Prospect of Immortality". A RELIGION I actually recommend: http://www.venturist.org A FAVORITE quote: Last lines of the first Star Trek the Next Generation movie. Capt. Picard: "What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived, after all Number One, we're only mortal." Will Ryker: "Speak for yourself captain, I intend to live forever!" Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=20355