X-Message-Number: 24112
From: 
Subject: CI's 64th Patient
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 01:41:38 US/Eastern

           CI's 64th Patient deanimated shortly after 
midnight on Sunday morning. The event
caught too many people by surprise. Knowing 
he had cancer, the Member's paperwork
and funding were in order. But he was living 
at home and apparently getting better
thanks to his new Erbitux treatments. 

    His deterioration was very sudden -- he was 
in the hospital only about a day before his 
deanimation. The hospital staff were not informed 
of his cryonics arrangements, nor were many in his 
family, although his wife had signed a next-of-kin 
form. The funeral director had been forewarned and 
responded fairly rapidly. CI only learned of the 
deanimation from the funeral director. 

     The Patient's family should have understood the 
importance of contacting CI immediately when the Member 
went to the hospital, the hospital staff should have 
been informed and persons willing to stand by to 
render immediate CPS should have been found. My 
commitment as CI President is that CI Members/Patients
will benefit as a result of my being President. I am 
not proud of my role in this case. Complacency about 
apparently recovered cancer patients can be hazardous. 
I have resolved to have more personal discussions with 
CI Members who are cancer patients, their family and
 their funeral directors. 

  -- Ben Best, President
     Cryonics Institute

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