X-Message-Number: 24121
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 15:24:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jeff Davis <>
Subject: attitudes re end-of-life care

Cryonetters,

For some time now I've been aware of a number of
striking benefits of pre-mortem suspension.

(1) A routinely high quality suspension, 'truncated'
end-stage physical deterioration, opportunity for a
controlled and comprehensive pre-suspension prep, and
little or no ischemic damage.

(2) Reduced physical and emotional stress for the
patient, the family, and the professional caregivers,
accompanied by an attitude of hopefullness in lieu of
helplessness and certain loss.

(3) Reduced costs--perhaps vastly reduced--when, as is
frequently the case, end-stage medical care is hugely
expensive.  [A friend of mine recently succombed to
lymphoma.  He spent sixty-five days in the hospital
and the 'heroic' efforts to treat him cost
three-quarters of a million dollars.  Insurance
companies cannot help but take note of the cost
differential: in the cited case, the cost of dying was
fully five times the cost of an Alcor full-body
suspensions.]

As ever, there is cultural inertia, lack of legitimacy
in the view of the scientific 'authorities',  and
ethical considerations. 

The article cited below seemed to me relevant.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-05/uopm-uop051904.php

University of Pittsburgh finds that people would trade
longevity for quality end-of-life care

PITTSBURGH, May 19   An overwhelming number of people
surveyed would trade a longer life span in order to
receive better end-of-life care, according to
University of Pittsburgh researchers.

Best, Jeff Davis

   "Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
                           Ray Charles



	
		
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