X-Message-Number: 25889 Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 22:51:20 -0500 From: Joseph Bloch <> Subject: Living Wills and Cryonics Hey, my fellow cryonauts, Obviously, the Terri Schiavo case in Florida has brought the subject of living wills into conversation. Up until now, my attitude has always been, "keep me on that respirator as long as you possibly can; I don't care what my quality of life is like, I want to keep breathing as long as possible, just in case I'm the one-in-a-million who wakes up." However, now that I'm signed up for cryonic suspension, I'm wondering if that question hasn't become a lot more complicated. I'm no doctor, nor a lawyer. But I have to ask, is it possible to be in a situation where I am statistically less likely to be revived as time wears on? (I.e., is it the case that it's possible for the brain to deteriorate while in a coma or persistive vegetative state?) Obviously I'm aware that no one has yet been revived, but assuming it's possible (I wouldn't be signed up for cryonics if I didn't hold to that assumption), I want to maximize my chances of it being successful. What sort of language would I use in that case? "I want to be kept on life support except and unless it will directly lead to a deterioration of the physical integrity of my brain"? Anyone else thought of this? Any attorneys here with a thought or two? I've taken all this effort to sign up for cryonics. I don't want to have it screwed up by my lack of planning allowing politicians and judges to let my brain turn to tapioca while they dither. Joseph Enhance your body "beyond well" and your mind "beyond normal": http://www.humanenhancement.com New Jersey Transhumanist Association: http://www.goldenfuture.net/njta PostHumanity Rising: http://transhumanist.blogspot.com/ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25889