56 replies to this topic

[thefirstimmortal]

Marce Johnson’s case highlights two concerns of mine, someone in the family stopping my suspension and the future condition of my brain.

A significant portion of SCLC patients ultimately develop cancer spread to the brain (brain metastasis). The price of surviving is that the longer you do the greater the chances of this happening. A good indication that one will have issues with brain metastasis is if the cancer gets in your spine, and I have had it in my spine for some time now.

[thefirstimmortal]

Asymptomatic Brain Metastases (BM) in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).

Purpose. In this study we evaluated the usefulness of MR-imaging in the detection of asymptomatic brain metastases (BM) at the initial diagnosis in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and studied the follow-up of these patients.

Patients and methods. One-hundred and twenty-five patients with SCLC were investigated with MR-imaging.

Results. In 112 patients with normal neurological findings, MR-imaging of the brain demonstrated BM in 17 patients (15%). Six of these 17 patients were therefore upgraded to extensive disease (ED). Two of these 17 patients died during chemotherapy because of progressive disease and 3 patients became neurologic symptomatic with progressive disease on MR-imaging of the brain. After completion of chemotherapy a repeated MR-imaging of the brain in the remaining 12 patients showed 1 complete remission, 4 partial remission and 7 progressive disease of the BM.

Conclusion. This study showed that at presentation an unexpectedly high percentage of SCLC patients had asymptomatic BM on MR-imaging. We propose that MR-imaging of the brain should be included in the staging of SCLC patients as well for staging, prognosis and therapy.

15% at presentation means that as soon as it was known that the patient had SCLC they were scanned. The percent goes up the longer you survive.

[eternaltraveler]

Marce Johnson’s case highlights two concerns of mine, someone in the family stopping my suspension and the future condition of my brain.

A significant portion of SCLC patients ultimately develop cancer spread to the brain (brain metastasis). The price of surviving is that the longer you do the greater the chances of this happening. A good indication that one will have issues with brain metastasis is if the cancer gets in your spine, and I have had it in my spine for some time now.

keep those fingers crossed. The primary concern of metastatic disease to the brain or a primary brain lesion is it's mass effect and resulting increased inter-cranial pressure. In a bad case scenario you would be dealing with multiple focal lesions, not the kind of widespread diffuse damage you see in many neuro-degenerative diseases. Of course there are worse possible cases, (multiple emboli causing many microvascular strokes), but having wide spread neurological damage to the level where your identity is destroyed is unlikely in my opinion even with brain metastatic disease.

[thefirstimmortal]

keep those fingers crossed.

Brain metastases are very common, somewhere in the range of 150,000 - 170,000 patients with cancer who develop brain metastases each year in the US, which makes it the most common complication of cancer. Lung cancer is the most common underlying cause, accounting for something in the range of half or a bit more of those cases. In SCLC, 15% of patients have brain metastases at the time of diagnosis, and more than 50% of us with SCLC will develop brain mets later.

Edited by thefirstimmortal, 30 January 2009 - 12:43 AM.

[thefirstimmortal]

Metastasis to the brain is the most feared complication of systemic cancer and the most common intracranial tumor in adults. The incidence of brain metastasis rises with the increase in survival time. Approximately 40% of intracranial neoplasms are metastatic. Multiple, large autopsy series suggest that, in order of decreasing frequency, lung, breast, melanoma, renal, and colon cancers are the most common primary tumors to metastasize to the brain.
Brain metastases are an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. Brain metastasis presents a therapeutic challenge for the treating physician and is a physically debilitating event for the patient. Even early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of brain metastasis rarely result in remission of brain symptoms although it may enhance the quality of one’s life and prolong survival.
Metastatic spread to the brain through blood circulation occurs mostly by way of arterial circulation. Before entering the brain, arterial blood must pass through the lungs, where larger aggregates of tumor cells are filtered out in the capillaries, as a result, many emboli traveling to the brain via the arterial route originate either from a primary lung tumor or a metastatic site in the lung. However, single tumor cells may pass through the capillaries of the lung, and larger tumor emboli may pass from the venous circulation to the arterial circulation through a persistently patent foramen ovale between the right and left atrium of the heart.
Metastatic tumor growth in the brain depends on complex organotropic factors, as well as passive vascular delivery of tumor cells. Lesions are located in the cerebrum (80-85%).

Attached Files

•  cerebrum.jpg   26.24KB   0 downloads

[thefirstimmortal]

In the cerebellum (10-15%).

Attached Files

•  cerebellum.gif   34.2KB   0 downloads

[thefirstimmortal]

In the brain stem (3-5%).

Attached Files

•  brain_stem.jpg   16.55KB   0 downloads

[thefirstimmortal]

The primary concern of metastatic disease to the brain or a primary brain lesion is it's mass effect and resulting increased inter-cranial pressure. In a bad case scenario you would be dealing with multiple focal lesions, not the kind of widespread diffuse damage you see in many neuro-degenerative diseases.

Approximately two thirds of brain metastases are symptomatic at some point. Granted Elrond, some of the symptoms primarily are caused by increased intracranial pressure resulting in headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and lethargy, focal irritation, visual field defects, aphasia, focal seizures, ataxia, and other focal neurological signs or deficits, but the biggie and bottom line issue is that brain metastases causes destruction of neurons.

Attached Files

•  nuron_0.jpg   4.08KB   0 downloads

Edited by thefirstimmortal, 30 January 2009 - 01:18 AM.

[thefirstimmortal]

Shannon Posted the following in her thread Warning for All Cryonicists, Important for you too... "If there is extra the amount will go to the next Venturist Compassionate Care Fund."

This raises an important issue, we here at Imminst (and when I say we I really mean the members) have raised a lot of money toward the suspension. What happens to the money that was donated to the Venturist? Shouldn't we have maintained control of that? You know, I instinctively knew that something wasn't good about commingling the two fundraisers. If I died tomorrow, what would happen to the member’s donations and what would happen to the matching fund? Was it wise to give the money to another organization when the money should go back to Imminst so that Imminst could then help the next person or put it back into the general fund?

Edited by thefirstimmortal, 30 January 2009 - 06:20 AM.

[eternaltraveler]

Shannon Posted the following in her thread Warning for All Cryonicists, Important for you too... "If there is extra the amount will go to the next Venturist Compassionate Care Fund."

This raises an important issue, we here at Imminst (and when I say we I really mean the members) have raised a lot of money toward the suspension. What happens to the money that was donated to the Venturist? Shouldn't we have maintained control of that? You know, I instinctively knew that something wasn't good about commingling the two fundraisers. If I died tomorrow, what would happen to the member’s donations and what would happen to the matching fund? Was it wise to give the money to another organization when the money should go back to Imminst so that Imminst could then help the next person or put it back into the general fund?

its my understanding that if you died tomorrow and were not suspended the money would be returned to the donors, imminst being one of the donors would have the money returned to itself. Of course donors could choose to leave it where it is for the next needed suspension, but I believe returning it is the default option?

anyway, lets get the next 1300 and not worry about that because it will go to CI after there is enough and you'll be fully funded and will be suspended.

[thefirstimmortal]

its my understanding that if you died tomorrow and were not suspended the money would be returned to the donors, imminst being one of the donors would have the money returned to itself. Of course donors could choose to leave it where it is for the next needed suspension, but I believe returning it is the default option?

So Shannons Statement "If there is extra the amount will go to the next Venturist Compassionate Care Fund." is inncorrect?

anyway, lets get the next 1300 and not worry about that because it will go to CI after there is enough and you'll be fully funded and will be suspended.

The time to worry about this issue is now because I intend to continue the fund raising effort after the minimum amount is raised. There are the issues of transportation which will be needed and that cost isn’t a fixed cost. There are issues of a possible legal challenge and who knows what else can go wrong. Any extra that isn’t used for my suspension can be used by Imminst to solve the next cryonics issue that comes up. That would nice to leave some big money on the table for Imminist to play with and kinda like a good camper who leaves a bunch of firewood for the next campers who take the lot, it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

[Shannon Vyff]

Money will be refunded to those that request it. I know ImmInst will be requesting its money back. So, it would be tricky to determine who the extra funds were, we'd go by date. If the funds were from ImmInst members, they could request them back then donate them to ImmInst if they wish. The Ventursists are already discussing who the next Compassionate Care Fund recipient will be, so anyone that chooses to leave the funds there-or fails to request them back, their money will be helping the next cryonicist who was not able to fund their own suspension.

[thefirstimmortal]

Money will be refunded to those that request it. I know ImmInst will be requesting its money back. So, it would be tricky to determine who the extra funds were, we'd go by date. If the funds were from ImmInst members, they could request them back then donate them to ImmInst if they wish.

Well, officially this fund raiser ceases when the matching fund reaches 8,000. We should kick around the idea of a more permanent fund raising effort, obviously one where Imminst controls all the funds it collects and decides who gets saved next.

[thefirstimmortal]

its my understanding that if you died tomorrow and were not suspended the money would be returned to the donors, imminst being one of the donors would have the money returned to itself. Of course donors could choose to leave it where it is for the next needed suspension, but I believe returning it is the default option?

If memory serves me, that is what Dave Pizer said in the begining.

[thefirstimmortal]

The Ventursists are already discussing who the next Compassionate Care Fund recipient will be, so anyone that chooses to leave the funds there-or fails to request them back, their money will be helping the next cryonicist who was not able to fund their own suspension.

That doesn’t sound right to me Shannon, nor is it consistent with what Dave represented when he started the fundraiser. On Jul 16, 2008, 12:23 AM Dave posted the following, “If the suspension does not get done for any reason, all contributions will be returned.”

He was clear on this and the Venturists have a duty to take positive steps to return the money. They don’t get to sit there in hopes that someone forgets about or fails to request there money back, that wouldn’t be doing the right thing now would it.

[thefirstimmortal]

Hi Shannon,
Mind just posted the following in the thread Immortality Institute O'Rights Matching Fund,reaching out to save a life, “Things have slowed down a bit. Even if you only have a dollar or two, it would help out. We only have $1,300 to go to get the full $8,000 match from Imminst.”

Why isn’t this just wonderful. Where are we at on the return of the $500? Dave found and located the check; I e-mailed him right back but have not heard from him. Could you shed some light on that?

You posted the other day, “I can ask Bob if he'll still do this for funds transfered from Marce's account.” I asked Bob about the offer and if it was still good and he said it was. He e-mailed me back on Friday morning at 10:20 in the morning. He sent you a copy at the same time, did you not get that? Why isn’t this a joyous occasion Shannon, it looks like we should have enough to go over the top.

Attached Files

•  35.gif   213bytes   0 downloads

[Shannon Vyff]

Yes I got that email , anyone can apply for the loan from Robert Ettinger, he graciously will pay one thousand now, and you can work out a pymt. with him for a monthly or yearly amount, payable due to CI if possibly if he passes.

We need to proactively contact more cryonicists that donated to Marce now to get more donations transferred, or have a lot of members here donate small amounts. We need to get over the minimum raised so there will be funds for transportation costs.

On, the $500.00 you want returned to Nick, the Immortality Institute voted to donate $500.00 to Nick's matching fund. It was not a refund of your membership, I would hope you will let the funds that all in good faith, ImmInst and Nick donated, be used for your suspension. Here is the wording of the vote:

MOTION: the Institute will donate $500 to the Cryonics society, in the assumption that an equivalent amount will be donated by Nick Pavlica to the Venturist William O'Rights cryonics suspension fund.

Cost: $500

Please vote yes, no or abstain.
All leadership invited to comment.
Deadline: Friday Oct.3rd 19:33 GMT
Must be authorised by Treasurer.

Here is the thread that Vote occurred in: http://www.imminst.o...showtopic=24219

It was explained within by Elrond a director, in response to you:

"However this may have been worded, its not really a refund of your membership (as you retain that without question), but a vote to distribute a donation on behalf of one of our members in need in a hope of saving his life. Following the institutes's mission."

Then Caliban, who had upset you the first place by suggesting that we "refund", said:

"There is nothing in this motion that has anything to do with a refund of your lifetime membership.
A refund was considered and rejected.
Therefore, this in no way sets precedent for refunding membership donations".

Anyway, I suggested that David talk to Nick to see what he wanted done with the money he donated, at this point the thousand he donated would have to be returned to him and then he would have to return the $500.00 ImmInst gave to him for your suspension. I hope you'll let Nick know that it is ok for the donation to be kept, the leadership at ImmInst wanted to donate to your suspension, later the matching grant was started--but first--to help get the Venturist fund going, and take advantage of a separate matching fund they graciously gave $500.00.

[thefirstimmortal]

Yes I got that email , anyone can apply for the loan from Robert Ettinger,

Yes, anyone can apply, but right now I'm trying to determine whether or not you personally are going to take Bob up on that offer as you publicly posted that you were going to.

[thefirstimmortal]

Yes I got that email , anyone can apply for the loan from Robert Ettinger, he graciously will pay one thousand now, and you can work out a pymt. with him for a monthly or yearly amount, payable due to CI if possibly if he passes.

Bob’s offer is as follows;

Here's a possibility. Perhaps there are some potential donors who would be
willing to commit (say) for $100/year for ten years, total $1,000. In return

for a promissory note to that effect (zero interest), I would put up the $1,000
now, to a maximum of $10,000.

That I know of, he expects a payment of 100 dollars a year. I am unaware and could not find anything in his public postings that would indicate that he would take monthly payments although he does seem to be flexible so I’m sure that he would be willing to do that. For instance, he did take forward an $800 donation on presumably an $80 dollar donation. But I don't know if he expexts to be paid back 80 dollars a year for ten years or 100 dollars back for the next 8 years.

If anyone who has seen this is thinking about doing this, you have a right to know, and I have a duty to disclose that I myself would never under any circumstances finance a charitable donation. Bob posted this offer on Cryonet and I made that disclosure there also. I also don’t feel comfortable with personally promoting this offer because I wouldn’t ask other people to do something I wouldn’t personally be willing to do myself. I would feel like a hypocrite promoting this offer.

Having said this, I am not opposed to anyone who does want to take Bob up on his generous offer. As long as know this isn’t something I myself would do, if you still want to do this I am perfectly fine with that.

[Shannon Vyff]

With pleasure I can now announce that the $500.00 donation is being returned to ImmInst as you wish William, David worked things out with Nick who was happy to leave his $500.00 donation

[thefirstimmortal]

With pleasure I can now announce that the $500.00 donation is being returned to ImmInst as you wish William, David worked things out with Nick who was happy to leave his $500.00 donation

I have been in contact with Dave on this matter as you well know. What I am interested in knowing is what you intend on doing about you offer to donate Shannon. Now that you are well are that Bob's offer is still good, when will you be forwarding to him 100 dollars for his generous offer to donate 1,000 dollars, as you indicated that you would a few days ago?

[thefirstimmortal]

With pleasure I can now announce that the $500.00 donation is being returned to ImmInst as you wish William, David worked things out with Nick who was happy to leave his $500.00 donation

I have been in contact with Dave on this matter as you well know. What I am interested in knowing is what you intend on doing about you offer to donate Shannon. Now that you are well are that Bob's offer is still good, when will you be forwarding to him 100 dollars for his generous offer to donate 1,000 dollars, as you indicated that you would a few days ago?

I'm not sure if you saw this post Shannon, I will e-mail you the link.

[Proconsul]

Bill, if one sends money to the society of Venturists for your cryo from now onwards, is it going to pay for your transport expenses? Or is not going to be used for your benefit anymore?

[Loot Perish]

is this enough?

http://www.cryonet.o...p.cgi?msg=2&q=y

[thefirstimmortal]

Bill, if one sends money to the society of Venturists for your cryo from now onwards, is it going to pay for your transport expenses? Or is not going to be used for your benefit anymore?

I'm not sure about that, but I have to get in touch with Dave Pizer tonight or tomorrow, I will ask and report back to you.

[thefirstimmortal]

is this enough?

http://www.cryonet.o...p.cgi?msg=2&q=y

Between that, the 500 dollar replacement check for my Returned Membership fee which will be sent in when I get verification that Imminst has received that, and, well Shannon doesn't seem to be able to verify whether or not she is going to follow through on her donation, so let’s not add that to it until she can give a straight forward answer to my straight forward question.

The moment that I die, Anthony will donate what is in that fund to the cryonics account, that’s in the ballpark of a grand. But obviously it is a fluctuating number, and i will be placing some orders here soon. That’s about 31,500, and my understanding is from CI website is to count on 3-5grand over the 28,000 suspension fee. But as far as I’m concerned, we have passed the bare minimum threshold that we need.

This amount gets me to the ice assuming that everything goes perfect, which I’m not assuming. I want to continue the fundraiser with the idea that anything left over will go to the next person who needs help. In other words, I would like to leave in place a permanent fundraising mechanism in place for after I’m gone. I will write more on that in the future Provider.

Live Long and Well

[benbest]

I hope everyone will respect and understand my desire my decision to stay the course with CI.

Bill is now in liquid nitrogen at the Cryonics Institute. He is expected
to "stay the course" with CI for a very long time. His case report is
on the CI website:

http://www.cryonics....ports/CI93.html

Ben Best, President
Cryonics Institute