Living and Almost Dying

[quale]

I know it's been awhile since I posted but truth to tell I've either been too busy to post (getting married/moving) or not much has been happening. However, my experience almost dying today seemed worth posting about

Comments

[easwaran]

Wow, that's a scary experience. Anyway, I guess that means you're a post-doc at notre dame? I hadn't heard what your plans were.

[medtecher]

Wow, I'm very glad to hear that you weren't injured! Scary! And I think your first realization is a very good one. :)

Regarding the second realization, do you mean that you'd prefer to donate your body to science rather than being an organ/tissue donor (as I am)? Organ/tissue donation would definitely be my first recommendation. If not, you can sign up to donate to any of several ongoing studies, e.g., on Alzheimer disease brain pathology (they need normal brains to compare to symptomatic ones). But don't donate your body to medical schools for gross anatomy. It's a waste. Anatomy could be taught as (or more) effectively with a few professionally-dissected cadavers, robotics, and videos/books rather than through the crude labs still used at most universities.

[quale]

Well, I assumed that the vast majority of people are unwilling to donate their entire body so since I was it would be optimal if people like me donated their entire corpses. Besides, scientific advancement can save millions of people while an organ donation can only save a handful. Also I would like to spare my loved ones the feeling that they are obligated to do something nice with my corpse rather than just toss it in a communal grave or the like.

Admittedly there is also the less rational feeling that it would be good to have my entire body used up and not have only the transplantable parts used.

Ideally what I would like to do (unless Sharon convinces me to pay to have my head frozen) is do organ donation while having the other useful parts (brain, eyes, anything else someone wants) also be used. I'm, however, unaware of whether this is possible.

[medtecher]

Scientific advancement can save millions of people, but usually relies much more on basic science and/or live subject clinical research than on cadaveric research. Frankly, a lot more information can be gleaned from live tissues than from preserved samples. A notable exception to that is research on brain pathologies, since for obvious reasons it's generally not feasible to collect brain tissue from live donors. So by all means, donate your brain to science! But as to the rest of you (from a transplantation website

[quale]

Yah, I heard about cornea transplants but I've also heard that the standard organ donation form doesn't cover this or anything else that would ruin the appearance of the corpse. If I could figure out a way to set it up so I could donate everything in one go I'd be all down with that.

[quale]

If I actually thought that it was a necrophilic sex ring I would seriously consider doing so. As a former techer I feel for people who have trouble meeting their preferred sexual object.

[quale]

Did you have any pain or suffering?

Alas their website sucks balls

RWD

[mateorabi]

Yeah, RWD + ice == bad. Heck, I even felt uncomfortable the first time I drove a mustang on dry pavement and took a fast turn (good thing it was a rental.) The over-steer (vs FWD under-steer) takes a while to get used too, I'm told.

Glad you were not hurt. And the car too. No damage, just a tow? Lucky. We haven't had anything too nasty here yet this season, but should get some nice ice by the end. I expect the standard idiot driver behavior to make it worse.

Re: RWD

[quale]

My dad's M3 is newer than that and it's still way more likely to skid out than the FWD cars I've driven.

Of course it's WAY better than the jeep but that's because of the bigger wheel base as well as those fancy features.