(Mr.) Freeze me when I’m dead.
Sometimes I dream that I can pause life until the future (think Star Trek) has arrived to then hit the resume button. Sadly, this is not feasible, so I have to resort to the semi-fantastical, yet tangible escapade of cryopreservation. Cryopreservation is part of cryonics, a branch of science devoted the ideology that life either on the brink of loss or one that has been severely limited due to crippling illness, can be suspended indefinitely. Well, until science has developed further, naturally. When science has come to a point in which it is possible to restore your body to the same status or better.
What is it?
Cryonics is the process of “freezing” — or technically vitrifying — our bodies in order to preserve what life we have left until future science and medicine has developed a system to resurrect our suspended bag of bones. I think it is a mutual feeling amongst most people that a life lived longer is in most cases, better, as typically no one wants a short lived stint of time on earth. Why would anyone agree to have their body preserved indefinitely awaiting the day to become restored back to life in full health, if that day ever comes? Cryonics, though a bit extreme, is a solution for some. It may not guarantee anything more than a smidgen of hope. But, it’s this glimpse of possibility that leaves you ambitious, that who knows. It could work. The sliver of faith, while borderline mad, is all some need to stand on. Maybe, just maybe, one day in the future, science can take your rock solid body and a bring it back to a far superior state. And that sounds pretty good doesn’t it?
It costs to stay dead.
Now, there is a catch, you do have to have the money in order prior to the process, and it isn’t necessarily cheap either. At a minimum you will need around $80k for the basic “package,” whereas if you want to freeze alongside the first class elitists, you’ll need about $200k in those deep pockets.
Are you dead yet?
First and foremost, let’s spell out the most important detail of the process before it even begins. You have to be dead. No, not dead as in buried in a coffin or “oh my god, I forgot my wife’s birthday dead,” but dead as in technically and legally dead, i.e., when all functions of the brain have irreversibly stopped. Once you have been officially declared no longer with us (rest in peace), the cryonics institute of your choice can then begin to haul your lifeless corpse to the nearest establishment. Then you can legally be allowed to become preserved, as this is not something done while you are alive by accordance to the law.
Let’s keep you dead, better.
Vitrification, do you remember that word I failed to clarify? Cryopreservation is actually that, not “freezing.” So, saying that someone is frozen is wrong, but under most circumstances is often correct enough, because it’s the easiest way to go about discussing the topic without having to lay groundwork first. What vitrification entails is putting someone into cryogenic preservation under extreme low temperatures of -120 degrees Centigrade and below, but without the formation of ice crystals. Freezing people without the freeze part, essentially. Like how a piece of food is frozen in the freezer and is able to be kept for a longer period of time, the human body is held unchanged for an extended duration in the cold temperatures as well. And like the food in the freezer, the human body is subject to freezer burn — or ice damage — if left for lengthy spans of time. To prevent this damage, scientists have come up with the process of vitrifying things (not just humans) without the formation of the ice crystals to allow for a safe and immaculate preservation.
My body is ready.
I am not here to convince you to freeze your body this instant or to leap into the freezer head first. What I am here to say, is that cryonics is an option we as people now have as a viable option. When we are writing our will and planning what will happen to our body, it’s great to have the Plan-C. It’s easier to decide what you want to do to yourself when you know more about the process, right? I find comfort in knowledge. In better understanding the steps in cryopreservation, it is easier to choose if this is or isn’t your style. There will always be the ashes, and always be holes in the ground to fall into, but it is nice to have something “different.” If you’re like me, different is nice sometimes. Plus, who knows, you might wake up another day healthier and happier in a world far from today. Wouldn’t that be exhilarating?
