The query is just not the place one is born, as a result of birthplace—whether or not a rustic or continent—is rarely chosen by oneself, however at all times decided by others and the encircling atmosphere.
Neither is the query the place one lives, as a result of although the place, nation, or continent could seem self-chosen, it’s usually influenced or guided by others and exterior circumstances.
The true query is the place one belongs, as a result of the sensation of belonging—to a spot, nation, or continent—could come up inside, although it might nonetheless be formed by others and the atmosphere.
Therefore, the query of the place one dies—usually past one’s management—turns into a query of the place one desires to return. This return, to land, water, air, or house, whether or not by way of eco-friendly or ritualistic burial or cremation, signifies the return of 1’s darkish/non-dark matter and darkish/non-dark power to the higher cosmos. But the place of decomposition could not coincide with the hometown.
So, does it matter to resolve the place one’s darkish/non-dark matter and power ought to return after loss of life?
Is it too nice an funding of sources to meet such needs or honor such wills—maybe an try and immortalize one’s legacy past the mortality of the physique?
Apparently, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR), which mixes CPR with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), is already used not solely to enhance neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors but additionally to boost organ viability in post-death donations.
Is it an excessive amount of to think about a future the place mechanical compressors exchange guide ones to purchase time for initiating eCPR—not solely in these prone to regain circulation slowly, but additionally in these prone to turn out to be eligible for organ donation rapidly?
Might emergency medical companies (EMS) triage sufferers present process CPR in transport to eCPR-ready amenities?
Would possibly superior cardiovascular life assist (ACLS) protocols embody time objectives for initiating eCPR—much like the time-sensitive protocols of the Nationwide Institute of Neurological Issues and Stroke (NINDS) for stroke care, or these for coronary syndromes?
And will there be time objectives for organ retrieval from eCPR-supported sufferers who had recognized, registered, or pledged needs for organ donation?
If eCPR can be utilized to move our bodies globally for cryonic preservation within the hope of future revival, may it not even be used to meet organ donation needs tied to particular locations, international locations, or continents?
Isn’t there hope for fulfilling such futuristic needs or honoring such dwelling wills, particularly when fashionable economics permits the allocation of untapped sources for postmodern prospects?
One may think about a futuristic want or dwelling will—solely funded by one’s personal property—the place, after authorized loss of life or imminent loss of life, one is positioned on ECMO.
Then, with ECMO sustaining organ viability, one’s physique could possibly be transported through air ambulance throughout states, international locations, or continents to the chosen place of return.
There, the physique may bear eco-friendly or ritualistic burial or cremation—after the organs are retrieved for donation.
Maybe this “globe-trotting” to meet a want or will could also be legally and ethically less complicated if initiated earlier than authorized loss of life, although scientifically the method with ECMO stays the identical earlier than or after loss of life.
Futuristically, one could solely hope that one’s property and heirs will act in time to hunt ECMO—if reasonably priced—and return one dwelling to the place one belongs, no matter birthplace or residence.
Deepak Gupta is an anesthesiologist.
