when geeks die

[Listener]

This is going to be a somewhat serious post. I apologize for harshing your buzz.

I'm having major invasive surgery on 1/6. I've got a will, but I have a lot of digital stuff that will need to be dealt with if I die. E-mail, Facebook, and even posting a message here on Escape Artists. Plus taking care of anything incriminating on my computer. All the things we do during a normal day but that our spouses or parents wouldn't think of. Obviously, if you die suddenly (ie: car crash), you might not pre-plan for that, but if you KNOW you're having surgery, you have time to think about it.

So I thought about it. I contacted a friend of mine who agreed to be That Guy for me. I wrote him a letter with all my passwords and such in it, and it's going into a sealed envelope that I'm giving to my parents before I go under the knife. If I make it, they'll return it to me; if I don't, they'll open it and send out the stuff inside. (I also told them to call my friend, just so he's On Notice.)

It's actually kind of amusing -- I know it'll be sad, but I hope he gets a laugh out of the opening:

Thank you for agreeing to be my digital cleanup person in the event something tragic happens to me during surgery. Since you are reading this, something tragic has happened, and I'm sorry to inform you that I have died. To find out about funeral/burial arrangements, please call my house at (redacted). My wife or parents should be there to answer.

I guess it's something I've been thinking about since the surgery's getting closer and closer.

So, sad but necessary conversational topic: do you have a digital plan of action and a friend who'll enact it for you? Not a person who'll delete/clean up your porn, but someone who'll just deal with your electronic/digital accounts and such.

[Raving_Lunatic]

I hope it goes well for you.

No plans.

[MacArthurBug]

Two years ago I got to do this. I still have the paperwork, and occasionally update it- just in case. It's frightening planning for the possible. I am one of the few semi-computer literate people I know, but my father know a bit more then I do, so he's my go-to tech collection guy.

As to my surgery the number thing I remember is waking up, all drugged and sick, and getting to hear my beloved husband whisper "while you were out, they took all your organs." Sick man.. he managed to make me laugh and feel much better- once I realised he was kidding.

Best of luck, I hope everything goes as well as it can.

[Listener]

As to my surgery the number thing I remember is waking up, all drugged and sick, and getting to hear my beloved husband whisper "while you were out, they took all your organs." Sick man.. he managed to make me laugh and feel much better- once I realised he was kidding.

The way the surgical center I'm going to does it, they wake you up and hold you in a recovery area for an hour, and the surgeon goes to a different room to talk to your family. Then we all meet up in my hospital room at the end of that hour, after extubation. So we'll see how that goes.

[Heradel]

Best of luck with the surgery.

I've got a text file with some usernames/passwords of things and I've got short paragraphs of farewell for whoever gets stuck with letting people know I'm dead to post. I don't really consider this planning for death (I don't have a will, but my worldly possessions are a couple of shelves of books, a macbook, a D60 w/SB-600 and some lenses, so I figure they'll go to who needs them).

[Zathras]

Good luck with the surgery. 

My wife either has all of my passwords or could figure them out.  The big issue would be whether or not she found all the boards or sites I go to.  Thanks for bringing this up.

[Russell Nash]

Good luck, man.  We're pulling for you.

This is the only board where I have enough of a presence to care about.  WheretheWild is a friend and she'd come here and notify you bunch.

[eytanz]

I hope your surgery goes well, Listener.

I have not really made any kind of plans - though I do have a real life friend who is an occasional contributer to these forums (Cuddlebug), so probably she will let you know here.

[gelee]

Best of luck.  I keep all me e-stuff in a little notebook.  My wife knows were it is, so I guess I'm covered there.

[Listener]

Best of luck.  I keep all me e-stuff in a little notebook.  My wife knows were it is, so I guess I'm covered there.

My financials are in a notebook, but all the other stuff is in my brain.

[Russell Nash]

Noticed you made it.

How do you feel?  Any comments on the experience?

[Zathras]

I guess this is as good a place as any to post this.

I nearly died last night.  I use a gasoline generator to power my appliances and run a space heater in the truck.  It's cheaper than running the truck.  Yesterday afternoon, my generator was running fast, but I just choked it down.  I should have checked it out more thoroughly.  It was producing a lot more exhaust than usual, and there was virtually no wind at the truckstop in Denver.

I woke up around midnight and was in pretty bad shape.  I had a headache and was nautious.  I was extremely confused and nearly in a panic.  I was so out of sorts that I didn't think of what could be causing this.  I thought it might have been something I ate, but ruled that out.  I ate some crackers, drank some water and went back to sleep. 

It's a good thing my generator ran out of fuel.  I woke up around 5 and still felt horrible, but was a little more clear headed.  I opened the vent near my head and turned on the fan attached to it to bring in some fresh air.  About this time I seriously started thinking about carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.  I called Tracie around 7:30 and talked to her about it.  I was just going to go ahead and go to Boulder to pick up my load, but I didn't think it would be safe for me to drive.

I had the truckstop call a cab and I went to the ER.  They didn't seem to think I really had CO poisoning at the ER, but started me on oxygen and an IV just in case.  They drew blood and tested it.  My nurse came back and put a full mask on me, and I was on 100% oxygen.  Even after getting fresh air and not being exposed for hours, my CO levels were almost high enough for me to need hyperbaric treatment.  I was on oxygen for 6 hours and still have a headache, but have been released and am going to be ok.  Had my generator not run out of gas, I would probably be dead.

I'm now on the choir about CO alarms.  If you're using ANYTHING that gives off CO, get an alarm!

[Listener]

Noticed you made it.

How do you feel?  Any comments on the experience?

I feel okay. Mostly I get tired quickly and I can't move my torso in certain directions without pain. I wear a big brace and take a lot of pills. Without Percocet at night, I wake up every hour or so to turn over.

Haven't really gotten anything done in my time off, either.

Bored with being a shut-in; can't wait til the 22nd because that's when I get cleared to drive and shower -- washcloths and dry shampoo just don't cut it.

The doctor didn't communicate very well to my parents and wife exactly what he did, because they thought I got an artificial disc. But I didn't. I got a fusion.

The hospital stay was fine. Everyone was very helpful.

[Listener]

I'm now on the choir about CO alarms.  If you're using ANYTHING that gives off CO, get an alarm!

We have one upstairs outside my daughter's room.

[Zathras]

Noticed you made it.

How do you feel?  Any comments on the experience?

I feel okay. Mostly I get tired quickly and I can't move my torso in certain directions without pain. I wear a big brace and take a lot of pills. Without Percocet at night, I wake up every hour or so to turn over.

Haven't really gotten anything done in my time off, either.

Bored with being a shut-in; can't wait til the 22nd because that's when I get cleared to drive and shower -- washcloths and dry shampoo just don't cut it.

The doctor didn't communicate very well to my parents and wife exactly what he did, because they thought I got an artificial disc. But I didn't. I got a fusion.

The hospital stay was fine. Everyone was very helpful.

When I broke my back I was in a brace for 6 months.  I can empathize with you on all of the inconvienences. 

Hmm, I broke my back when I rolled a truck.  Of my 6 near death experiences, 1/3 were with the truck.  I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

[Russell Nash]

This just proves my smiting powers aren't up to snuff yet.  though I am getting really good at shocking people after shuffling my feet on the carpet.