Angel Flight--take 3

Emily and Craig flew back to Denver on the Lawler's third Angel flight generously provided by the Williams Energy Corp.-- a one-way flight for Mom and Dad, and a round-trip flight for Emily and Craig. But, it wasn't without obstacles. A torrential downpour was our constant companion from the door of the hotel in Stillwater, where C and E stayed, to the Williams Energy hangar in Tulsa. We had PLENTY of opportunity to miss the flight, including forgotten cell phones (important when caravanning with vehicles of "varying speed", let's just say), soda pop runs (important for staying awake), and dodging the occasional car accident along the way. Yet, ever punctual, we made it well before 9:30am with Dad following suit minutes after.

To my delight, the same gentlemen who carried Mom on the fold out chair down the jet's steep stairs back in May greeted us as we pulled up. Today marks the two week anniversary of Mom's passing and it's only appropriate that the group that helped Mom in May, help her son on this meaningful day.

We waited as other passengers arrived, and it became apparent who was the Angel passenger. The contrast between Craig's lethargy and yellow pallor with the sun-kissed skin and vibrancy of those around him was startling. He shared a similar vibrancy before cancer, and on occasion it peaks through the fatiguing effects of medication and tumor bulk. Yet today, he struggled to stay awake. He had just received his 6 o'clock meds, after all, but he's been more tired of late. More "sickly". Craig is courageously and gracefully living with cancer and its many unforgiving attributes. It seems the greatest gift of all is 'ease' when most aspects of living are difficult and exhausting for Craig. Today, that ease came on the wings of the Williams' Angel flight and we couldn't be more appreciative.  

Craig will have an MRI tomorrow to rule out an obstruction to his gall bladder and pancreas region, as well as another blood draw. He'll meet with Dr. F in the afternoon and we should have a better understanding where Craig stands relative to liver functions, anemia, and the gamut of other organ function profiles. It's hard to describe the internal pull of intensely hoping that Craig catches a break with the discovery of simple gall stones or something easily treatable, and knowing the likelihood of discovering a cause so simple, so common, so treatable is relatively slim. Here's to hoping...

~E