(Written this afternoon)
Diane is getting her hair cut; Erin is tending to Sammie; and Dad is working out, leaving me to hold down the fort until they return. Like clockwork, shortly after Erin left, Craig awoke needing assistance. Though it usually takes two people (excluding Craig) to help him swivel, Craig and I managed to get him upright just the two of us. By cupping his left leg and holding his left hand, I was able to whirl him out of bed in one swoop. Seeing only me in the room, Craig asked if we were "down numbers." When I told him it was just me, he said “so that leaves us to work together.” I said “yep, but we’ve done it before” to which he replied, “yep.”
After a few minutes of dangling on his bed, Craig informed me that he needed to use the urinal. I handed him the plastic container and proceeded to take my leave in the living room along with my trusty Economist. Within a few minutes, C rang his bell for help. Like always, he handed over his “present” for analysis (if only we were Olympic athletes…talk about easy access). Distracted, I nearly poured the 700ml contents of his freshly emptied bladder into the sink. Hearing my cackle, Craig called out in alarm wondering what happened. I told him that I almost christened the sink with the worst version of hot green tea this side of the Mississippi. As Dad would say, “G-ross.”
Back at the edge of the bed, Craig proceeded to express his frustrations over swallowing. He said he missed the days when he could just sip water without a care.
“If I could, I’d be sipping away,” he said. “It seems like it was just a few days ago that I was sipping water practically all day. And I was having a merry time doing it, but then something snapped, and now I can no longer swallow.
After thinking a bit, Craig adds, "What do kids do when they can’t swallow? They use sipping cups.”
“That’s a good idea,” I added. “Maybe a sipping cup could help regulate the flow. I’ll ask Emily to pick some up on her way here.”
“It’s strange but I can’t swallow without coughing. The water stings as it goes down, which triggers a coughing spasm. Maybe that means I should start drinking beer.” (I mentioned this to Erin later on, to which she replied, “Well, that’s one way to get calories.”)
“Your mentioning beer reminds me of a time at Dixon’s when, from the corner of my eye, I could see Mom’s hand reach towards my beer. With a slow advance, Mom finally grabbed my handle and started dragging it towards her. It cracked me up.”
“Was beer forbidden,” he asked.
“I don’t know if it was specifically restricted, but because she also had Hepatitis C, etc., alcohol in general was limited. Mom was never a beer drinker in the first place. That was what made her sudden interest in my beer so strange. She was more of a Chablis or Martini type of gal. Either way, Mom couldn't hold her liquor. She'd get tipsy off of one drink.”
Changing the subject, I asked Craig if he was looking forward to speaking with Desiree tomorrow. Craig said he was looking forward to talking about his swallowing issues, which is now a daily frustration.
The same muscles that are limiting his ability to swallow are also restricting his ability to speak. Earlier today, Craig's good friend, and renowned blues musician, Watermelon Slim called. (Just a few days ago, I suggested to Craig that I call Watermelon Slim to give him an update. It was fortuitous for him to call this morning.) Unfortunately, as much as Craig would like to speak with his old friend, his speaking ability has become too poor for phone conversations to be effective.
As I briefed Watermelon Slim on the latest, I could tell by his voice that he was expecting to hear the worst, and seemed to be holding his breath for the news. When I said that Craig was still with us, I could hear him let out a sigh. With a smile in his voice, he repeated “Craig’s still with us.” He told me that he’s been dedicating his performances to Craig. He said as much when I put Slim on speaker phone for Craig to hear. He told Craig that he’s been telling the world about him. From Italy to Canada, Germany to Austin, Texas, people know Craig Lawler. Craig visibly looked touched to hear his voice, and honored to hear of the dedications.
Watermelon Slim was calling from Austin, Texas where he was preparing to do a few recordings for an Australian musician. Despite knowing Craig for almost a decade, Craig and Watermelon Slim have never had the opportunity to record music together. Slim mentioned this during our conversation. He said that one of his greatest regrets is that he never had the opportunity to record Craig. I, too, am saddened that they never had an opportunity to record together. They would have been able to capture something magical had they the opportunity. But, though they haven't recorded together, we do own a few recordings of Craig performances in Denver. When I told Craig that I was preparing a package of DVD recordings for Watermelon Slim, he seemed to light up. He eagerly looked on as I gathered CDs to copy.
The recordings capture Craig doing what he loves most. It's as though he's transported to another realm. Craig has been described as an old soul, despite picking up the harmonica only a decade ago. He’s mastered techniques that, to quote Watermelon Slim, “I could never learn.” “He had a sound that didn’t match his age.” In the words of Watermelon Slim, “the student had surpassed the teacher.” -- J
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