Last night we were up until about 1am trying to check in online to try and get the best seats for me to manage the trip. Checking in online is a great idea except that it rarely works for us - and it didn't this time: "Online check-in is not available for this passenger". Krista spent a considerable amount of time on the phone to the help line in the States to try and make online check-in "available". When she first called the help desk indicated the seats we wanted (bulk-head) were available but no, she couldn't assign us those seats or check us in. She would make some little change and then it would take 10 to 15 minutes to propagate the change through the system and then we'd be able to check in online. 20 minutes later we're still not able to check in online. Krista called back, was on the phone for about half an hour, and finally saw the "available" indicator by all four of us! Of course, by then the bulkhead seats weren't available. So for our first flight we're about 4 rows up from the back of the plane - which is at least convenient for me to get up and walk in the rear galley area. Our second flight we have bulkhead seats but our family is split to different sides of the plane.
I've resigned myself to enduring the flight since there's no real change in my condition and there's really no choice. I'll delay the powerful painkillers as long as possible to be of the most possible help to Krista. Right now I think the adrenaline of frantic last-minute packing, details, and arrangements for our absence is giving me a boost of energy and overcoming some of the pain. We'll see how I'm feeling once we're in the van on the way to the airport in about 3 and a half hours. That'll be the first time I've tried sitting down in this past week - the van seats don't recline.
It's amazing how many little things there are to do, to take care of, to put here or there, to tell people, to hand over, and so on! Krista has managed virtually all of the packing, cooking, cleaning, bath-times, and so on by herself this week in the hopes that I'll recover if I'm resting. Now I've rested but apparently not recovered. Please keep us in your prayers - Krista for chasing the kids and luggage, the boys for good sleep on the flights, and me for comfort. Thank you, our dear prayer-warriors. We rely on you far more than you know.
-Shauen