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Sundanceh – the man

For those of you who have not had the opportunity of a long association with “our” Craig, I thought maybe a summary would help you understand how he became so important to so many of us.

What I share here, he has already shared in his posts and his profile page, so I don’t tell you anything he hasn’t already said.

Craig had, what we would call now, a dysfunctional family life.  His one bright star in that family was his sister Suzanne.  That star was taken tragically by murder in 1986.  She was weeks away from her prom and graduation.

He married a sweetheart named Kim.  She has stood by him through all adversity that life has brought them, including a tornado which severely damaged their Texas home.  But they rebuilt.

You may wonder how he chose his “CSN” handle.  For many years, he had a Golden named Sundance.  This dog was a “person” who brought life and light into his life.  Therefore, Sundanceh is in honor and remembrance of that furry 4-legged child.  He now has another Golden named Harley.  While different, he also is a love and is loved.

While Craig and Kim don’t have children of their own, there is one who stole his heart.  Her name is Lil’ Miss Sunshine.  A relative who lives quite a distance away, it took only one visit for him to fall in love.  From the way he has shared his experiences and thoughts about her, he would have made a great father.

“Our Craig” is a multi-faceted man.  He likes to sing.  He created a CD with him singing along with Alison Krauss and Union Station.  He also created a Youtube video of him singing along with Johnny Cash on Folsom Prison Blues.  He had a career in technology, even while in treatment.

“Our Craig” is also a Cowboy Philosopher and a writer.  His posts here always long, funny and full of information about his journey.  He wrote a book about his journey and shared several excerpts with us.  Unfortunately he has not been able to get it published.  He did get a spot in a magazine for just a tiny part of it.  I liken him to a Texas Mark Twain.

As with many under the age of 50, Craig was showing symptoms years before his official diagnosis.  As remains a theme in his journey, doctors he saw were not listening or taking actions which could have made all the difference in what came next.  His recurring counsel to all of us is to not be put off.  If you feel that something is wrong, keep trying to find the right answer even from those outside your usual medical community.

Like most, his journey has been one long rollercoaster ride of ups and downs.  Treatments which were tough to handle while working, hospitalizations, surgeries, and worry over how to cover the medical costs that were mounting.

He went from Stage 2 at diagnosis to Stage 4.  He did all the “normal” protocols of chemo, radiation and surgery.  He has shared his story with us…the good, the bad and the ugly.

Even through this process, his pioneer spirit has shown.  He was the first to have the da Vinci Robotic Surgery on his metastic lung tumor in Ft. Worth.  The operation was a success, the entire tumor was removed, and “Our Craig” made medical history and the news.

In one of the darker moments of his journey, another persona emerged…Big Billy.  Big Billy is the rough and tough dude, the other side of our compassionate cowboy.  As Craig said “Big Billy became my alter-ego in the cancer fight – he’s my ‘go-to’ guy that I reach out for, when I think I’ve had enough of all of this and can’t go the distance anymore – and need a helping hand to get me back on my feet.”  Big Billy is the man you want on your side when the going gets tough.

Craig put his own life and health on hold to deal with his estranged father’s final illness, passing and clean-up of a life-long hoarder. He and Kim worked nights and weekends for over a year to deal with all this.  When asked why he did it given the strained relationship, he said it was the right thing to do.

Craig has always been a sharer and one to reach out to others.  His responses to others who posted issues or concerns have always been laced with compassion and good information.  If he sensed that you might need an extra boost or a kind word, you might just find an email from him waiting for you the next time you signed in.

 Craig has given far more than any other single contributor to this board.  He does it with a gentle style that lets you know you are “family” and without any expectations in return.

I know for a “summary” this is kinda long, but there is so very much to the man we call “Our Craig”.

There is just not enough love or enough hugs for a man most of us have never met except through the written word.

Please send this mighty warrior your best wishes, prayers and good vibes to overcome this latest challenge.

Marie who loves kitties