Alaska & Treatment

 "I want a bracelet" I stated with a slight whine, while looking at the picture of my mom's Alaska (Airlines) family sporting their cute homemade, Taylor Swift inspired friendship bracelets. 

With deep admiration and a little bit of envy I listened to my mom describe how her family at PDX have rallied, showed her love, visited her, danced in the middle of the airport for her, helped her navigate FMLA all in the name of family and spreading joy.

I wouldn't let the bracelet thing go, and asked "how can I get one?" 

Over the past six years, the family that has been cultivated at the Alaska gates in PDX, in the jet bridge, while weighing luggage and making boarding announcements has been inspiring to witness. Through weddings, cancer treatments, NICU stays, and mean passengers this team has seen each other through lifes highest highs and lowest lows. 

The drip drip of chemo is palpable, as my mom finally lets the heaviness of her eyes take her to a dream land of a normal morning in her Alaska uniform, leading her work besties in morning "Jammersize".  As the chemo does its job fighting the cancer cells, my mom goes in and out of sleep. 

With a groggy voice, and squinted eyes, she asks "What song should I chose for tomorrow?" Bob and I smile at each other. Our sunshine gal is still brightening up each room she is in. 

While we sit in this bland hospital room and her Alaska Family is running to meet a plane, rebooking someone's flight, passengers pass the time while they await the boarding announcement. A passenger looks up at the very moment they see an Alaska employee grooving to "Shake it Off". 

I respond to my mom with a request for "Anything Whitney or Gaga" 

                                

To choose family is to cultivate meaningful relationships for the long haul, and to commit to showing up without any "obligation". 

Thanks for choosing my mom. We all rest easy knowing she has supportive co workers who tell her to "go home" when she is not feeling well, and have found ways to keep her smiling while she is out of uniform.