John,

Did you happen to read Ernie Gann's excellent novel, _Gentlemen of
Adventure_? One of the main characters, when suffering from terminal
cancer, sneaks out of the hospital, steals and ambulance, drives to a
very small airport, takes an airplane (after writing out a check for
more than it's worth and leaving it secured on the hangar floor) and
flies out over the ocean until he runs out of fuel.
Very moving.

All the best,
Rick