Making the Difference

It's not often that I can point to a moment where I can say, "My coming into or being in that raid was the difference between a wipe and a kill." I usually come in, do my job, and hope it's enough to justify me being there.
Thursday nights I usually don't raid because my children have Boy Scouts, and I have responsibilities in their troop. Last night, we got home, and while I was helping my older son get some information he needed for school today, I logged into ventrilo. Lots of people on, no one talking. That's not a good sign. Log onto WoW, 25 people in guild on, 23 in Eye of Eternity or Borean Tundra. Send a tell to Dev, "I'm available if you need me." I'll fly to Naxx or OS before getting confirmation, but not to Coldarra. Get invite, hope I can pump out enough dps without any elixirs or flasks, and grab the flight out there.
I get in, and as the only Warlock, drop a soulwell. Realize that there are 23 people who are already happy I'm there. Get out my imp, self-buff with Fel Armor, Spellstone, and Fish Feast, drop my Summoning Circle and I'm off after helping to summon one of our healers who had also just logged on.
Phase 1 of the Malygos fight rocked. I was getting all my DoTs up, killing Power Sparks which the death knights positioned perfectly, and using the buff. When Maly flew up into the air for phase 2, we had him down lower than I think we ever have. Unfortunately, I took too much damage during a breath and died (damn shrinking bubbles), but my recount showed about 2300 dps or so. Not bad for no flask. Long story short (I know, too late), we got him down.
In reality, it takes more than one person to make or break a raid, but I am so happy that I made such a big contribution to our success.