Vampire Weekend Concert

Happy Beltane
from Nora

If you were not in attendance I believe you could not possibly imagine the intensity of the occasion. It was palpable. Several of our friends and family in attendance were saying how they were amazed yet again by our community and overwhelmed that they were witness to something they will never ever forget.
The day was a very special one. It feels like a dream.... How can life be so extreme? At my fingertips I feel gold, fairy dust or some such magic or I feel a curse. Can I have it both ways? For now.... may it only be magic! Greg the stage man who has worked the rock star scene for years was commenting to me how he felt in his mind I was something unreal to be reckoned with to have pulled something of this magnitude off. It is a testament to those around me surely not me: Joe's, the band member's DAD, thoughtful and caring heart, Anne a WHIRLWIND of a girl with as big of a heart, Jordy the stage show master MIND, ENERGETIC rock stars jumping up and down on stage, GIVING and hardworking volunteers and lots and lots of young dancing, singing, college students. This all made for quite a day, many many weeks worth of work coming to a moment, a 2 ½ hour concert.

Watching from start to finish the goings on behind the scene of a concert was exciting. Myself, Lydia, Adam and several of his friends ---- Simon Rackenberg-Loisel, Aidan Talbot and Shelby Howland participated in stage set up. It took over three hours of loading in of massive amounts of sound and light equipment. Dan Richardson was at the helm of sound! And, it was a monumental task lasting 12 hours or more. The SOUND was perfect.

Lydia had first choice of seats in an empty house for herself and all her friends. That was a hard decision. May all her decisions be so hard!

The house was full or very close to full and the crowd was highly energized. Not one person sat through that show. All were on their feet, dancing and singing. I noticed that most of the young men/boys in the crowd knew ever word to every song! It was THEIR band.
The band members are in their mid twenties and the crowd was very young, also. Most of them wanted to purchase the VW t-shirts right off our backs. Some of my volunteers just pulled off their shirts and handed them over willingly. I wish VW had t-shirts for sale that night.

The band was of course generous but incredibly gracious, too. We were able to get autographs, photos and visit with them a little. They are sweet and adorable. Any parent would be proud to be able to attest to a job well done.

The friends that came out to usher and bounce were amazing and the numbers were great. I want to thank all of you for volunteering yet again for Lydia. You all are a true testament to LOVE.
I think most of you had a fantastic time. The music really was a lot of fun an the occasion unparalleled. I know I could not stop dancing. I hope you all had a great time.

The let down too was palpable. Lydia was concerned about how all else will surely pale. We have to pick ourselves up and join in the daily grind of normalcy however pale it may certainly be. And, be oh so thankful that our world is filled with miracles and lovely people. And, not just 8th grade and MCAS and the like!!!!! Maybe we will follow VW on tour somewhere nearby!
We surely will be able to have our week long paddle THIS summer. We hope to kayak along the Maine Island Coastal Trail in July. We have been waiting too long. This summer will be the best of all summers. That is a promise.

Today she again is under the knife. I hate thinking and her experiencing anesthesia and more scars. Hopefully this will be THE last of the last. She is having her sub dermal port-a-cath surgically
removed, no more chemotherapy therefor no more catheter!!!! GET IT?

Happy Beltane
Nora

Lydia's Biopsy Proves She is Disease Free

Dear family and friends,

The word today after 30 days of consulting with Columbia Presbyterian Hospital is No Evidence of Disease (NED). Our conventional doctor, Dr Cairo, suspected this would be the result but wanted proof. (Lydia and Nora's energy healer knew she was disease free a month ago. She's the one that detected a problem in Lydia's chest prior to any hospital tests and diagnoses) Dr. Cairo says that Petscans (the basis of our "almost good" news one month ago) are not always definitive. He says that this biopsy, however, IS definitive. In the 41 cases of Primary Mediastinal B-cell lymphoma he has followed, there has yet to be a case where a negative biopsy missed some residual disease. We will monitor Lydia's condition with a CTscan in 3 months. Dr. Cairo says the chances of a relapse are about 1 in 100.

Aside from some continued and concerted efforts to rehab Lydia's organs through alternative therapies and nutrition, we can now celebrate the reality of a return to the joys of normal life. Lydia's already planning on going back to school tomorrow. And going to the summer camp she was prevented from participating in last summer.

Nora will seek full-time work rather than only part-time, per diem options. I'll go back to social change commitments and house/farm projects which have been on the back burner for a long time. Renata will finally get more time with Mom. Adam will enjoy the relief of a black cloud being lifted from his family's future and have us all more involved in his farming plans.

This is a success story that speaks certainly to the courage, love and determination of Lydia and Nora but also - very powerfully - to the faith, generosity and unselfishness of our friends, family and community. We will do our best to be there for each of you - should the need arise.

Much love and gratitude to you all - And to the great, whimsical Spirits that seem to come and go out of our lives unpredictably.

John, for the family

Stay tuned for the celebration bash!

Vampire Weekend

Loud and FUN music for all who will

Now is the time to purchase tickets to our big blow out Vampire Weekend concert if you want to join in all the fun. Tickets are going fast! Smith College has already purchased 400 of them.

The event is Wednesday, April 22 @ 8 pm

at John M Greene Hall, Smith College, Northampton

TICKET SALES: Northampton Box Office

413-586-8686

800-THE-TICK

NBOTICKETS.COM

Thanks

Nora

14

Lydia turned 14.

We said goodbye to 13.

Thirteen has gotten a bad rep throughout the years.

We just joined in deeply with that rep. Thirteen is part of the underworld. A thing of the past way back in the deep, dark, recesses.

We are on to something BIG oh so very big. Just You wait and see.

We celebrated in NYC. First, with a botched journey to Columbia Presbyterian. The appointment never materialized so we head back today!!!

But there is more.... we went to a drag show for dinner and then to Momma Mia on Broadway. We visited with friends and family while seeing the sights in NYC. It was a great start to a new year for Lydia.

Lydia is still homeschooling. We are working on the great discovery of foods and herbs. We have been making juices and learning about macrobiotics and alkaline foods. We are growing wheat grass. All the while talking to several doctors, many doctors, too many doctors.

Make-a-Wish is still in the works. She wants a retreat for healing. We hope to hear soon. We are looking at a place with HOT SPRINGS! Sounds, fun huh?

Spring and the planting of peas and spinach is oh so close we can feel it. We have large bags (Adam's) of seeds and very small packets of seeds surrounding us. And we are chomping at the bit to get out there. We saw ground yesterday only to have it disappear. We are close and it feels great, New beginnings all around.

Nora