FREAKY FRIDAY

Just a quick note today for those of you who follow this dramady. 

I REALLY DO want to keep this spot updated but the past 2 weeks have given a whole new meaning to the word "aaarrrggghhh"!

I'll post more later, but for now just allow yourself to be flummoxed by the fact that it is indeed possible to dislocate a rib while reaching for your slippers. Seriously.

more to be revealed...

xo

LK

I Have Not Been Playing Hockey, or Hookie

As anyone can see, I have not posted here for several weeks. After the benefit, there were visits from family and getting prepared to be home on my own.

I'm still receiving A LOT of help from friends, but I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in my recovery. Managing medications alone takes up a lot of time.  I'll soon start to attend counseling sessions to help me reconstruct events of the past many months. Thankfully Kim will be reading my medical records and translating them for me - I'm just not ready to do it myself.

At some point we may even post photos from the many hospital stays. I've seen similar photos on other websites, and it's been very helpful, making it more real for me. There's just so much that I don't remember at all. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I guess. Apparently there were times when it looked like I might not make it. Not sure I'm ready to think about that.

Again, thanks to everyone who has followed this crazy trip. I hope to thank you all personally when time allows.

xoxo

Laura

Season of Firsts?

It's very exciting to report that I have gotten excellent 'grades' from the visiting nurse/therapists and that I'll be able to go on MORE and LONGER field trips. In fact my escort extraordinaire Kim will be making her first visit to Red Wing MN when we go to see Margaret Cho in April! Yay! Super duper tenth row tickets, baby. "Beautiful" is the name of Ms. Cho's new performance.

Of slightly more mundane excitement is the fact that I was able to get in & out of the shower for the very first time since leaving the hospital rehab. I will never again take for granted the simple things like hot water & shampoo. Seriously. Some of you may know what I mean.

I'd like to write more but I think it's time for dinner!

xo - Laura

OOPS!

and the winners are...

ALT Bike & Board Tune-up $65 value Steve Faust
Brian Graham Salon Gift Certificate #1 Adela Peskorz
Brian Graham Salon Gift Certificate #2 Laurel Vasileradis
Bryant Lake Bowl Gift Certificate Steve Rood
Café Maude Gift Certificate #1 Liberty Lucken
Café Maude Gift Certificate #2 Ronald Hewitt
Center for Happiness Class Pass Adam Hall
Cheapo Gift Certificate $50 Elaine Wedel
Chindian Gift Certificate #1 Pat Woods
Chindian Gift Certificate #2 Liberty Lucken
Ecopolitan Gift Certificate Nichole Weiner
Electric Fetus Gift Certificate #1 Caroline Kelly
“ “ Gift Certificate #2 Jen Sandquist
“ “ Gift Certificate #3 Kathy Daugherty
“ “ Gift Certificate #4 Jen Sandquist
“ “ Prize Pack #1 John Pervola
“ “ Prize Pack #2 Richard Ellioff
Fontana Distribution Kissology Box Set Mary DuCharme
Galactic Pizza Gift Certificate Robin Rife
Minnesota Twins Tickets Pat Woods
Mr. Chan Presents Tickets Nevanka G.
Moxie Salon Prize Pack #1/GC Sage Holben
Moxie Salon Prixe Pack #2/GC Randy Nordquist
Moxie Salon Prixe Pack #3/GC Cyn Collins
Moxie Salon Prixe Pack #4/GC Paul Larson
Namaste Gift Certificate #1 Jon Copeland
Namaste Gift Certificate #2 Amy Myrbo
Nash Frame Gift Certificate Richard Ellioff
Nick & Eddie Gift Certificate #1 Jeremy Fisher
Nick & Eddie Gift Certificate #2 Beth Wakefield
Purity Facial Gift Certificate Adam Hall
Red Stag Gift Certificate Eric Neese
Revolver USA Prize Pack #1 Ronald Hewitt
Revolver USA Prize Pack #2 Jody Wahl
Revolver USA Prize Pack #3 Helen T.
Roadrunner Records Gift Certificate John Ziegler
Robot Love Prize Pack Max Duckler
Robot Love Gift Certificate Jill Jacobson
Scott Seekins Print “Have you seen …” Tim Holmes
Scott Seekins Print “Trashy Jokes” Nichole Neuman
Scott Seekins Print “… Brittany” Kate Maillette
Sebastian Joe’s Gift Certificate John Pervola
Smitten Kitten Prize Pack Heidi Kalweit
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #1 Jennifer DeJonghe
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #2 Lissa Kleven
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #3 Max Duckler
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #4 Holly Besinger
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #5 Jess Matelski
Spot Spa Boutique Gift Certificate #6 Jim Bradt
Walker Art Center Prize Pack Elaine Wedel
Warner Music Group Prize Pack #1 Pat Woods
Warner Music Group Prize Pack #2 “ “

GRAND PRIZE! Zune Music Player #1 Randy Nordquist
GRAND PRIZE! Zune Music Player #2 David Barton

SPECIAL BONUS1 Bush Tetras Gift Pack #1 Nell Ruckler
SPECIAL BONUS1 Bush Tetras Gift Pack #2 Jon Wurm
SPECIAL BONUS1 Bush Tetras Gift Pack #3 Tiffany Durkee
SPECIAL BONUS1 Bush Tetras Gift Pack #4 Jessica Wiger
SPECIAL BONUS1 Bush Tetras Gift Pack #5 Dave Campbell
SPECIAL BONUS! Poster/Laura’s Collection Jon Copeland
SPECIAL BONUS1 Poster/Laura’s Collection Tommy (on Ticonderoga)

Better Late Than Never!

Hello again. So... somewhere between having a visiting nurse, a visiting therapist, two visiting furnace repair people, meds, one visiting pastry-laden Aureliano, meals, naps, more meals, more meds, visiting humor-laden Sarah H and Liberty L, and a late-night calorie-laden snack... I did finish organizing the list of raffle-ticket winners! Yay! Sorry it took so long, folks. We struggled with reading the names scrawled on those tiny ticket stubs. Winners are posted here, but of course will also be notified personally by telephone. If we cannot reach you immediately we will mail your prize sometime during the next week. Thanks again to all of you for participating.

xo - Laura

Riff Raffle

Yes it was a great weekend but it's Wednesday and I'm still feeling it in my bones. This morning the visiting nurse (physical therapy) taught me some gentle stretches for my back. I keep trying to remind myself that I've only been home from hospital/phys. rehab for a little over a week! There is a long slow road ahead. Of course I'm really anxious to get back to my old self, but it will be a long and slow process. Thanks again to all of you for your patience and understanding.

BTW, the raffle did take place on Sunday afternoon, a bit later than planned, but oh well. Everyone is tired and stressed out from putting on the event and I love/thank them all. Raffle prize winners will indeed be notified soon, hopefully by the end of the week. We have to make a lot of phone calls! I did also start to type up a list of winners, but my capacity is limited so that list is not yet complete. Maybe tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for your patience. I'm so lucky to have such a tremendous support system. This whole plan was Vicky's idea and she is taking a much needed day or two to recharge batteries. Other friends are pitching in to help. I'm not going to mention them all by name right now, they know who they are.

xoxo - Laura

Wow! What a Weekend

Only home from the hospital a week, but with Dr’s permission I did leave the house on Saturday and Sunday.
Having my former band mates (Bush Tetras) fly in to the mini apple to support me was a real homecoming. We hadn’t seen each in years (yes, I love mpls and have no desire to return to nyc!) so this visit boosted my energy. I probably overdid it, going out to the benefit concert for 3 hrs on Saturday night and then meeting everyone for brunch at Nick & Eddie on Sunday: Wow! Who needs sex drugs and rock and roll when you have Jessica’s butterscotch pudding?
While Doug drove the band off to the airport, we threw raffle tickets into a big vase and picked out some winners. It seems as though quite a few people bought large quantities of tickets, and when you see the list of winners you’ll notice that a few got very lucky. On the flip side, I’m sure there are also those that missed out, the law of averages being whatever – but a huge thank you to those of you who participated. The proceeds have gone into the fund that was created for me to help with all my expenses during the crucial first year post-transplant.
I do want to thank all of you individually as well for your contributions and your positive energy, but there has been so much response that it may take me several months to get those thank-yous done. Please know that I’m grateful for your support & encouragement.
XOXO – Laura
P.S. List of raffle prize winners will follow soon, I promise!

Shout Out to My Angels

I've just started to read the comments on this blog. You may not know this, but soon after it was created (with help from some angels) I became quite sick and unable to participate. The news has been spread by other angels, and angels have been at my side for the past six months of this long journey.
Now I find myself at a loss for words, completely awed by all the love and good wishes coming my way. I so want to write each of you personally and I promise to do that some time in the coming months. There are hundreds of people who have contributed or sent greetings. Some are long lost friends, others may have seen the band back in the day, but rest assured that each and every one of you have contributed to raising my spirits and given me the will to keep fighting. Bless you all.
xoxo
Laura

Extra! Extra!

An excellent piece written by Jim Walsh in the Minneapolis Star-Trib today hyping the show and Laura. Leave it to Laura to be bleeped out in a newspaper article...

BEWARE OF OLD PUNKS WITH CANES

I'm home! The recent past is a blur. My friends have been telling me what happened over the past 4 or 5 months. It's what I imagine it must be like to wake up from a coma.
I'll write more later (it's supposed to be therapeutic) but for now just a shout out to all of my beautiful friends and supporters. Your good wishes and prayers did get through to me.
Much love,
Laura
ps - For now I have Dr's permission to attend the benefit! If you are on the dance floor beware, I have a weapon at my disposal.

Minneapolis Benefit for Laura Kennedy Update

All---

Hard to believe that nearly a month has passed since my last post. Some news regarding the Minneapolis Benefit for Laura on January 17th...David Thomas from Pere Ubu will be joining the festivities. My hope is that he will recreating birdcalls and doing his most modern dance. Of course there is a Bush Tetras/Pere Ubu connection as Laura and Cynthia were deemed the "Nerve Gas Dancers" many years ago. Hopefully their story will be told the night of the benefit.

Laura is being released from the transitional care facility on Friday (!) and as we prepare for her return home I can hardly believe the events of the last 2 months. To everyone who has offered help here in the Twin Cities and to those of you who have sent words of encouragement and financial support we cannot thank-you enough.

BUSH TETRAS*DAVID THOMAS*SUICIDE COMMANDOS*SKOAL KODIAK

NICK & EDDIE
JANUARY 17TH @ 9:00
1612 Harmon Place
612-486-5800

Tickets are available on-line at: www.first-avenue.com

and at Nick & Eddie, Treehouse Records, The Electric Fetus and Eclipse Records.

See you at the show...it should be quite a night.

respect,

vicky

New Year, New Challenges

Hello and a huge thank you to all who have been so supportive with thoughts, prayers, and donations. I promise that once I am back home and better recovered, I will respond to your cards, letters, and emails.

So yes, I have gotten a liver through a very sudden sequence of events. Getter sicker and potentially losing the chance of a live donor (part of a liver) I was again admitted to the hospital where apparently I had a bad fall. Not long after my position on the transplant list went higher, and suddenly a liver was available. Surgery was done quickly, though I was pretty out of touch before, during and after.
Chances for recovery are better, though, with the whole (deceased) liver option.

Goddess blessings to all of you who have healthy organs and note youself willing to be an organ donor. You have no idea how it can change so many lives.

The work seems to be ongoing, though. I'm receiving an education here from the Transplant Clinic staff. The patients who make the best recovery are the ones who are able to manage large amounts of information. I've also had to cempletely adjust my thinking. I've spent years looking after my health and finding ways to boost my immune system. Now I've got to be on medicantions that suppress my immune functions, so the new liver won't be rejected. After a period of time feeling overwhelmed, I'm trying to embrace this opportunity, take whatever time I have left, and challenge myself to visit some new territories.

Blessings to you all.

Laura

Minneapolis Benefit for Laura Kennedy

All---

NICK & EDDIE
1612 HARMON PLACE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55405
612-486-5800
SATURDAY JANUARY 17TH
DOORS @ 9:00

*BUSH TETRAS*SUICIDE COMMANDOS*SKOAL KODIAK

ADVANCE TICKETS ($25) ARE ON SALE NOW AT THE FOLLOWING:

NICK & EDDIE, TREEHOUSE RECORDS, THE ELECTRIC FETUS, ECLIPSE RECORDS AND ON-LINE AT:

www.first-avenue.com



Laura turned a small corner within the last few days, and there is a good possibility that she will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility sometime next week. Our hope is that she will be well enough to attend the show. Keep sending those
positive thoughts and spread the word. We've barely started and tickets are selling fast. Hard to say if there will be availability at the door ($35 day of show). if you are interested in selling raffle tickets please let me know. We'll have close to 100 prizes when all is said and done.

big respect,

vicky

Version: thanks and praises

All---

Laura was moved from the ICU this past Tuesday and it appears that the doctors are finally getting a handle on her drug "cocktail." Although she is still experiencing some mental confusion, last night she was responding to questions and more alert than in previous days.

Her new liver is working overtime to heal her body and the hope is that her mind will catch up in good time. For locals she is able to receive visitors if only for short periods. But mental stimulation is a good thing right now, so if you have any questions please feel free to contact either Kim or myself if you would like to stop by to see her.

Today our friends Mary & Adam will host a thanksgiving dinner for her close circle here in the Twin Cities. We have so much to be grateful for...an understatement really.

Benefit plans are falling into place rapidly and I'll update very soon but tickets can be purchased at:

www.first-avenue.com

Keep spreading the word on behalf of Laura and thanks to everyone for your on-going interest and support.

respect,

vicky

Frustration

All---

Laura was readmitted to the ICU yesterday. She is sedated and back on a respirator to hopefully stabilize a slide which began on Thursday. Again her condition is incredibly fragile/weak. I am hoping to speak to the doctors tomorrow to get a better handle on the situation.

I saw a "glimpse" of Laura just a few days ago which makes this even more difficult to accept. Yes there will be peaks and valleys over the coming months, but please continue to keep her in your thoughts and meditations. I told her tonight that there are so many people sending positive energy, and I feel sure that by all of us focusing on helping her heal that she will pull from deep down and get over this hurdle.

More to come very soon.

respect,

vicky

Thanksgiving Realized

Everyone---

Once again I find myself at a loss for words. Reflecting on the last few weeks it seemed that Laura was faced with insurmountable odds of having a transplant come through. Yet it happened, and to the family that made the sacrifice so that she might have a 2nd chance saying thank-you on this day especially hardly seems enough.

Laura is still very weak, and we are looking at a very long recovery. But her new liver is working and her wounds healing. The pain medication tends to send her to the moon and then back for a brief check-in. She is catching up from a struggle that began in July and it will take time. It is still about baby steps for awhile but she is moving in the right direction.

All the best to so many that have kept Laura close in thought and to her posse (her word!) of friends here in Minneapolis that have done so much.

And yes the January 17th Benefit Big News...The Suicide Commandos have committed their support and will make a rare appearance along with the Bush Tetras and Skoal Kodiac. What a celebration it will be. Nick & Eddie's is the venue and please continue to check back for updates.

respect,

vicky

The Prettiest Star-Laura Kennedy

Everyone---

Spent the afternoon with Laura today, and she was laughing at me for fretting over various paperwork that I am attempting to fill out for her. Social Security and Hennepin County, good times.

She is still recoving from nearly 6 days of the invasive nature/ramifications of being hooked up to a respirator, and the havoc it reaked on her throat. A Speech Therapist is working with her to help regain strength just so that she can swallow again; we are hoping that tomorrow she might be rewarded with a sip or two of her favorite apple/carrot juice. Everything is still via IV.

So extremely weak yes but healing slowly. Everyday brings a slight improvement. Her speaking voice is just above a whisper right now and we are probably looking at another 2-3 days before she will be transferred out of Intensive Care.

But Laura's sense of humor remains intact. There is a show of amusement towards the various doctors and staff that are constantly in and out to check on her.

Bright Moments! Laura Kennedy Benefit Information

It is now nearly 2 days since Laura received her new liver; she is stable and still emerging from the anesthesia. Laura has no idea that this happened as she has been sedated since Sunday. Hard to even comprehend what will follow as emotions are pretty difficult to contain right now.

A meeting was held last night and a January 17th date confirmed at Nick & Eddie's for the Minneapolis Benefit show, which will surely prove to be a celebration to remember. On December 19th an LK Happy Hour from 5:00 until whenever will take place, again at Nick & Eddie's to raise awareness and get the excitement going for the show featuring the Bush Tetras and Skoal Kodiac.

More details to come. Again thanks to everyone for the overwhelming support, both with donations and words of encouragement. Please continue to keep Laura in your thoughts/meditations as she faces a lengthy recovery...

respect,

vicky

speechless

All of Laura's friends--

I am writing this from the waiting room of the U of M surgery floor.

We have just been notified that Laura has received a new liver. They are wrapping her up now. The surgery was supposed to take anywhere from six to twelve hours, and the it barely took six. I'm not a doctor, but you couldn't ask for a smoother ride.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. We are not out of the woods yet, but this is nothing short of a miracle.

--Adam

Status Update

After a week which can very accurately be called a roller coaster, Laura is now resting comfortably at a care facility connected to her hospital. Her condition is stable for the time being, and she has been moved up near the top of the list for a liver transplant.

The outpouring of support--financial and otherwise--has continued unabated. We did not know what to expect when we set up this fund, this blog, when first we sent out those first calls for help in the NYC and Twin Cities music scenes. We are incredibly gratified to discover that Laura is just as important to you all as she is to us and that you all are rallying behind her. Reading some of the notes of support she's received, they seem more like thank-you notes: "Thank you, Laura, for the music you've helped create," "Thank you, Laura, for being such a good friend," "Thank you, Laura, for the inspiration of your example." Not direct quotes, but paraphrases of letters and emails that have helped Laura weather this very trying time. Seeing her and the impact your letters have on her as she reads them brings smiles to all of our faces and makes us appreciate her all the more.

Please keep sending whatever you can--money, compassion, prayers. They are giving Laura the will she needs to continue this fight.

Thank you.

--Adam