Let me preface this with the fact that this story is technichally about the Hawaii show December 2006. We were fortunate enough to have seen five other shows during this tour in Seattle, Chicago, and Portland.

During that time, a life long dream of a life long fan came true! I got to meet and briefly chat with Bono, and meet Edge as well. IT was great....very cool guys who truly appreciate their fans! As a nurse I hope someday to get a chance to speak with Bono again, as we share so many of the same hopes for the worlds poverty stricken.

With that said....below is a tale that may sound outrageous...and it is....but every word is true...and we are still recovering from it all.

The music of U2 has a healing power we fans know and share but find hard to explain. The healing began the moment the show did, and is still to this day. SO WAS IT WORTH IT??

So was it worth the wait?..A question I have now heard a million times. Any other time the answer would be a swift "of course!". In the end you will see my answer to this question, but this was not such a simple question as you will see. Nearly a year of waiting, anticipating, planning. The sun,sand,cold drinks, u2 fans and of course U2. By all accounts, what should be a fantastic one of a kind show! A combination, retirement (dishcarged with medical disability from military service recently)present, a birthday, 15th anniversary and Christmas gift all wrapped into one big trip to the islands! Can you ask for more? As December grew closer so did the belief that some big cosmic/heavenly source was telling us not to go....what we are now calling hell month(s)began in October with our middle daughter, Terra red-headed artist/musician breaking her ankle at school, only a few days before a big performance. Out of school...not good for one who pushes herself to the limit and prides herself on doing well in school. Back to school, and severe pneumonia...out of school. Little sis...Sydney..pneumonia (thank God I am a nurse). Finally well and back to school. Phone call from husbands family...dads cancer back, surgery, terminal.....cancel plans to go see 2 days after surgery. Prepare children to say I love you and possibly goodbye as we live over 2 hours away. Visit, 8 hours later he is gone.(our oldest daughters 18th birthday) No more pain for him, but for those who remain, especially the kids....it just begins. Tears, planning, flowers, and memorials...more school missed. Thanksgiving....ashes spread over the ocean, salty tears all around. Do we still go??? Already rescheduled once. Kents father a world traveler when he could would have never wanted us to cancel...we didnt. Maybe we should have.... Flying from Air Force Base to AFB, we arrived the week before the show. Our first 3 days glorious....a cabin on the beach, blue skies and warm water. The peace we had been looking for, for so long now. 2 days before we are to be at the venue to line up and 3 days before the show, hell followed us apparently and broke loose on us yet again. Tuesday nite, little pain in the side of my face/jaw, no sleep...Wed. am swollen, 103temp, insanely ill. Rushed to emergency dental...need surgery NOW!! WHAT??.....U2 show... Sent immed. to surgeon, proceeded to remove the problem, then with a mouth packed full of gauze, pain and tears we are told, sorry your going to have to give us the fee now and get reimbursed later.....what???? $450...are you nuts???? Dont worry, you will feel fine in a couple hours, the problem is out now. Promises of no swelling, bruising or pain....well in true form in less then 3 hours, I am 3 x normal size, bruised and in severe pain, having allergic reaction to antibiotic...doctor calls..."huh..you shouldnt be"..whatever that means! Day turns to nite and as I lie awake with my ice pack, the wind starts to blow, gently at first, but as the slow hours pass it gets windier and louder. Things are now hitting the cabin, pine cones and such. Soon the outdoor furniture, 3am and I am getting real scared. "Kent wake up...you hear that?" (half asleep...dont worry just the wind) 4am...a noise I cant explain and a fear never before experienced a crash so loud I thought we were being attacked (on AFB on Pearl Harbour day). Glass, walls, tree debri raining down on us on our bed while we lay there. Crashing and breaking coming from every room in the cabin....before we knew what hit us, we were on the floor taking cover, my wonderful husband sheltering me....me shaking crying, not knowing, confused. Step out to other room, glass and debri everywhere...step outside wind howling, 100foot iron wood tree uprooted completely through our cabin in our bed. I should by all means be sitting (hopefully)in heaven with all those gone before me....we both should. We were spared, and our children spared the devastation of losing both parents. Our neighbors were ok....not much damage there, just through the living room. MP came, helped us temp re-locate and wait for office hours. What a wait. We went back in the light of day....the devestation and destruction evident...never happened there before. We again realized just how lucky we were. Although we soon began forgetting that when the stress of all this added to trying to find a place to stay (without trees)let alone with the show, the marathon and Pearl Harbour day was a disaster. We figured one night somewhere, then we planned on staying overnight at the venue anyway. Got in line early Friday, lived in the U2 "gypsy"camp for the couple days, meeting old and new friends trying to avoid killing each other in between. Stress does odd things to you....we love each other and protect each other but at points were ready to stangle the other... Very little sleep for 48 hours and no hotel after the show, just our rental car and trying to find a place we wouldnt get ticketed or kicked out of for just a couple hours of sleep! So to answer the question....yes it was worth the wait. We met so many new people, the show was just one big party, with stars everywhere, including in the sky. Some minor technical mishaps, but come on....Pearl Jam, Billie Joe, and U2 all under one roof. How do you top that? Our sleep over yeielded us B-stage step out front row. Lots of Edge over there, and with the biggest smiles I have seen in a long time! Wish could have gotten a little more Bono fix...guess I should count my blessings having met him and Edge in Seattle and getting the opportunity to say we nurses appreciate his work and getting a great hug in return! 6 Vertigo shows all with stories to tell, but none like this! Been a fan for over 25 years, and the Joshua Tree was my last show in Vancouver BC....life (and shit) happens I guess. I could not have asked for much more though. We were finally blessed in Portland to get in the ellipse with our two youngest daughters (huge fans) a bit of a scene when the youngest got guitar pic from Bono and the musician/artist missed out on our (hoped for)mohter/daughter/bono dance and pic...oh well...she is forever optimistic that she will be on stage with the "boys" one of these days! It is the new year now, and although the wind still scares the hell out of me, we are hoping for more positives in the coming months! As a nurse, a mom, wife and activist for social reform and poverty issues, my kids have at least learned this one thing from me and Bono (among so many others) and continue to spread the word about "one" "red", AIDS in Africa, even issues such as debt and trade for Africa. We are working on a one of a kind project we came up with out of fun for our own family this past summer and thought maybe we could put it to good use in not only bringing other famililes closer together, but by sharing profits bringing some peace to some families in Africa. Our year should be full one and we will be looking out for a new album and cant wait for the next tour! On a final note I just want to say thank you to U2 and all the people behind the scenes as well, for keeping to your word and rescheduling your shows. You certainly and understandibly could have cancelled. I pray for Edge and his family every day, I know what it feels like to have a child be extremely ill ( I have 2 who have battled for their lives more then once) and it is the worst feeling in the world having no control! I hope all is well and thanks again to you and your families for sharing you all with us! PS. Thank you so much to Bob and Arianne with whom your help we wouldnt have made it. Also big thanks to our oldest daughter Katie who found out the radio station we had been listening to constantly in Honolulu for all our music and concert news.

The daytime DJ Dave Lawrence from 105.9 apparently took a phone call from her, telling him what had been going on to us while there to see the U2 show, and wanted to know if he could just say a hello to us. Well, she told us to with no explanation to make sure we were listening....next thing we know on our way to the stadium, what do we hear, but just got a call from Katie in little Madras Oregon whose parents are here for show and having a heck of a time! Want to send some love their way, and I think it is so cool that she would call for her mom and dad like that! So Kent and Amy hope you have a better week and enjoy the show! We were able to record it on our cell phone ("dangerous little devices") and have a great memory. Thanks Dave for taking her call and sending us the love...we needed it!!!