Hi
everyone,
I am so lucky to have so many people who
really want to know what’s going on with me.
It’s confirmed... I have a neuroendocrine
tumor, which is very good news. It is less aggressive than other
pancreatic cancers, but it is still cancer. Dr. Lowy thinks I
can safely go and do my European tour - March 26 to May 3 and
then come home and have my surgery at UCSD cancer center during
the first or second week of May. This means I will have to cancel
my East Coast run, but it can’t be avoided; I have so much
work, something has to be cancelled. I am going to Europe because
Dr. Lowy says they can’t operate on me now anyway because
I still have pancreatitis, which was caused by my biopsy. They
cannot operate on me until my pancreas calms down. I will probably
be having surgery right when my East Coast tour was supposed to
start. I will most likely be laid up all of May and June and may
be able to resume working in late June/early July, but I will
have to wait and see at this point. I will be hospitalized for
at least seven to ten days after the abdominal surgery and then
will need lots of bed rest to get better from this very intense
surgery.
Every time I go to Europe, I always think,
"What would I do if this were my last time here?" This
time in Europe will be all the more poignant in that regard. I
will start the tour in Amsterdam where I will do some workshops
with my special needs friends for the United by Music tour www.unitedbymusic.eu.
I knew they wouldn’t understand why I wasn’t there
so I am glad the doctor has given me the green light on this tour.
Then i will tour Scandinavia with my own band for a week, my son
Evan on drums, Laura Chavez on guitar, and Paul Loranger on bass.
After a few days off in Amsterdam I will take off with the Blues
Caravan again with Deborah Coleman, Dani Wilde, and Laura Chavez
and play music all over Germany, Holland, Austria, and the Baltics.
I will come home on May 4. Hopefully I will be able to attend
the Handys and then have the surgery, but I’m not too optimistic
about that. I already feel extremely blessed to be able to do
this European run and I don’t want to push my luck.
There are a few beautiful people planning
benefits. Carlos Guitarlos is planning one on April 20 at Perqs
in Huntington Beach, California, with my old friend Desiree Martinez.
Carlos is inviting a bunch of my L.A. musician friends to participate.
If you are interested in playing or attending, you can email Desiree
at perqs2@aol.com and volunteer. Already confirmed are Laurie
Morvan, the Gears, and friends from the Blasters, Top Jimmy, and
the Rhythm Pigs, but there is still more room on the bill if you
are interested in helping out. In San Diego my friend Chet Cannon
is also organizing a benefit at Humphrey’s. Sue Palmer is
confirmed and I am sure there will be many more people signing
up. Please write to Chet at blushouter@aol.com if you are interested
in joining in. Stu Metzler is organizing one in Pittsburgh at
Moondog’s and Mike Joy is organizing one in Washington,
D.C. And I believe Rosie Flores is working on one in Austin as
well as Barbara Hammerman in the Tacoma/Gig Harbor, Washington,
area. I just feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people
in my corner rooting for me. I am already over $10,000 in debt
just from the hospital stay last weekend and the various tests
and consultations. And when I can’t work for a few months,
it will be really difficult. All the help everyone is giving me
is so miraculous and generous. I really am astounded by the kindness
of so many of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you
can’t play music for me or attend a benefit and you still
want to help, my paypal account is candyekanetour@aol.com and
my address is 315 S. Hwy 101 #47 Encinitas, CA 92024. I am applying
for medi-cal and have an appointment with a social worker this
Wednesday, but I hear they only pay for half of the medical expenses
now so that will really be tough. I just couldn’t do this
without the kind help of so many of you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
I got a great present this week when this
quote was called to my attention:
B.B. King, asked about other Blues singers
he likes, mentioned Candye Kane. “She has that big, brassy
voice, [it] has a lot of authority and sass, the kind of thing
that men like because it’s seductive and women like because
it’s powerful. You put her with a player like, oh, say Walter
Trout, you might have a real big thing going, hit records and
everything.” - San Diego Reader 3/12/08
This was a sweet surprise and a lovely
gift in itself. Now if I can get an opening slot for B.B. after
I beat cancer’s ass that will really be a triumph for this
tough ol' broad!
Much
love and gratitude,
Candye
www.candyekane.com
