Help T.Paul

It’s been a year since Paulie’s battle with his head. A whole year. We’re actually heading over to his place this afternoon. His mom called this morning a little concerned and I can’t reach him either. I’m hoping everything is okay.

To do much of anything except this. It’s been 2 weeks and I’m ridiculously exhausted but amazed at how much has happened, how many people have stepped up join in helping Paul out. The art show Friday at the Lucky Red was great! TWH is going strong.

I’m happy to have been a big catalyst – we’ve raised enough for 2 months rent & a huge chunk of his bills so far. Not bad for 2 weeks. His place is looking a lot spiffier than before (whew!) and the benefit we’re doing at the Cobalt on the 17th (see the Hands Across The Pompadour website I set up for more info) is looking like it’s going to be awesome!!

He’s recovering shockingly fast (despite returning to the stinky and foolish embrace of his cigarettes – grumblegrumble) and we picked him up from the hospital yesterday (despite him not feeling quite ready to be heading home).

This evening Markus & I put up a bunch of posters along Commercial Drive and then made some wonderful homemade chili. (we’ll run a bunch over to Paulie tomorrow).

I’m really hoping this Saturday has a good turnout & everything goes smoothly. Fingers crossed.

I have been completely wrapped up in dealing with this situation for 5 days straight now.

I’ve been the family contact, the landlord contact, the hospital contact, the call center, the online mama setting up mail-outs, web groups & forums for community coordination and PayPal for donations and events and benefits to help with the impending financial difficulty. I completely threw out my back trying to clean his apartment. I happily bestow love and food and water upon his wondrous kitty, Lucky. I lubricate the plants. I reply to the people with questions. I counsel the ones who are upset. I’m trying to juggle bands and artists and burlesque dancers and plans and ideas and tangible mail and a million other things, not to mention my own visits and life and family on top of it with almost no sleep and forgetting to eat and I’m so damn tired. SO tired.

I’m not complaining. I’m thrilled that I’ve managed to do so much. I’m relieved that it seems to be snowballing & paying off in droves. It feels good when people I don’t know call and say I’m doing an amazing job. I just haven’t even had a chance to stop and be upset.

And today… when we visited and Paulie wanted to see if we could wheel him around a bit… perhaps to where he could maybe have a smoke. One of those goddamn 3 packs a day that probably helped his head blow to the brink of death in the first place and will now probably make him stroke out… (yes I know you will read this later, so I’m sorry Paulie, and you know I love you) I felt like he had taken a dump in my hand.

I will still work my ass off helping however I can. I will do whatever I can to bring on his health and happiness, but assisting him with putting a gun in his mouth doesn’t fall under this goal. I don’t remember saying I wanted to raise money for a really swanky coffin.

I’m too tired to list everything I’ve done in the last 2 days, but this evening (after tonight’s visit) I’ve been posting & mailing out the following info:

T.Paul Ste. Marie Aneurism update

For anyone not already aware, T.Paul suffered a brain aneurism Sunday night (May 28th) and was taken to VGH for brain surgery /craniotomy.

As of Wednesday he was finally conscious and speaking some, but obviously exhausted and still waiting to find out what long term effects this may have. He is currently still in the NICU at VGH, briefly seeing visitors.

We are trying to rally community support in a number of avenues as he will be out of commission in the hospital for at least a month. The current requests are mainly financial, so that we can cover rent and bills. Later we’ll be trying to organize meals, visits, etc. so please help however you feel you can.

There will be continuing fund-raisers for T.Paul at Café Montmartre (4362 Main St.) at the usual Sunday night Thundering Word Heard. Something else should be in the works shortly as well.

Please feel free to call me for further information or to arrange any donations or other assistance possible.

Thank-you,

~ Ru

PLEASE REPOST


Want to help with this goal? Cheer bomb Paulie (SwankHipster) at: T.Paul on 43Things

Buy his artwork. Send him a card. Send him pudding. Whatever.