Mary Dahlquist is a big Bruce Springsteen fan, and can hardly believe her good fortune. She gets to watch the preshow sound check before tonight's  Boss concert at the Xcel Energy Center, and then hang out with the band until show time.

"We'll be in the secret lounge before the show; they call it the E Street Lounge. It's apparently only for those deemed worthy," she said.

Dahlquist, of St. Paul, has been deemed worthy, because of an exceptionally rough patch in her life.

For 10 years, her husband has battled brain cancer and soon will enter hospice care. Then recently she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The couple has a high-school senior graduating this month, and an older child living at home with a heart defect.

Dahlquist was in the midst of the difficult chemo treatments when tickets for tonight's concert went on sale. She joked with her friend, Dr. Janet Bergeron of Waconia, that they'd have to arrange to have Springsteen stop by her hospital bed. She really is a big fan, and hasn't missed a local Springsteen concert since the '80s, she said.

Bergeron got to thinking that maybe some kind of  arrangements could be made. She called an old college friend, who's a corporate big shot with connections, and his people came through. And while Dahlquist is still receiving treatments for the cancer, she's up and around and will be there tonight, with Bergeron.

In addition to the backstage stuff, they'll also watch the show from VIP seats.

"I guess it's kind of like Make-a-Wish, except for an adult," she said.

"They said I can bring something for Springsteen to sign, and I'm kind of thinking of my bald head. But I do plan to grow my hair out someday, so my friends said I should bring something that I'll get  to keep forever. I still haven't decided."

When the concert starts, there's a good chance he'll sing to her, with all the Mary references in the Springsteen songbook. Like: "The screen door slams. Mary's dress waves." Or "Meet me at Mary's place."

And I'll be a quite a bit further back in the stands, looking for the very happy Mary close to the stage.