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Andrea Barnett Budin · 09-26-2012, 12:04 PM

Brenda is such a remarkable Soul, I am just stunned by all this. Through the yrs, I have found her precisely as Steph describes so beautifully -- witty, gritty, abundantly open to mindbody workings and the studies that go along with that thinking, into supplements and good food, full of loving advice and right on analysis.

I've posted on the site Chrisy provided in another thread, telling us of Brenda's hospitalization. I read the hundreds of posts in her journal. They speak volumes about this adored Lady. Obviously she has touched so many, many more than I could imagine, profoundly. How blessed we are to know her.

As always, I hold out hope till the last breath, but hospice! I am shaking my head, unable to process the reality. My heart is heavy. I continue to send prayers and love to our Brenda. With one foot in the Spiritual Realm, it occurs to me, she has always been that way. A radiant Soul here on earth. A gift to all who know her. A unique human Being of rare courage. A blossoming flower in the snow.

09-26-2012, 12:04 PM	#2
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	Re: Tribute to Brenda (Hutchibk) Brenda is such a remarkable Soul, I am just stunned by all this. Through the yrs, I have found her precisely as Steph describes so beautifully -- witty, gritty, abundantly open to mindbody workings and the studies that go along with that thinking, into supplements and good food, full of loving advice and right on analysis. I've posted on the site Chrisy provided in another thread, telling us of Brenda's hospitalization. I read the hundreds of posts in her journal. They speak volumes about this adored Lady. Obviously she has touched so many, many more than I could imagine, profoundly. How blessed we are to know her. As always, I hold out hope till the last breath, but hospice! I am shaking my head, unable to process the reality. My heart is heavy. I continue to send prayers and love to our Brenda. With one foot in the Spiritual Realm, it occurs to me, she has always been that way. A radiant Soul here on earth. A gift to all who know her. A unique human Being of rare courage. A blossoming flower in the snow. __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...