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03-07-2007, 09:29 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Marengo, IL
Posts: 518
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Finished chemo today!
Dear friends,
Just had to share this day with you. I have completed my chemo as of 2:00 pm today. 4 rounds of A/C done and 4 rounds of Taxol and Herception. Herceptin to continue. Radiation starts March 28. It has not been easy, with a 5 day hospital stay after the third Taxol, but it is over. Onward.
Donna
__________________
Donna
Crystal Lake, IL
Diagnosed 8/4/06 at age 54
Lumpectomy 8/30/06
Stage llA, grade 3, ER/PR-, Her2++
1.7 cm tumor, 1+ lymph node out of 9
Completed 4 A/C, & 4 Taxol with Herceptin
36 rads completed 5/16/07
Mammograms, 7/07 clear
fractured ribs in radiated area 10/07
Finished Herceptin 12/27/07
Mammogram,CT,tumor markers 1/08 - small lung nodules in radiated area, repeated tests 3/08 stable
Mammogram,CT ,tumor markers 6/08 stable
NED 2 years!!
3 years !!!
4years!!!!
4 years, 10 months and 8 day NED, calling it 5 years!!!
Official 5 years 8/30/2011
8/31/ 2012 - 6 years!!!!!!
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03-07-2007, 10:08 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Donna, that's great news! You'll find the radiation to be very tolerable, but it is tiring so be sure to still get plenty of rest, and really take care of the skin...The rads people will go over all that with you, but if you have any questions you know we're all here.
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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03-07-2007, 10:57 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4
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Donna,
Congratulations! Hope you did something wonderful to celebrate. I finished my chemo today as well (same regimen) and am now tormenting myself about whether I should do a mastectomy or stick with the lumpectomy. Have to make a decision soon as rads are up soon.
Be in touch!
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03-08-2007, 05:17 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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 You did it! Wrapped up that chemo! Wow, do I remember that celebration! Good for you! It is tough, but you were tougher! Congratulations!
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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03-08-2007, 08:24 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 243
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Good news Donna! The hardest part of your treatments should be behind you.
__________________
Andi
-- ------------------------
Stage IIIC, 17 of 20 Nodes +, E+, Her2+++
Diagnosed 6/30/05
Lumpectomy 7/13/05
Dose Dense A/C x 4
Weekly Taxol + Herceptin x 12
Remainder of year Herceptin Every 3 weeks (completes 9/13/06)
Radiation completed 2/28/06
Currently on Tamoxifen
Dec 06 - Pleural effusion treated with pleurodesis
Now er/pr-, her2++
1/07 started weekly Navelbine plus Herceptin
Discontinued Tamoxifen
4/27/07 CTshowed progression
5/01/07 Began Tykerb/Xeloda + Zometa
5/22/07 Stopped treatment due to great progression
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03-08-2007, 08:36 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Congratulations! I know what a great feeling it is to be finished with chemo. The hardest part is now over! Radiation will be a breeze. You will probably get tired and may have some skin problems toward the end of the rads. Make sure you take extra special care of the skin that will be radiated. My radiation oncologist gave me aloe vera to use starting my first day of rads. It helepd a lot. My last 5 treatments were boosts and that irritated my skin so the rad onc gave me a prescription for silvadene ceam. Used that for a few days and everything cleared up. A few weeks after rads were complete you couldn't even tell what side of my chest had radiation to it. I found that I got tired easily but I think that was just from going there everyday and sometimes after rads went straight for my Herceptin. Good luck to you!
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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03-08-2007, 08:58 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 188
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Donna,
Just wanted to say a Big CONGRATS !!!!!!!
__________________
Susan V - Pittsburgh PA
DX Age 37 on August 3, 2006
Stage 1 Grade 3
ER/PR + (Highly Positive)
Her 2 +++
1.3 & 1.2 tumors right breast
node negative
lumpectomy 8-15-06
A/C Began 9-5-06 Finished A/C 11/6/06
Port Placement 9-15-06
Negative Test for BRAC1 & BRAC2 10-25-06
Began Tamoxofin November 21, 2006
First Herceptin November 27, 2006 Continues every 3 Weeks
First Radiation Treatment December 11, 2006
35 Rads Completed
Final Herceptin Treatment November 12, 2007
Port Removal November 19, 2007
Living Life to the Fullest !!
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03-08-2007, 09:03 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 301
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Donna-
that's great news - herceptin/rads is very manageable - as lolly noted watch the redness, and be mindful of the fatigue.
take care,
__________________
Shell
init diag 3/17/03-stage IIIC
ER-/PR-/HER2+++
CET x4 neo-adjuvant
lump & SNB 8/03
CET x2
radiation and herceptin/navelbine 11-03-1/04
1st reoccur to lymph nodes 8/04
complete axillary dissection 12/04
herceptin/taxotere til progression (lungs) 3/05
xeloda w/out lapatinib trial 6/05
lapatinib/tykerb added 4/06
ended trial 8/06 due to progression
doxil / avastin 11/06-12/06 - wasn't working
navelbine/herceptin/avastin 12/06/3/07 - progression
gemzar/carboplatin/tykerb 4/07
mri shows extensive mets to bone in pelvic area 6/07
switched to abraxane (3 on/1 off) + tykerb 6/07
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03-08-2007, 09:51 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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Let me add my congratulations on completing your chemo!!! YAY!!! It is a great (ha!) feeling!!!
__________________
 Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year
as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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03-08-2007, 11:00 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 131
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WooHoo!
Can you fell the Cyber Hug I just sent?
Love and Light
Mel
__________________
Mel Gordon, Husband of Lisa Lowe - Queen of Love and Light and the bravest person I know!
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03-08-2007, 11:29 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Marengo, IL
Posts: 518
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Thanks
It is wonderful to have support from folks who understand!
Thank you one and all.
Donna
__________________
Donna
Crystal Lake, IL
Diagnosed 8/4/06 at age 54
Lumpectomy 8/30/06
Stage llA, grade 3, ER/PR-, Her2++
1.7 cm tumor, 1+ lymph node out of 9
Completed 4 A/C, & 4 Taxol with Herceptin
36 rads completed 5/16/07
Mammograms, 7/07 clear
fractured ribs in radiated area 10/07
Finished Herceptin 12/27/07
Mammogram,CT,tumor markers 1/08 - small lung nodules in radiated area, repeated tests 3/08 stable
Mammogram,CT ,tumor markers 6/08 stable
NED 2 years!!
3 years !!!
4years!!!!
4 years, 10 months and 8 day NED, calling it 5 years!!!
Official 5 years 8/30/2011
8/31/ 2012 - 6 years!!!!!!
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03-08-2007, 11:30 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: northshore suburb of chicago
Posts: 1,093
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Congratulations Donna. Doesn't it feel great to be done with the chemo? You will probably find radiation to be a breeze by comparison. Good luck with that.Also congrats to me2her2 on completing your chemo. Good luck with your decision making process about whether or not to get mastectomies. That's a toughie.
__________________
~Rina~
Dx:3/06 had a lumpectomy April 19, 2006
Her2+ er/pr- Stage I Grade 3 tumor size 1.4 cm, node negative
AC 4 dense doses
34 radiation treatments including booster doses
receiving herceptin every 3 weeks since late August 2006 for 12 months
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03-08-2007, 11:42 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ft. Collins, Colorado
Posts: 546
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such a good feeling
And definitely something to share and celebrate! Radiation was a breeze for me and hope it is for you. I think many of us feel after A/C, particularly, and Taxol a LOT of things in life are easier to tolerate. So here's to great new hair-dos, more energy and no more dumb cancer!
Crystal Lake, I'm from St. Charles.
__________________
with love and gratitude,
joy
dx stage I 2/2000*er/pr+; her- per IHC*lumpectomy*4 rounds A/C*30 rads*tamoxifen*dx stage 4 5/2002*huge mets to liver*tiny mets to lungs*stopped tamoxifen*5/02 taxotere/xeloda*her 2 checked with FiSH-her2+++herceptin *2/03 stopped chemo femara w/herceptin*zolodex*04 switched to aromasin w/herceptin*05 high estrogen tx*11/05taxol/carbo*7/06 stopped chemo; megace/herceptin*9/06navelbine/herceptin*5/07tykerb/xeloda great response*4/08 progression in liver; ooph/ faslodex /herceptin
6/08 began Herceptin DM-1
9/08 progression
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03-08-2007, 01:11 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: virginia
Posts: 99
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Aloe
Donna,
Will join many in the congrats about done with chemo. Now for those rads....lotion, lotion and more lotion to keep the skin as soft as possible. Used a ton of 100% aloe and even made them all wait after the rads to coat every thing down before I got dressed to leave. Way to go!
Hugs, Bonnie
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03-08-2007, 01:41 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rowlett, TX
Posts: 138
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Congratulations Donna. You did it!!!!
__________________
Janet in Rowlett Texas
Dx July 2006 IDC 1.8cm, ER-/PR- HER2+ (FISH 7), KI67 High (60%) grade 3, TOPO II neg
Aug2006: lumpectomy, SNB (4 nodes neg), Stage 1
Jan 2007: Finished 6 cycles of TCH (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Her ceptin). Then Herceptin every 3 weeks.
Feb 2007: Completed Radiation
May 2007: Stopped Herceptin due to low LVEF (49%)
July 2007: LVEF now 44% -- starting Coreg
May 2008: Heart NORMAL! Yippee.
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03-09-2007, 07:54 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Donna,
Yipee ---You did it....and You did it good!
All the best.
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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03-09-2007, 12:07 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Posts: 127
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YEAH!!!!!!!!! This is a great day! Rads will be a breeze. Like the others said, if you can get through AC/T, you can get through anything. I am proud of you!
Much love - kim
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03-09-2007, 12:12 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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This is a wonderful day. Congratulations. Spring is almost here.
__________________
MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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03-09-2007, 03:25 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
Posts: 116
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Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember how happy I was. I came home and DANCED around the room with my husband.
I stayed on that triumphant high for at least a week. Hope that winning feeling stays with you soo.
Merridith
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03-09-2007, 04:29 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: ontario, canada
Posts: 48
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Hey Donna,
Great to hear you are done!! Certainly reason to CELEBRATE big-time.
When I finished my chemo last Aug 22 (the day after my daughter's 20th birthday), my mother-in-law bought me a Willow Tree figurine called "Happiness". It is a woman standing with outstretched arms and three bluebirds on her arms. I remember when my treatment was over, I stood up, flung my arms open wide and said, "I am DONE!" I had seen the figurine in the hospital gift shop and unbeknownst to me, my wonderful MIL bought it and gave it to me.
May you have bluebirds of happiness surround you, too, Donna. And peace and blessings to all.
Karen
__________________
Karen
"The Good Lord gave us mountains, so we could learn how to climb!"
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