my sister passed away

My sister, Carole, passed away on January 29th.
She had a huge network of friends and supporters throughout her brief 2 and half year battle with breast cancer.
She will be terribly missed by her devoted husband, three brave and special children, my parents and siblings.
We tried our best to always encourage and support her and most importantly, provide her with hope. Despite our efforts and her continued optimism, she could not survive this disease.
We are comforted in our knowledge that she is in a better place right now.
Thank you, Christine and Joe, for providing this support group. Through the abundance of information posted on this site, we were able to prolong her life, which allowed her the opportunity to travel and, ultimately, spend mores time with family and friends.
The Lapitinib drug for brain mets showed that it was, in fact, working for her. But, because her liver was slowly giving up, she could no longer continue the drug…I hope this provides some hope for those interested in this drug.
Thank you to all of you who continually offered encouragement. Although it will be too painful to visit this site, I will check in on occasion to see how everyone is doing.

Fondly,
Celina

Zeyl, Carole

ZEYL, Carole Sunday, January 29, 2006 Carole Berube, age 44. Loving wife of Don Zeyl. Dedicated and loving mom of Byron, Nadine and Jory. Cherished daughter of Jacqueline Bourgon and Normand Berube. Dear sister of Murielle McKinley, Celina Masoud and Richard Berube. Cremation. Friends may pay respect at the Kelly Funeral Home, 580 Eagleson Road, Kanata Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. In Memoriam

[Montana]

Celina,

I'm very sorry to hear about your sister.

Sue

[Julie2]

Celina,

I am very sorry to hear the news about your sister.

-Julie

Celina,

You've been a wonderful sister for Carole and did everything you could to help her find her way through this terrible disease. God bless all of you.

[StephN]

Dear Celina -
YOU get the "Best Sister of the Year" award. So many of us here have been following your posts throughout the saga of Carole's disease. We cried with you and shared your joy in the successful times.
Carole has lots of BC angels with her - I lost a friend on Feb. 1, also to a prolonged battle with BC, and I am sure they will find each other.

Your information about the Lapatinib trial will be of interest to many of us.
Thanks so much.

[AlaskaAngel]

Celina,

Thank you for sharing Celina here with us, and for letting us know. I hope you get through this difficult time with her spirit by your side.

AlaskaAngel

[sherri]

Dear Celina,

I have a sister that has been very supportive and always here for me and you should know how Carole appriciated you being there for her. We all die one day it does not matter how many years we live, but how much love we can feel in our lifetime. I'm sure she is watching you and her family, I know you all miss her but she is and will be always with you and in your hearts.
Love and hugs,
Sherri

[kristen]

Dear Celina,

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your sister Carole. You are the best sister I know of and her children are lucky to have an Aunt like you to help them through this time as well. Take care of yourself, I know it will be painful to come back here, but know that you are a part of this family and check in every once in a while and let us know how you are doing. Again my condolences to you and all of Carole's family.

[Joe]

Celina,

Our deepest symphathies to both you and Carole's family. Chistine lost her Mom to bc in 1990 and realize what this loss means to all of you.

Hugs
Joe and Christine

[lu ann]

Dear Celina, You are such a devoted friend and sister. Please accept my deepest sympathy for your loss. God Bless You and Your Family. Lu Ann.

Hi Celina,

It has been over six years and I just wanted you to know that Carole is still remembered by all of her many friends in Dunrobin. I was thinking of Carole today and Googled her name to come across your post.
The Dunrobin Dames just came back from our annual Mont Tremblant weekend and all 14 of us wore our pink proudly. When ever asked why, we say to remember our beautiful friend Carole and to promote people on cancer and to never give up on finding a cure.
We had many cheers and tears as we retell the funny stories of past visits and all the fond memories we have our of dear friend. I still see Don occasionally as Jory and my son Jake have been friends since kindergarten.
As I have two very close sister it was hard to read your post. Just wanted you to know that your sister touch many lives and will always be remembered.
Not sure if you will read this or not but it is right to write this. Sending you a hug.

Tina (and Dunrobin Friends)

[Celina]

Just read this now. 12 years since my dear sis passed. Will never forget

Thanks for remembering her. You probably won't see this, but who knows!!!

[sherri]

Of course we remember, we have lost so many to this terrible disease, I just hope one day all governments allocate funds to research for saving lives and stop giving money to WAR industry. "you may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one!"

[sarah]

Dear Celina,
So sorry for your loss. My deepest sympathies to you, her family and friends.
hugs and love
sarah

[fullofbeans]

Sorry for your loss and your sister Carole is now in peace

thank you for letting us know and my thoughts are with you and family

[TiffanyS]

Celina, I just joined this forum and did not know your sister, however, I’m sorry that you lost her at such a young age.

Sherri, during that last US election, every time I heard about how much money the candidates raised for their campaigns, all I could think about was how wonderful it would be if we could raise that same kind of money for cancer research. When you have a terminal illness, you notice things like that and realize what is important, and what’s not.

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12/15 – First mammogram
01/16 – Second mammogram and ultrasound.
01/16 – Meet surgeon and go for third mammogram, second ultrasound and biopsy. Surgeon confirms cancer in left breast and lymph nodes and sets surgery date.
01/16 – Chest scan and bone scan done– all looks good.
02/16 – Surgery - left breast mastectomy and 16 lymph nodes removed (8 had cancer).
02/16 – CT scan done – small nodules on lung but Doctor advises it’s post surgical. They will continue to monitor just in case.
03/16 – Meet radiation oncologist and find out results of Pathology Report. I’m told that I have locally advanced breast cancer, based on the size of my tumour (7 cm!) and the fact that they found cancer cells in eight lymph nodes. I’m also told that I’m HER 2 positive, with high levels of estrogen and progesterone and that my cancer is stage 3, grade 2.
03/16 – Meet oncologist and am told that my cancer is actually grade 3, and that I should have done chemo before surgery. Too late now!
03/16 – Start first of six doses of chemo (Carboplatin and Docetaxal) and Herceptin (for 18 months).
04/16 – Have port put in.
04/16 – Get second dose of chemo, but Docetaxal is left out due to liver enzymes being high. I was unable to get a full dose of Docetaxal after my first treatment.
06/16 – Finished chemo! One month off and then I start radiation.
06/16 – Start Tamoxifen.
07/16 – First radiation treatment – 24 more to go!
08/16 – Went for Genetic Testing to see if I have the BRCA gene. Tested negative for BRCA I and II
08/16 – Radiation oncologist biopsies “scar tissue” on my chest wall. I am told that I have a local recurrence and need to have rush surgery.
09/16 – Meet surgeon who advises that I need to meet with a plastic surgeon, as they will need to do a skin graft to close me up after surgery. Meet plastic surgeon and all looks good. A surgery date is set for October 4.
09/16 – Go for rush ultrasound, bone scan, breast MRI and CT scan.
09/16 – Meet oncologist who advises that the ultrasound and bone scan results look good, and that MRI shows three small masses at surgery site, but lymph nodes are clear. Still awaiting the results of the CT scan, but we are positive it will look good.
09/16 – Get a call from my oncologist, who advises that CT scan shows small spots on my lungs, and a large lymph node in the middle of my chest. This means the cancer has spread! She looks into getting me funded for TDM-1 and cancels my surgery.
10/16 – Meet oncologist, who advises that I have to take Perjeta before I can take TDM1. I start Perjeta/Herceptin every three weeks for an indefinite amount of time, and Taxol, which I will take two weeks in a row with one week off and then two weeks in a row for 8-16 treatments. Stop Tamoxifen.
10/16 – Meet surgeon, who reviews my CT scan and advises that the spots on my lungs may not be cancer, and that he doesn’t see a lymph node in my chest. He thinks it’s a spot on my lung. I’m feeling very confused! He advises that my oncologist doesn’t want me to have surgery to remove the three small masses on my scar line, as she wants to use them as a way to determine if the treatment is working. He advises that if they have not shrunk in 6 months, he will revisit surgery.
10/16 – CEA blood test to determine Tumour markers. Results were normal (2.7). My doctor advises that this could mean two things: (1) that the treatment is working, and the tumours are shrinking, or (2), that I'm one of those people who never get elevated CEA levels. Given that some people never get an elevated CEA level, this test doesn’t seem very accurate to me! Asked for PET scan, but am told I don’t qualify.
10/16 – Brain MRI – NED!
11/16 - CA-15-30 blood test – Tumour markers are normal at 19.
11/16 – Second CEA blood test – Tumours markers are still normal at 1.6 Second CA-15-30 blood test – Tumour markers are still normal at 19
11/16 – Develop lymphedema and have to wear a sleeve
12/16 – CT Scan shows that the tumors on my lungs and the lymph node in the middle of my chest are shrinking, and that some have resolved. Also, the small masses along my scar line are no longer visible. This means the medication is working!
12/16 – Small “pimple” shows up where old tumour on chest wall was located. Doctor is going to monitor it for now.
01/17 – A second “pimple” shows up on chest wall, as well as a small lump under the skin. My doctor thinks it’s scar tissue and will monitor it for now.
03/17 – Third CEA blood test and CA-15-30 blood test – Both normal at 2.5 and 25
03/17 – CT Chest scan to see if there’s improvement to chest and lungs – results are mixed. The good news is, lymph nodes are stable, there was improvement of previous lung changes due to radiation, and the cancer has not spread to my bones, spine or liver, etc. The bad news is that while some lung nodules remained stable, others increased by 1-2 mm and new ones have shown up. All of them were less than 1cm.
03/17 – Second brain MRI –awaiting results
03/17 – Ultrasound scheduled to determine size of “pimples” on my chest wall. They will follow up with a second Ultrasound in three months, to see if they are growing
05/17 – Full Body CT Scan scheduled to see if I’m still stable