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07-26-2007, 04:59 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 660
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just a little update from madubois63
<DT id=content1 style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 1em; WIDTH: 100%" name="rte0">So just a few weeks ago, I was in the hospital again. My liver was in near fatal failure (a rejection from the bone marrow transplant). I was so yellow, my body was glowing green like a dead corpse (no lie) - very scary) and my eyes looked like special effects out of an X-Man movie! I had gotten the best treatment there is for what I have (a horse serum), and it wasn't working at first. The doc was truly upset. They sent me home to do MY thing...cleanse my liver with milk thisle, cut out all sugar, eat only slow burning good carbs, lots of vegies and fruit, tons of water...My bilirubin (liver function number) was a 12 in the hospital. After taking very good care of myself....drum roll please...the bilirubin is down to 2.9 as of yesterday!!!!! Anything lower then 1 is good. I am pink again, and my eyes are nearly all white again! I feel amazing and I am Breast cancer, metastatic BC and leukemia free, and the liver is on the mend!!!! My legs are still very weak - can't climb a stare to save my life - I need a hoist. But I can walk far distances and I am still on heavy duty steroids. I'm thinking of hiring myself out to clean closets sort paperwork, scrapbook...whatever. All the things I've ignored over the last few years of being sick are completed (baby books, photo albums, closets, tax files...) I'm like a mad woman...I've lost 60 lb since the leukemia all started and am happy at this weight. My sister and I went to see Def Leppard and Styx for my 44th birthday present at the Mohegan Sun Casino last week - great show - while my Mom played the 25 cent slots. She won a few hundred dollars and gave me some money to buy some new clothes. I am back to the size I was before all this breast cancer crap started! Not quite pre-baby weight, but this feels really good! This weekend, my daughter and I are going to a hot air balloon festival. She, to see a band (of course) and me to take a five minute ride up in a hot air ballooon (a big dream of mine) I can't afford a real ride $$$$, but I can do the five minute thing. This is on my list of things to do...so I am very excited! I pray you all feel better and have small and large miracles in your life....Love to all -
</DT>
__________________
Maryann
Stage IV Inflammatory BC 1/00
Mod Rad Mastectomy 24nod/5+
Adriomycin Cytoxin Taxol
Tamoxifen 4 1/2 yrs
Radiation - 32 x
Metastatic BC lung/liver 10/04
thorocentesis 2x - pleurodesis
Herceptin Taxatiere Carbo
Femera/Lupron
BC NED 4/05
chemo induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia 5/06
Induction/consolidation chemo
bone marrow transplant - 11/3/06
Severe Host vs Graft Disease of liver
BC mets to lung 11/07
Fasoladex Herceptin Zometa Xeloda
GVHD/Iron overload to liver
Avascular Necrosis/morphine pump 10/10
metastatic brain tumor
steriotactic radiosurgery
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07-26-2007, 05:10 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 589
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I was wondering about you and I'm really glad to hear that your on the upswing. You're AMAZING!!!
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07-26-2007, 05:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Poland Ohio just a little south of Youngstown.
Posts: 473
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MaryAnn, I am so happy to hear this. Not the part about how sick you were, just the rest of it. I first read about your experience a little over a year ago and have been following you ever since (I'm not a stalker, honest)! You're probably sick of hearing this but I still say that you are my inspiration! I've never known anyone like you with so much fight and good humor, I wish I knew you personally. You keep on going, girl and please keep posting, I really do look forward to your posts.
Hugs
Susan
__________________
Susan
Age: 61
dx: 5/25/06
2 cm/ 0 nodes
Lumpectomy rt breast on 7/26/06
ER/PR- / Her2+++
A/C x 4
finished taxotere 2/07
finished 33 rads
Herceptin finished 12/07/07 Yippee!
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07-26-2007, 06:21 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,516
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Sorry about the illness, but...
VERY GLAD you are doing so much bette. "Up, Up In A Way in my beautiful balloon!!!!" Take care and God bless.
Rhonda
__________________
Rhonda
Dx 2/1/05, Stage 1, 0 nodes, Grade 3, ER/PR-, HER2+ (3.16 Fish)
2/7/05, Partial Mastectomy
5/18/05 Finished 6 rounds of dose dense TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin and Cytoxan)
8/1/05 Finished 33 rads
8/18/05 Started Herceptin, every 3 weeks for a year (last one 8/10/06)
2/1/13...8 year Cancerversary and I am "perfect" (at least where cancer is concerned;)
" And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."- Abraham Lincoln
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07-26-2007, 08:35 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 96
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Hi MaryAnne,
So good to hear from you and that you are doing better. It must feel wonderful to be out of the hospital and on the way to getting stronger. Enjoy your balloon ride, you deserve it! You are always such an inspiration, I love seeing your posts.
Hugs,
Patricia
__________________
age 37 @ dx 7/21/05: IDC 1.5cm, grade III, Stage 1c, ER /PR+, HER2+,
7/29/05: Partial Mastectomy
dx 8/15/05: Papillary Thyroid Cancer
9/15/05: Total Thyroidectomy
A/C X 4 DD, 11 weekly Taxol + Herceptin, + 9 mos Herceptin Alone, 36x Rads, Lupron, Aromasin
7/29/07: 2 years NED :)
8/6/07 Oopherectomy (Lupron no more! :-)
Aromasin & Estring plus Synthroid and supplements
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07-26-2007, 09:23 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posts: 365
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Hi MaryAnn,
It is good to hear from you and GREAT! to hear you are doing fun things with your life.
I just completed WBR and can understand some of the fatigue you are experiencing. This is the most tired I have ever been in my life and I will give most of the credit to that little green pill, decedron. I'm down from a full dose every four hours to 1/2 dose once a day for a week, then 1/2 dose alternate days for 2 weeks, then I'm done. They really take care to wean you off steroids.
I could not believe how big my feet swelled in the beginning of my treatment. It's no onder I couldn't walk. My legs probably weighed 150lbs. each.
I met a woman who had lymphoma treated with a transplant and was weak as a new born kitten. Does that ever get better? Do you remain on rejection meds the rest of you life?
God Bless has truly blessed you with the drive and hope to continue on. When my friend told me some of the details, I didn't think I wanted to do that. But we never really know what we would do when face with any situation.
I'm happy to tell you that I have another friend you had leukemia in the early 90's and continues to live her life to the fullest, free from disease. Her 2 little daughters were infants and are now in college.
Keep us posted
Love, Lu Ann
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07-26-2007, 06:29 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CHARLOTTE NC USA
Home town (ECUADOR) South America
Posts: 542
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thank you for the "gift news" ....and I'm so happy....this takes some weight off my shoulders ....
__________________
Lily Diag April/06 5 months after give birth my son Max stage IV mets on liver (5 tumors) 38 year old, her2+++ and ER+PR+ from32 nodes 4 positives mastectomy right breast chemo before surgery herceptin/carboplatin/taxotere ,clear and surgery have radiation 20, `& then herceptin and tamoxifen NED until Aug/07 body only then 'n June 04-06-07 .1 lesion of 1.6 cm on cerebellum ...novalis ,open sugery 5m.m brain met again novalis, 4mm.In the liver. Waiting 2 months now 3 tumors enroll on T-MCC trial start first infusion Nov 5/07 at Dec 17 scan show one tumor despair the 2nd and 3th diminish Doc said great results until March/08 ct scan show progression 03-05-08 start tykerb & xeloda
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07-26-2007, 06:47 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ft. Collins, Colorado
Posts: 546
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Wow!!!
What an amazing update Mary Ann. YOU are somethin'. And I LOVE that you 'did your thing' and it worked. It is so empowering. Not only is this recovery and disease free status so impressive, but what you have accomplished is so cool. I have NO excus now for not getting these things done!
Thank you for checking in and have a blast at the balloon festival.
__________________
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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07-26-2007, 09:48 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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Hi MaryAnn, thanks for your update! In spite of how awful all this is I laughed at the visual image of you...when I was in the midst of chemo I got really sick and ended up in the ER. It was right before Halloween and I was bald, green, puffy, etc. They put a surgical mask on me while I was in the waiting room. A little girl came in with a bad foot cut and I really scared the &%*! out of her! Poor thing! All I could say to her was, "some bad Halloween costume, eh?" Sounds like you are on the right track now...KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! Happy thoughts from me to you!!!
__________________
 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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07-26-2007, 10:12 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Northern Calif.
Posts: 981
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Maryanne,
I am always so ahppy to see a post from you! You are always doing something fun, in spite of the tough txs you endure. You are inspiring!
Hugs,
Lexi
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07-26-2007, 06:28 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: So California
Posts: 223
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Good news
Maryann:
Thanks for the update. Your life sounds very good now. Keep up the fight. We are pulling for you!
__________________
Leslie's Sister (Lisa)
Diagnosed 5/17/06
Left breast Stage II
5 cm. Her2Neu+++, ER-, PR-
1 positive node out of six,
double mastectomy 6/9/06;
TCH started 7/12/06
last chemo 10/25/06
herceptin ended 6-11-07
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07-26-2007, 11:02 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
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Goodie Goodie
Good attitude and what a fighter. We wish you a belated Happy Birthday and many more Sweetheart, you deserve it. Talk about a miracle. Keep up that fight and do not forget to let us know how you are doing.
Waiting For A Miracle....and commanding one soon!!!>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
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07-26-2007, 06:42 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 329
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You are just amazing! So glad to hear from you, you are always in my thoughts.
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07-26-2007, 06:52 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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That a girl....Yellow isn't your color anyway....
It is alwaysssssssssss so good to hear from you.
Sending you a big hug!
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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07-27-2007, 09:50 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 78
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Balloon ride, concerts, new outfit--you deserve it all. You have been an inspiration for us and a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for the update. I would love to "hire" you to help me get organized and all the loose ends tied up. You are in my prayers for continued gains in lowering and maintaining your liver test results. You truly are living each day to the fullest. God bless you.
__________________
G. Ann
DX 2/04, mastectomy, 2.5 cm tumor, grade 3
Her 2 positive, 60%, 3+/strong, ER/PR-
Stage 2, 0/18 nodes
TX 4 AC (no taxanes, no radiation)
Hysterectomy 10/04
Began Herceptin 1/06, finished 1/07
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07-26-2007, 06:57 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: California
Posts: 668
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Congrats!
Dear Maryann: I was wondering about you, am so glad to hear you are coming back again. We all have missed you and please do not stay away too long, we're worry about you. God Bless you...You are a true miracle.
__________________
1994 - rt brst, .lump, underarm node dissection,chemo+rad 1.2 cms, Grade 3.
28 nodes neg
Er,Pr, Positive HER2 status unknown
2003- Recur to rt lung.July 16 ( B-Day!)
Her2+++ Er,Pr, Negative
2003 - Aug04--Navelbine + Herceptin
2004- 2007--NED - Herceptin, only
2007 Feb-April Xeloda added to hereceptin
2007-May Back on Navelbine+Herceptin
2008-Feb-Mar 15 Ses Rad to Rt. Lung
2008- Oc 17 Add Tykerb to Herceptin
2009- June-- Discont Tykerb
2009 July 7--Current Taxol + Herceptin
2009 Dec--Discontinued treatment due to progression. Looking into cyberknife.
2010-Aug Accepted to TDM1, no SE, except liver count went up.
2010-2011 September got kicked out of the trial, due to a small spot found on lung.
2011- 2012 September thru early 2013 on Herceptin
2013- March Bone density shows small spot on 5th rib.
2013 - April 4th appt with onc. will post after discussing course of treatment.
2013-March-April Cyber knife to brain and radiation to rib. Chest --base line before chemo-CT-Scan stable for lung issue. CA2729 Normal.
2013 April Herceptin- TDMI
2013 Sept Herceptin + Perjeta . CA2729 within normal range. Brain and Pet scans October 31st. will post results.
2013 October Brain MRI- mixed response. Will see Onc/rad on Halloween.
2013 October/November Brain-MRI nothing new. Repeat MRI next year in May.
2013 December Continue Herceptin and Perjeta. Stable at the moment.
2014 February Brain MRI -clear!
2014 January Added Taxotere to Perjeta+Herceptin.
2014 March Stopped chemo-chest ct-scan next.
2014- March Scans shows tumor's larger, CA2729 higher. Discontinue Herceptin.
2014 April Perjeta+ Halaven
2014 April CA2729 went down 60 points after one cycle. Cough does not want to go away.
2014 June Continue on Perjeta + Halaven-- no more cough. Stable
2014 June Back on Herceptin + abraxane
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07-26-2007, 07:29 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Massillon, Ohio
Posts: 247
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There is a balloon fest in my town this weekend, when I see them flying I will think of your strength and courage. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.
__________________
Laurie
Diagonsed 8/10/06 (found own lump)at 35
Her 2 +++, er-/pr-
4 A/C 8-29-06 to 11-06
Lumpectomy, node dissection- 11/30/06
Pathology report stage IIIC
1 tumor 3 cm
10 of 15 nodes +
12 Taxol 12/18/06-03/06/07
Herceptin 12/18/06- 12/11/2007 done!!! yeah!!!
33 rads started 3/22/07, done!! yeah!! 5/07/07
Lymphedema diagonsed 2/1/07
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
port out 1/10/08
pregnant after 6 yeas of trying- due mid feb.
Ryder David Kessel Hunter born feb.6th 2009
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07-26-2007, 07:51 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,055
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Maryanne. wow! I was worried that we hadn't heard anything lately. I'm glad things are getting better. I'm curious, as I hate heights, what's the difference between a 5 minute ballon ride and a "real" one? Around the world? Just curious.
Enjoy your weekend. BB
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07-28-2007, 05:55 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LI, NY
Posts: 660
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The difference between a "real ride" and a 15 minute ride is a few hundred dollars. The 15 minute ride is tethered to the groud and you just go up and float for a bit....the real ride goes for and hour or so which ever way the wind blows....Either way, I'll be happy (happier with all the cash in MY pocket)!
__________________
Maryann
Stage IV Inflammatory BC 1/00
Mod Rad Mastectomy 24nod/5+
Adriomycin Cytoxin Taxol
Tamoxifen 4 1/2 yrs
Radiation - 32 x
Metastatic BC lung/liver 10/04
thorocentesis 2x - pleurodesis
Herceptin Taxatiere Carbo
Femera/Lupron
BC NED 4/05
chemo induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia 5/06
Induction/consolidation chemo
bone marrow transplant - 11/3/06
Severe Host vs Graft Disease of liver
BC mets to lung 11/07
Fasoladex Herceptin Zometa Xeloda
GVHD/Iron overload to liver
Avascular Necrosis/morphine pump 10/10
metastatic brain tumor
steriotactic radiosurgery
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07-27-2007, 07:16 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 600
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Mary Ann , it is the women who have gone before me that I can draw strength and hope from. You are so perfectly one of them. I am not familiar with your earlier posts but you sound incerdible. It reminds me to grab on to the present and enjoy the ride. Thank you. ride high!!!
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