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04-15-2012, 06:08 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
For those who do not go to Courtney's Caring Bridge site I wanted to share Jay's loving and moving tribute to a very special lady whom I think we all agree died way too young. May you rest in peace, dear Courtney.
Farewell to our wife, daughter, sister, auntie, niece, friend, and survivor
Courtney died peacefully in her home in San Francisco, this afternoon. Her family was surrounding her with love.
Please pray for Courtney and keep her in your thoughts today. In lieu of flowers or meals, please donate to support The Courtney Harrington LeBoeuf Fund. It is a charitable legacy to one of the most incredible women we have all known. www.CourtneysFund.com
Ask any doctor or fellow-survivor and they will tell you how Courtney's survival over these 4 years was hard-won - we left no stone un-turned - she participated in cutting-edge clinical trials at University of Washington (12 trips to Seattle), UCSF, and consulted with experts at MD Anderson Center (Houston), Dana Farber (Boston), Stanford, and UCSF. We had the world's best integrative medical care from Dr. Garrett Smith and everyone at Smith Integrative Oncology.
Since Courtney's diagnosis four years ago in April 2008, we truly lived each day to its fullest. In just the past four years, here are some of the highlights of our world travels and adventures -- while battling this disease:
Courtney was no stranger to travel and adventure - having visiting 6 of the 7 continents - but realizing that time is life's precious asset we hiked the Scottish Highlands, rode camels at the Great Pyramids of Giza, peered into King Tut’s tomb, surfed on the waves of Maui’s shore, strolled the Mall in Washington D.C. admiring the imposing monuments and museums, enjoyed the view from the Space Needle watching the ships travel up Puget Sound, while plotting our trip to Mt Ranier (check!), attending the the Olympics in Vancouver, SCUBA diving the reefs of Cozumel and strolling the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum. We rolled the dice in Las Vegas – three times - including renewing our 5 year wedding vows with Elvis and celebrating with our lives with 40 friends on the open patio of the Bellagio.
We had mystical experiences swimming freely with dolphins, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman, and again off the South Island of New Zealand. While receiving chemotherapy, Courtney successfully completely the Escape from Alcatraz challenge (swimming the treacherous waters from Alcatraz island to the San Francisco shoreline) and also swam as part of a team in the Wildflower Triathlon. We backpacked New Zealand, California's Lost Coast, Big Sur, Point Reyes, and logged countless miles in the Marin Headlines and down in Half Moon Bay.
The Oakland A's honored Courtney as their Honorary Bat Girl. We inspected the crack in the Liberty Bell, polished off a cheesesteak while in the neighborhood, shortly before heading to some theatre in Boston, riding a gondola in Providence, and watching snow fall on the mansions of Newport. We kayaked Monterey Bay, Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand, and in our special Silver Lake, California. We sailed feluccas in Dubai, sailed up the Nile, tried punting on the river Cam in Cambridge, reefed sails in San Francisco Bay, remembered the Alamo in San Antonio (twice), attending many (MANY!) wonderful weddings, weekend getaways and and wine tastinngs in Napa and Sonoma. Lake Tahoe played to our 22-person Bay Area Winter Olympics, as well as being a favorite summer and winter outdoor playground. Somehow we tried haggis in Glasgow. Courtney danced as Jay performed with his college band on a grassy lawn in Ithaca. We felt the spray of waterfalls in Tennessee, New York, Hawaii, New Zealand, and California. We "tore it up" on Bourbon Street. We soared high above the Thames from inside a giant pod on the London Eye, breathed in the high desert air outside Santa Fe, and watched the elephant seals play in Point Reyes.We enjoyed 5-star evenings in in NYC -- only 18 hours after having been discharged from an ER in NYC for having a seizure -- and then joining friends at Le Bernardin.
This only scratches the surface - and only touched on how a remarkable person choose to accept their past 4 YEARS. There's so much more to the brief 34 year life of Courtney Marie (Harrington) LeBoeuf, and the CaringBridge guestbook and posts attest to that.
Courtney, we love you, we will miss you, and we will keep you spirit alive via your memories and CourtneysFund.
- Jay
A Celebration of her life will be held in the coming months. Notifications will be made via CaringBridge.
Per Courtney's wishes, this is a time for reflecting on the good times and innumerable lives that she touched.
“May God continue to bless you all in this life and inspire all of us to give to the ones we love and take care of each other. As you have all been here for me, I will endeavor to always be there for you.”
- Courtney LeBoeuf
August 3, 2011
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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04-15-2012, 07:54 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Beautiful !!!!!!!!! Thanks Jay and Laurel for sharing.
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04-15-2012, 08:25 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Thornhill Ontario
Canada
Posts: 266
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Thanks Laurel. I saw this on Caring Bridge today. What a beautiful brave girl Courtney is.She gave us so much inspiration and hope and happiness. Reading her posts were always so uplifting and positive. I looked up at you in the sky tonight Courtney and whispered a hello to you. Godspeed my darling you have enriched all our lives...you will continue to give us strength.....xo
__________________
August 2008
Lumpectomy left breast
1 tumour 0.9 cm
Her2 negative
lymph nodes negative
venous/lymphatic invasion absent
ER+PR-
Stage I Grade 2
Radiation and Femara
November 2008
Lumpectomy right breast
2 tumours .03 cm and .05 cm and extensive DCIS
.05 tumour Her2+
lymph node negative
venous/lymphatic invasion "indeterminate"
ER+PR low postive
Stage 1 Grade 2
January 2009
bilateral mastectomy
chemotherapy taxotere
Herceptin one year
Femara
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04-15-2012, 08:48 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: South East Wisconsin
Posts: 3,431
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
"left no stone un-turned" seems to apply to the fight as well as life's adventure.
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04-16-2012, 08:44 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
When I read this on caringbridge yesterday, I have to say I was left smiling through the tears. Courtney lived more in the past 4 years than many people do in a live time. Courtney, always full speed ahead, didn't waste a minute. I will miss her
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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04-16-2012, 09:52 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: france
Posts: 1,648
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Wow! thanks for posting this. we knew she was amazing but this shows just how unbelievably courageous and amazing she was. She inspired us all and will be remembered for her courage. I hope we can have a smidgeon of her courage and determination.
hugs and love
sarah
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04-20-2012, 06:03 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
an amazing woman, I feel blessed to have "known" her
__________________
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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04-20-2012, 08:23 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Thank you for posting this. I reposted it on my FB when I had first read it. It is such a moving tribute.
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/MultiMedi...=114&trackID=2
NICU 4.4 LB
Erythema Nodosum 85
Life-long Central Neurocytoma 4x5x6.5 cm 23 hrs 62090 semi-coma 10 d PT OT ST 30 d
3 Infertility tmts 99 > 3 u. fibroids > Pills
CN 3 GKRS 52301
IDC 1.2 cm Her2 +++ ER 5% R. Lmptmy SLNB+1 71703 6 FEC 33 R Tamoxifen
Recc IIB 2.5 cm Bi-L Mast 61407 2/9 nds PET
6 TCH Cellulitis - Lymphedema - compression sleeve & glove
H w x 4 MUGA 51 D, J 49 M
Diastasis recti
Tamoxifen B. scan
Irrtbl bowel 1'09
Colonoscopy 313
BRCA1 V1247I
hptc hemangioma
Vertigo
GI - > yogurt
hysterectomy/oophorectomy 011410
Exemestane 25 mg tab 102912 ~ 101016 stopped due to r. hip/l.thigh pain after long walk
DEXA 1/13
1-2016 lesions in liver largest 9mm & 1.3 cm onco. says not cancer.
3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
Start Vitamin D3 and Calcium supplement (600mg x2)
10-10 Stopped Exemestane due to r. hip/l.thigh pain OKed by Onco 11-08-2016
7-23-2018 9 mm groundglass nodule within the right lower lobe with indolent behavior. Due to possible adenocarcinoma, Recommend annual surveilence.
7-10-2019 CT to check lung nodule.
1-10-2020 8mm stable nodule on R Lung, two 6mm new ones on L Lung, a possible lymph node involvement in inter fissule.
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY." Irene from Tampa
Advocacy is a passion .. not a pastime - Joe
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04-26-2012, 09:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 715
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Thank you for posting Jay's beautiful tribute. I too feel lucky to have "known" Courtney.
__________________
Catherine
Found my own lump in the shower
April 2006 at the age of 58
Stage IIB, ER- PR- HER2+++ multi focal tumors, largest 2.3cm
Chemo first: AC/Taxol over 16 weeks
Bilateral mastectomy Sep 06
33 rads after the surgery
1 year of Herceptin completed Dec 07
15 years and no recurrence as of April 2021
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04-26-2012, 10:10 PM
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#10
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Guest
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
I'm fairly new here but recently read all the journal entries for Courtney's CaringBridge site. It was very moving. She seems to have done everything she could have done to fight this disease as sell as having as good a life as possible given the circumstances. ~Greg
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04-26-2012, 10:16 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 87
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Re: Jay's Moving Tribute To Our Courtney
Oops, I forgot to logon in this last posting. That was from me.
__________________
08/10 ~ Dx IBC, Her2+++ ER-/PR- Stage 4, mets to liver. Age 43.
08/10 ~ Began 12 weeks of Taxetere/Carboplatin/Herceptin tx
[10/10 ~ Scans show liver lesions are gone. NED!
11/10 ~ Ended chemo. Herceptin-only tx
01/11 ~ Mastectomy
03/11 ~ Radiation
07/11 ~ Reconstructive surgery
10/11 ~ PET/CT shows NED :)
01/12 ~ Malignant tumors found in uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and lymph nodes. Dx as endometrial cancer. Stage III2c
02/12 ~Hysterectomy(all tumors removed). Back to NED.
02/12 ~ Final Herceptin treatment.
03/12 ~ Began Cisplatin/Adriamycin tx for endometrial cancer.
03/12 ~ Tumors dx her2 metastisis, not entdometrial cancer. Back to BC tx.
03/12 ~ CT scan shows NED. :)
04/12/~ Began Tykerb/Xeloda.
06/12 ~ Ended Xeloda. Continuing Tykerb. Still NED.
09/12 ~ PET/CT scans show NED. : )
04/13 ~ Rash on original breast biopsied as cancer.
05/13 ~ Surgery to remove skin and tissue around rash. Continue Tykerb.
06/13 ~ PET/CT scans show NED : )
11/13 ~ Jaundice eyes and skin. CT scan show mets to liver as well as peritoneal carcinomatosis with malignant ascites. Began Abraxane/Herceptin tx.
02/14 ~ CT scan shows NED. :)
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