HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Courtney

StephN · 04-16-2012, 03:57 PM

During the months that Courtney was coming to Seattle to participate in one of the vaccine trials, I had the pleasure of meeting her several times at the U of W Medical Center.

Met her husband Jay as well. What a wonderful couple they made. It was easy to see how goo goo eyed Jay was over his wife!

We had a chance to talk about so many of life's blessings, but the idea of failure or giving up was never in the conversation with Courtney. She was taking the whole bout with cancer on the chin, and was ever hopeful of staying a step ahead of the cancer cells.

That was my most fervent wish for her - to stay a step ahead until something truly effective would be available for her.

There are many moving posts here since the announcement of her passing. I felt like commemmorating a happy day I spent with Courtney when she was doing well and had so much energy for life.

Photo taken mid-January of 2011.

04-16-2012, 03:57 PM	#1
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Courtney - In your memory During the months that Courtney was coming to Seattle to participate in one of the vaccine trials, I had the pleasure of meeting her several times at the U of W Medical Center. Met her husband Jay as well. What a wonderful couple they made. It was easy to see how goo goo eyed Jay was over his wife! We had a chance to talk about so many of life's blessings, but the idea of failure or giving up was never in the conversation with Courtney. She was taking the whole bout with cancer on the chin, and was ever hopeful of staying a step ahead of the cancer cells. That was my most fervent wish for her - to stay a step ahead until something truly effective would be available for her. There are many moving posts here since the announcement of her passing. I felt like commemmorating a happy day I spent with Courtney when she was doing well and had so much energy for life. Photo taken mid-January of 2011. Attached Images __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018. Last edited by StephN; 04-16-2012 at 04:31 PM..