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11-16-2009, 02:55 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Watkinsville, Georgia
Posts: 356
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Sad day...
Today just hit me with a brick. I'm fine but another one of my childhood friends parents died. I grew up in a very small town in Georgia and in a close knit neighborhood. My best friend from the age of 8, Cheri, lived around the corner. And this is my brief story. She was diagnosed 2 months after getting engaged and on her 32nd birthday (adrenal cortical carcimona) and died after 8 months of a horrible devasting fight. I got breast cancer at the age of 36. Go figure two best friends getting cancer in their 30's. Now 3 parents of friends of mine that grew up in the same neighborhood within 1/2 mile radius have died of Multiple Myeloma. One lived across the street from me, one lived behind our house and the other lived across the street from Cheri. It just doesn't make any sense. How could so many people get cancer like this in a tiny little block? We were on well water (well, actually it still is well water but my whole family is out of there) and the well is right next to research fields from the University of GA. They swear that the water was tested and safe in the 70's and 80's but it was fields for pesticides. UGA doesn't test on the fields anymore but I just think that something was in that water. My childhood friends mother died yesterday. Her husband died a few years ago..also of cancer. I am so sad. I can't help but think of Cheri and how much I miss her. My little girl never got to meet my best friend. My best friend never got to have the 4 children that she dreamed of.
Sorry guys...I'm venting. It's just ADC at age 30 is about one in a million diagnosis and MM is about 10K a year. Even me being under 40 and no family history is not that common. UGH. I hate CANCER!
:-( Ruth
__________________
[/SIGPIC]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diagnosed 6/03 nursing daughter
Dose dense A/C 4x
Modified rad mast 8/03
IDC; 3 cm; 10+/16 nodes; ER/PR-; Her2+++
Weekly taxol w/Herceptin (off label) 12x's
40 weeks Herceptin
Radiation 33x
Reconstruction w/ implants 05 & 07
NED
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11-16-2009, 03:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands
Posts: 835
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Re: Sad day...
That Sucks, Ruth. I can't think of any other word to express how I feel after reading your post.
I'm glad you are still here, after 6+ years. You show them!
Love
Jacqueline
__________________
Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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11-16-2009, 03:17 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands
Posts: 835
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Re: Sad day...
I meant to write: You show them pesticide sprayers! but somehow erased those words.
Jacqueline
__________________
Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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11-16-2009, 05:16 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: Sad day...
I'm so sorry Ruth, I've lost a few friends to this disease and can relate to how you're feeling.
I hope you'll do what I do and just try to remember happier times and memories
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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11-16-2009, 07:49 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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Re: Sad day...
Dear Ruth, WOW, a sad day indeed. It sure sounds like a "cancer cluster" to me. There is just so much stuff in our environment that we don't know about. Hope you are feeling better!! xo Suzan
__________________
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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11-16-2009, 07:59 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: Sad day...
Ruth,
Can you say "Love Canal?"
I am truly sorry for all your pain and many losses. When we look back on our hometowns it should not be with suspicion and fear. Are people still drinking from those wells? Can you say "Erin Brockovich?"
__________________
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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11-16-2009, 10:36 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 715
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Re: Sad day...
Ruth,
Your family and friends story is way too tragic. I agree, we need to get Erin Brockovich on this. Unfortunately, nothing will bring your dear friends back. Stay as strong as you can. Poop on cancer and all the havoc it recks (sp).
Hugs, Catherine
__________________
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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11-17-2009, 07:09 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,486
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Re: Sad day...
Ruth,
I am sorry to hear about your friends and families. I live in Georiga too. I have wondered if my BC came from pesticides too.
Amelia
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11-17-2009, 01:32 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Re: Sad day...
Hi Ruth....I'm so sorry for this sadness in your life. It's no fun when those days come. Praying today is a bit brighter.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us here. We care.
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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11-17-2009, 01:41 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: western ma
Posts: 280
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Re: Sad day...
i grew up in a small farming town in western massachusetts and all of us high school kids worked either tobacco or cucumbers during the summer (back when kids actually worked and got outdoors). this was in the mid-70's. we were not only exposed pesticides, i also recall trucks driving through town belching mosquito killing spray in the evenings because it's real buggy here in the Happy Valley close to the Connecticut River. i only had 40 classmates in high school and recently found out that 3 of my female classmates had or have breast cancer, another one died of BC, and at least one of the boys died of cancer of some sort.
i remember riding my bicycle down the street and the mosquito spray truck passing me by, never even turning off the big poison sprayers. no wonder mosquitos still don't bite me to this day.
__________________
8/09 - IDC 1.8 cm triple positive, lumpectomy left breast
10/09 began chemo (taxotere & carboplatin) and weekly herceptin.
1/21/10 finished chemo, continued on herceptin every 3 weeks until 10/2010.
2/10 began 7 wks of radiation
6/10 mom dies of primary peritoneal ovarian cancer
8/10 got my last remaining ovary out
10/10 mammogram all clear
3/11 MRI shows 5 'spots' in right breast, largest 1 cm unidentifiable on US
needle biopsy proved the largest to be old inflamed cyst -phew!
7/10 switched to Arimidex
8/9 switched to Femara - allergic to arimidex
Femara made me lose hair quickly so switched to Aromasin
Aromasin made my hair fall out too and the bone pain was too much.
back on Tamoxifen 1/2013.
blood clot from trains and planes 5/2014 so on coumadin per onco for as long as i am on tamoxifen
tamoxifen was supposed to be up with my 5 yrs in may but my boyfriend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer so i am staying on tamoxifen indefinitely because i want some ammo against BC, given the stress. lost my husband in only 10 wks in 2007 to stage 4 esophageal cancer.
cancer's screwing with another man i love
2/2016 - 6yrs in remission, off tamoxifen and off coumadin - yay!
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11-17-2009, 10:08 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: Sad day...
30, 40 years after Rachel Carson's "The Silent Spring" brought up the 'environment' issue, we are still seeing (facing) the same kind of nonsense every day!
We were visiting my Father-in-law last week and for three days I felt that I was 'dying' there. He tore up the rat poison pouches that were supposed to be placed 'intact' and disposed when they are 'torn' by the rodent. He placed those poison in three regular 'saucers' in open air thinking that will attract and kill the rodent more effectively.
This WWII veteran and retired high school principal somehow is fond of any kind of chemicals that 'kills'. Over the years (21 since I've joined the family), he has used different kind of chemicals to kill crikets, flies, fleas, roaches, and now rats. Somehow he refuses to 'winterproof' his doors and windows which is the root source of all these problems.
Because it does not affect him - just like those fatty dishes that had caused the cardiovascular disease of both my late Mother-in-law and my husband - he thinks it could not possibly be harmful to others. "It won't hurt anything!" Well, it is his house. And he wonders why fewer and fewer people had come to visit...
__________________
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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11-18-2009, 03:56 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: BridgeView IL
Posts: 116
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Re: Sad day...
Burbank IL-Wells 1959 Metro. Sanitary Dist. -Jan Stahulak (Angel Sister of BC) (J. Hayes-neighbor-thyrd disease-me as well.........
Chicago Water - Lake Michigan
Worth- 10421 SW HWY Lot 1x-Serious Contamination throughtout Trailer Park, Highland Ave., Lloyd Drive, 111st-Randy Keller our water of Worth is not OK........
Wisconsin/Walworth-Salt for Hardwater very unsafe for all of us to drink-I can only have bottled water.
I too belive this Epidemic of BC is because of our Unsafe Overpolluted Drinking Waters. IN WI-Too many gas fumed boats etc............
Hello to our Politicians..........Is anyone paying attention.
Tami
__________________
Tamara Donnelly
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma 10/2006 HER2+
Lumpectomy
Adriamycin x 4/Cytoxin x 4/Taxol x 4
Herceptin x 17
Radiation: 5 1/2 weeks
Second Reoccurrance: August 2010
Right Breast Masectomy
12 doses of Taxol
1 yr of Herceptin
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11-19-2009, 06:18 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Watkinsville, Georgia
Posts: 356
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Re: Sad day...
Thank you all for posting ~ it makes me not feel so alone. The families have tried to get someone to notice what appears to be a cancer cluster (CDC; Ga environmental non-profit groups) but with all the red tape and paperwork, attorneys its almost as if you need an Erin to come to town. The good news it seems that whatever happened in the 70's didn't seem to pass to new people moving in the neighborhood or didn't seem to have any effect on pregnancies/birth defects etc later on. All of the people that we have lost were original home owners or at the time young children that moved there then. I am so very thankful that my Mom seems to be just fine. I found out this week that two other people passed away...young...that lived on the next street over that I didn't realize. They moved out in the 80's but with the latest talk of another cancer death these two were brought up by mutual friends. One was a girl my age thats family moved there in the 70's that died of BC in her late 20's. I didn't know. And another father that died of a rare form of leukemia. So even though I was pretty convinced something didn't seem right, I am really convinced now.
Thank you all. I try to be positive as much as I can but the news of Renee's mom's death just sent me in a unhappy state. :-(
Love you all ~ Ruth
__________________
[/SIGPIC]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diagnosed 6/03 nursing daughter
Dose dense A/C 4x
Modified rad mast 8/03
IDC; 3 cm; 10+/16 nodes; ER/PR-; Her2+++
Weekly taxol w/Herceptin (off label) 12x's
40 weeks Herceptin
Radiation 33x
Reconstruction w/ implants 05 & 07
NED
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11-22-2009, 11:40 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 368
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Re: Sad day...
I live on a street that's only a block long. On this street, in the last 20 years,
there have been at least 8 people that have had some kind of cancer, and 6 of those have passed away from it. I don't know that's it's related at all. One family had 4 of those (lung, testicular,throat ca, breast) and one of others was related to the first family(lung ca). One family included my aunt who died from lung cancer, but she smoked for something like 50 years. Her husband died from colon cancer, but his mother also died from it and she didn't live anywhere near here.
It sounds like a cluster, but I don't think it is?
__________________
12/12/06- IDC Stage III, 4x A/C, 35 rads, Herceptin 1 year
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11-22-2009, 02:32 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands
Posts: 835
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Re: Sad day...
There could well be other causes. Like a gene defect running in a family. But in Ruth's case, I think she is probably right. I am so sorry!
My best friend is a dermatologist. She is convinced there's a cancer link to the environment. We live in the Netherlands, one of the most polluted area's in the world. It's one big river delta, really, and upstream from us are the German Ruhrgebiet, an industrialized area, the Rhine with it's Swiss pharmaceutical companies and the Meuse, with factories all the way into France. On top of that, we have two of the largest ports in the world: Rotterdam and Amsterdam. We have petrochemical plants, we have to nuclear plants and we are big on hothouses. Our water is polluted and it costs a fortune to purify it. Our air is filthy. 1 in 3 people develops cancer during their lifetime. But you know what? We are one of the happiest nations in the world. Now go figure!
Jacqueline
__________________
Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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