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09-28-2007, 09:54 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Dear Joe
I believe that Ann-Michele was our dear Shell. She has not been on the board for about a month and I received no reply from a Private message as she does not list her email online. She was a partner in a Philly law firm - just like Ann-Michele. She corresponded with me because we both confer for other opinions at Fox Chase and wanted names of specialists that are in our area (I am in NJ but close to Philly). I am certain this is our Shell. She worked so hard at finding something that would work for her and helped us all by her participation in clinical trials.
With sadness that we have lost another sister...
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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09-28-2007, 10:46 AM
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#3
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Webmaster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Home of the "Flying Tomato"
Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 2,036
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Becky,
Unfortunately it was Shell. The email address (private) that she had submitted was through her law firm.
Regards
Joe
__________________
A Proud webmaster to the internet's most informed, educated, COMPASSIONATE and caring group of breast cancer survivors.
Illegitimi non carborundum
My Album
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09-28-2007, 10:59 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,843
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A touching gesture  |
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09-28-2007, 09:57 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bradenton,FL
Posts: 977
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I am so saddened to hear of another sisters passing. Indeed, a touching gesture.
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09-29-2007, 12:53 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Marengo, IL
Posts: 518
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I am also sad to hear of another sister's passing. What an amazing person. Her family needs our prayers.
__________________
Donna
Crystal Lake, IL
Diagnosed 8/4/06 at age 54
Lumpectomy 8/30/06
Stage llA, grade 3, ER/PR-, Her2++
1.7 cm tumor, 1+ lymph node out of 9
Completed 4 A/C, & 4 Taxol with Herceptin
36 rads completed 5/16/07
Mammograms, 7/07 clear
fractured ribs in radiated area 10/07
Finished Herceptin 12/27/07
Mammogram,CT,tumor markers 1/08 - small lung nodules in radiated area, repeated tests 3/08 stable
Mammogram,CT ,tumor markers 6/08 stable
NED 2 years!!
3 years !!!
4years!!!!
4 years, 10 months and 8 day NED, calling it 5 years!!!
Official 5 years 8/30/2011
8/31/ 2012 - 6 years!!!!!!
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09-29-2007, 07:04 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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I remember reading some of Shell's last posts. It made me so sad to hear the matter of factness in her words. It is so sad to lose another sister to this awful disease! May God bless her soul and keep her family comforted. And may God bless us all. We have more battles to fight and more joys to celebrate! ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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09-29-2007, 04:16 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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I did'nt get to know Shell, but am sad too to hear of her passing.
She sounds like a brave lady who did her best to beat this.
May she rest in peace ....
__________________
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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09-29-2007, 09:52 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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I was so sad to read this. But what a testament to our board that she wanted to honor it in such a way.
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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10-08-2007, 06:58 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1
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Ann Michelle Higgins
I hope you found the information you needed on my friend and colleague Ann-Michelle Higgins. She was the bravest person I have ever known and I miss her deeply. Since she directed that donations be made to your website, I am wondering that if in addition to money, there is something else I can do for your organization in her honor.
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10-08-2007, 08:13 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
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pob
if you are a lawyer(you list yourself as both a friend and a colleague), perhaps you could contribute information/resources on the many legal issues breast cancer patients face--insurance issues, employment issues, disability issues, etc.
As lawyers are subspecialized, I realize that these issues may lie far from your field of expertise.
We have a lawyer who has posted, Cynthia, who was interested in lobbying in Washington regarding the issues facing breast cancer patients.
I reviewed Shell's posts and noted that compassion and empathy were her hallmarks.
There are many ways to contribute to this site and I salute you for asking how you might contribute. Perhaps others have additional ideas?
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10-08-2007, 08:22 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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pob
How kind of you. I would suggest that you let other people know about our site and the help and support available here. It makes the disease less lonely.
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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10-25-2007, 06:06 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 301
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Joe,
Ann-Michele Higgins' user name was Shell.
Kevin Higgins
__________________
Shell
init diag 3/17/03-stage IIIC
ER-/PR-/HER2+++
CET x4 neo-adjuvant
lump & SNB 8/03
CET x2
radiation and herceptin/navelbine 11-03-1/04
1st reoccur to lymph nodes 8/04
complete axillary dissection 12/04
herceptin/taxotere til progression (lungs) 3/05
xeloda w/out lapatinib trial 6/05
lapatinib/tykerb added 4/06
ended trial 8/06 due to progression
doxil / avastin 11/06-12/06 - wasn't working
navelbine/herceptin/avastin 12/06/3/07 - progression
gemzar/carboplatin/tykerb 4/07
mri shows extensive mets to bone in pelvic area 6/07
switched to abraxane (3 on/1 off) + tykerb 6/07
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10-25-2007, 07:38 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Becky,
I'm sorry to hear that you lost a comrade.
I've heard a lot of good things about Fox Chase from someone who received treatment for lung cancer there, so I'm sure that Shell was in good hands.
I lived in Doylestown for five years in the mid-to-late 1980s, and my two brothers and mother live in New Hope. I relocated back to to Staten Island, where we were all born, but I visit my family just about every other weekend, especially since my mother recently moved into an Alzheimer's residence. I drive through Stockton and cross the Delaware into New Hope.
Often I think of moving back, but I work full-time in Manhattan, and with being stage IV, it would be difficult if not impossible to find another position.
My oncologist is on Staten Island, but I've consulted oncologists and surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center (which is where I had a lung met removed in April).
The HER2 support group is really a wonderful forum, with people who care about each other. I'm sure it was a great comfort to Shell.
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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10-25-2007, 08:35 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,055
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So sorry for your loss, Kevin. Bev
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10-26-2007, 03:50 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Kevin
So sorry for the loss of your wife...she was such a help to many on this board, and through her foresight in requesting donations to our group, she continues to help many that will never have the pleasure of knowing her like we did.
Thank you from all of us on Her2 Support....
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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10-26-2007, 05:39 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 503
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Kevin,
Your loss is our loss too. I hope you can feel the compassion this board feels for your lovely Shell. She was a true inspiration... and eventhough I never met her face to face, my heart aches for her.
maria
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10-31-2011, 11:47 AM
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#18
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Guest
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Re: Ann-Michele Higgins
Hi Kevin,
I have searched Ann-Michelle over the years and remember I have sent a note to her email address time back. Today, many years after I met with her and also had the oppprtunity to meet you and your daughters in Philadelphia - I was on the Independent Trader as Captain and Ann-Michelle had some legal work for the vessel. You picked me up in Chester for a private dinner at yours, and brought me back to the vessel.
It is so sad and I feel so harm that ANn-Michelle have passed away and it has gone so many years since I found out what has happened.
Best regards to you and the girls and Claire might remember the Captain with the Candies :-)
Anthon Anthoniussen,
Captain
anthoniussen@gmail.com |
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