It’s Official, I am a Sinead O’connor look alike

Well this weekend my hair started falling out in chunks! Every time I touched it or combed it Manny and I were in amazement on how much came out. Manny was even more amazed at how much was still on my head! I knew I had a lot of hair but it was insane how much would come out and my hair still looked okay. That was until I took a shower on Saturday. As most of you know I am pretty happy and positive most the time, but I am human and I do have my moments. Saturday in the shower was that moment for me. The hair came out, and came out and came out, and I freaked out! Crying and screaming for Manny, he came up right away and the first thing he says to me, “babe, it will grow back…you look beautiful!” It was really hard to get out of this funk, standing there wet while Manny held me, reminding me to stay positive and cheer up. After a while I did cheer up, and we went to hang out with family. Always a good distraction, family, nephews, niece all there enjoying each others company. 

I always said I would shave my head when I was ready, well Sunday I was ready. It was getting everywhere and the inevitable was coming so why not buzz it right? Well we set up shop in our master bathroom. I even pulled up the webcam so my sister could watch and cheer me on via her web cam. Manny first started by cutting it short, giving me a lovely bi-level cut, a Victoria Beckham look, then some sort bangs and short do that made me look like a Beatle! He then pulled out the clippers put on a #4 and started shaping my hair for a Mohawk… which I think I rocked pretty well! I even took the clippers to my own head for a bit. After styling the Mohawk and taking photos, we finally finished the job. Took a few more pics and voila! I am now sporting a new short do. Here are some pics from the Mohawk! Let me know what you think, I love reading comments!

Me and my “Rock-On” pose!

Another angle of the hawk, also the final product with a Rosie pose! (ignore all the hair on my shoulders… Yuck!)

Keep an eye out for me and my new wig.

Ciao for now!

Smile,
Kelly Freitas

2 down!

Well I have officially completed Chemo #2, yesterday! Yee hoo! This time it was my mother and Julie who joined me. Great way to pass the time, it seemed to go by faster with great company. Julie even brought along the game Clue (my favorite!) so sweet.  We talked about me, talked about Julie and her upcoming baby (here’s hoping it’s a girl!) and watched the wedding video. All while killing cancer cells, awesome!

Me and Julie, after I had been hooked up to the drugs.

I had to tweak the photo a bit, the lighting in the office really makes you look like an oompa looma!

Since last time I have made it through chemo #1 and my side effects are pretty darn bearable!  They are not fun, but bearable, no vomiting (YAY) Here is what I do have, nausea only when I get hungry, dry eyes and mouth, a metallic taste in my mouth, tiredness, headaches, short of breath (just the 1st few days), hot flashes, and when I wake up at night (every 2 hours or so) I feel like I am 200 pounds heavier and it’s really hard to get out of bed. With my blood booster shot I have about 24-30 hours of massive bone pain, in my lower spine and back, that was REALLY hard for me, especially at 3am when I am dog tried and the only thing that helped was standing up. I waited a half hour for the Tylenol to kick in, then finally got to lay down and fall asleep. (I think all the moms out there recognize most of these side effects as pregnancy! LOL) And the week before this treatment I felt like myself again. Same energy as before my white blood cells were “normal”, and my platelets and red were “great” So in the clear for treatment #2.

All the nurses and doctors where amazed that I still had all my hair! Although I say “had” because it is definitely coming out now, and I have sooo much it may just take longer than usual. But either way, it’s just hair, it grows back. I just hope my eyebrows stay, hee hee. MJ (aka Manny, or Manuel Joseph) and I are all set to take the clippers to my head. He has been dying to do this. I on other hand can wait until it’s absolutely necessary. We will keep you posted!

My sister made me an awesome necklace with the help of friends and family! Everyone pitched it with a bead (big & small) to make a large necklace that goes past my belly button. But stylish me ; ) wears it wrapped around twice and I think it looks great that way! The necklace came with many letters of encouragement and details of why and who picked which beads. Manny joked that he would only have a bracelet if the same was made for him! ha-ha I am so lucky to have so many people who love me, or like me enough anyway.

Me and my necklace, notice the double up style ; )

Also, my (new) sister-in-law, Shawna arranged a dinner plan for me. It has been great and always delivered the day I need it the most. Perfect! I am afraid I will be to spoiled once all of this is done, then I will have to cook dinner myself again GASP! the HORROR! Ohwell all good things have to come to an end eventually right, then you never are as grateful if it didn’t right? Ohwell, I still have time to enjoy these delivered dinners. Thank you to everyone pitching in they have all been delicious!

Well I am off to spend the evening with my hubby, I am currently working from home and like it so far.

Until next time,

SMILE!
Kelly Freitas (2 months today with me new name!)

Lucky Lady!

I really should buy a lottery ticket today. So the fantastic 4 (Me, Manny, Anthony (my father-in-law) & My mom) started off the day with a great start! First stop the Fertility Doctor, I needed to have my blood tested to make sure my hormones are coming back down at a steady pace, which they are. We also found out that we are officially freezing 9 babies! Which is a GREAT number and 7 of the embryo’s are graded A’s and 2 are graded A- just like in school, they are already honor roll students! ha ha!

Then off to get my white-cell booster shot from the Oncologist, typically a single shot the day after treatment, well my insurance company won’t cover this shot because it is too expensive. Instead I have to get a more affordable shot that I have to get daily! Which means driving to San Jose EVERYDAY! WHAT! NO! After a couple of phone calls the insurance finally approved the at home version of these daily shots. After the fertility shots this is easy for Manny, not as easy for me it burns going in. But I am happy that I don’t have to drive to San Jose everyday and pay a $25 dollar co-pay every visit. It costs a little more to get them at home but the trade off is much better. Plus after I finally got mine today I had a bit more energy and didn’t feel as tired. The Dr. stopped by to chat with us and see how I was feeling. They were all pretty impressed at how well I was doing, I myself was feeling very excited at the minimal side effects I have had. I am extremely tired, short of breath only when I exert myself (on walks or walk upstairs fast) I do have a metallic taste in my mouth at all times. Finally I do feel nauseous  only when I am hungry, so as long as I have my 6 small meals a day I am great! let’s hope it stays like this!!!! ; )

After waiting for my surgeon to get out of emergency surgery, he did a follow up/check up of my port.  It’s looking great, and it works wonderful which we already knew. He also did a follow up exam on my tumor measured it and said “It’s smaller!” I couldn’t believe my ears! Already from Thursday to Monday, smaller (just a wee bit but heck who cares SMALLER!)! FABULOUS! Before chemo and finding out I had cancer, I did have a LOT of pain where the tumor was, that has gone away since chemo started, so I knew it was working but I didn’t realize it would work that well! The news that I don’t have the gene also means the medicine I am on is that much more effective so that is yet another thing to be happy about.

Fourth of July was great! I wasn’t very tired and got to enjoy the block party outside our new home! We have the most amazing neighbors and are happy to have chosen the house we did. They really are welcoming, caring and an awesome group of people. We all BBQ’d in our front yard, then at dusk started lighting off the fire works, stopping only to watch the perfect view of the local school firework show. My parents and Manny’s parents joined us that evening, they had a great time too. I can’t wait to spend many 4th of July’s here. The first was already great, considering. Although at about 10:30 I came inside and fell asleep right away! Apparently Manny and Adela were having a conversation with me… oops!

Anyway here are some pics from the 4th and the picture of me and my favorite nurse at my first treatment that I promised.

Until next time!

SMILE!
Kelly Freitas 

 

Me and my favorite nurse while getting 1st chemo treatment!

Waiting Game...

So treatment #1 down, 11 more to go! 3 more of the bad ones (A/C 2 drug combo), and then I will have weekly Taxol shots for 8 weeks. It feels good to have one over and done with! But now a waiting game... waiting to see if, when or how I react. Typically these side effects start about 3 to 4 days after treatment. So I wait, to see if and how I react, let's hope not too bad. I sat next to a girl who said she didn't have too much nausea was just very tired and some mouth sores. She also had most of her eyebrows! LOL I don't know why but that made me happy!

Here is a pic during treatment, I have a great one of everything with drip and nurse but that is being held hostage in my camera, I will put it up shortly.

Details of Treatment 1: well I went in today extremely nervous. I was worried about so many things and mostly the unknown of how it was going to effect me and would it hurt going in. Well once they started it it was great. Nothing hurt! in fact I am even more so excited that we decided to get the port put in. It makes it SO much easier and less painful this way. A woman also getting her treatment with out the port had a terrible time and they had to try a few times to get the vein in place, I felt sad for her but grateful I had a port. So after they stuck the needle into the port I sat there for about 2 hours getting different meds. First the nausea med mixed with steroids dripped for about 20mins, then the “red drug” Adriamycin, it looks like cool aid, and that one only takes about 10 minutes, then finally Cytoxan for about an hour or more. Drip drip drip, that is what I waited for. It was a busy day there today so I met a lot of other people, every chair was taken, and every person was cheerful and willing to give me tips. The gal sitting next to me, was finishing her Taxol treatment, she was having the same drug combo as me. She gave me multiple tips and recommendations on stores and such. Best part she already knew me! She is a friend of a friend (Kristie) so funny how we sat right next to each other today.  So I left feeling much happier than when I arrived, and now we wait! I hoping and praying my side effects are minimal. I would hate spending the 4th with my head in the toilet, although I think I did this a few times in my college days!

The “red drug”

Things to be positive for, although I am beginning a dramatic medical treatment I still have quite a few things to be thankful for.

They are:
- Cancer is officially is on the offensive team and will not win! I am one step closer to getting rid of this. DE-FENSE! <clap, clap, clap>
- We found out today that I do NOT have the BRAC2 gene! Which is GREAT news, because if I did re-occurrence would have been more likely in my future and may have needed a double mastectomy to reduce the re-occurrence! YAY
- I am happy to have a port for easy use.
- I am grateful to have people around me, even it is 5 people accompanying me to my first appt. LOL Some people show up alone, and that would be hard for me.
- We have 11 eggs turning into embryo’s as I type, so technically we are officially parents! LOL
- People’s generosity has been amazing, dinner, flowers, thoughts, sweet emails or texts you name I receive it! So you wonder why I am so positive it’s hard not to be! Everyone keeps telling me how wonderful/strong/inspiring I am… It’s about time you all noticed! ha-ha JUST kidding!
- Right beside me my entire treatment were Connie’s Cowboy Cookies! and it’s not even Christmas, she needs her own cookie biz (watch out Mrs. Fields!)
- I am also Thankful to all my wedding guests who are patiently waiting for their “Thank you’s” I am hoping to get to those soon. <bad bride!>
- I received our wedding video today! YAY!
- I received a slideshow of some wedding photos LOVE them click here to check out my photographer’s blog for sneak peaks and a link to our slideshow.
- and finally, I am happy to have Manny he really is my soul mate/love of my life! he this has already made our marriage strong and us closer.

So please remember to kiss/hug/love someone you love today! They deserve to know it and so do you!

SMILE!
Kelly Freitas- Cancer Killing Extraordinaire!

I'm Wireless!

So I sit here and the nauseau medcine is slowly dripping in me, and I have wireless! Yee Hoo!

Since I have wireless I thought I would share a funny story with you. Yesterday, when I arrived home after a long day, we had mail from a certain local hospital. Manny opened it and laughed.

Here is the gist of what is said:

"Dear Kelly,
We have found that your tumor is "probably benign" and it is time for your 6 month follow up. Please call us to make an appointment.

Thank you,
Dr From Said Hospital"

Ha ha! This the day before Chemo, was quite entertaining. ; ) Now you all know why I am planning on not having my babies much less a hang nail removed from this said hospital!