Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Surgery Postponed

Felicitas' surgery to remove her ovaries has been postponed until January 13th. Her doctors decided she needs to complete radiation before having the surgery. Her last radiation is scheduled for December 27th. Felicitas will go back to work on January 10th, then have her surgery on the 13th. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Radiation

On Monday, November 6th, I had my first round of radiation. Up until then, I had been on a cancer vacation.  Whoop whoop! I didn’t go anywhere exotic (although, that would have been nice) I just had the opportunity to recuperate from my bilateral mastectomy and get my body ready for radiation. I also had my expanders (plastic pouches under the skin on my chest) filled with saline every few weeks. This process has to take place prior to radiation due to the fact that radiation will cause my skin to lose its elasticity and therefore make it difficult to expand my skin for reconstruction in the future.  Reconstruction will take place in the summer of 2012. You need to allow your body at least 6 months after radiation to get your body ready.

I was originally scheduled for 28 radiation treatments but my radiation oncologist recently added a “boost.” Which means I will receive an additional 5 treatments specifically to the inner mammary node. This was the only area that they were not able to access during surgery because the node lies behind my breastplate, sitting close to my heart. So, I will receive 5 extra treatments to that area for precautionary reasons.   I will have my last radiation treatment on December 29th.  Radiation has actually been somewhat of a breeze (compared to chemo). I do have redness and a little irritation at the site and I do feel unusually tired at the end of the day but is it the radiation or is it mi vida loca?  Most days I am at the Moore’s Cancer Center by 7am for the first appointment of the day. I am home in time to make some ponytails and braids and take the girls to school. Then, 2-3 days of the week I run with Graciela at running club and volunteer in her classroom.  I love being room mom and planning the Halloween Carnival and Thanksgiving Feast (I am working on their holiday party right now). Then the rest of my day is spent with Mateo (we are total BFF’s). I like to prep dinner while he naps and then I am off to pick up the kids.  This super mom thing is no joke. Seriously.  So, yes, I am a little tired but I am enjoying every minute of every day spent with my family.   Thank you to our new nanny, Rachel, who really has been a little gift (literally, she is a peanut) for our family. She watches Mateo a few days a week on her days off from her real job and she even watches him before she goes into work. Thanks, Rachies!   I also can’t say enough about the staff at the radiation office. Since I go in around the same time each day, I see these women every day. They are quite wonderful and make the radiation experience not so bad (I like to pretend that they are prepping me for a spa treatment).

Graciela dominating on the soccer field.
On December 16th, I will have surgery to remove my ovaries. I will have the day off from radiation that day to have the surgery. Due to my BRCA positive status, I have a high risk of ovarian cancer as well so my doctors and I decided that there was really no reason to wait any longer to have them removed. It will be nice to have this taken care of before I return to work in January. Yes, I said work. We can talk about that in a different blog post (insert mixed feelings face here).

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 1 year since my diagnosis.  It has been quite a journey. I hope that this is the most difficult event that my family and I will have to endure together. I feel proud of my family for making it through this time and coming out somewhat normal and I feel proud of myself for finding the strength that I never knew I had. No way would we have been able to complete (almost) this journey without the very special friends and family that we have. I will always be grateful for the generosity and kindness that you all showed us every day.  Now, it is time for me to pay it forward!

Maya in action.
I am thinking of and sending positive thoughts to my beautiful cousin, Tracy, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer while 5 months pregnant with her second child. She has had her first chemotherapy treatment so please keep her in your prayers.  Also, please continue to pray for my wonderful friends, Ni Cheng and Fanti, who are recent I-Spy 2 trial chemotherapy graduates. They are currently getting ready for surgery.  My friend, Clarissa who has her 15th treatment today. She only has 1 treatment left-Si se puede, amiga!   My friend, Mary, whom I have never met but we text talk like we have known each other forever.  We have that cancer bond, girl! Our dear friends Aaron Commerson and Papa Sid Porch who are also both battling cancer. I hope that my blog has allowed you all to find comfort on those days that you needed a little pick me up.


Love,
FelĂ­citas

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pathology Report Results

It's been a week since Felicitas' surgery and she's starting to feel a little better. She was having quite a bit of pain, mainly from a nerve that had been cut during surgery. Now that a week has passed, it is safe for her to take Ibuprofen, which has helped lessen this nerve pain. She is now able to walk and actually sit up on the couch instead of being confined to her recliner. Felicitas' comadre, Lisa Shimomura flew in last night for a week to help take care of the kids and Felicitas. I know Felicitas is thrilled to have Lisa there and have the much needed help!

Today, Dr. Parker called with the results from the Pathology report. She said that no cancer or cancerous cells could be detected! Felicitas and her family are understandably in shock, but ecstatic! This was the best outcome possible. She literally feels like this is a miracle. It was only 8 months ago that she was given the devastating news that she had stage 3 breast cancer and that her only hope for a cure was through the I-Spy 2 Trial. Now, here she sits today, with no evidence of cancer cells!


Saturday, August 20, 2011

Home From the Hospital

Felicitas was discharged from the hospital this evening and is now at home. She's having a lot of discomfort, which is to be expected. Of course, even through the pain, she's staying positive and saying she's hoping each day will get a little easier.


An update from Felicitas' Nina, Janet:
"Felicitas is home now. Graciela, Maya and Mateo were soooo excited to see their mommy. Junior, Nina Monica, the kids and I prepared a welcome home banner to surprise her when she walked in the door. She is resting now and continuing to heal from surgery. Love that Pita!"

Friday, August 19, 2011

Surgery

Felicitas had her bilateral mastectomy yesterday at 1:30 at UCSD's Thornton Hospital. The surgery lasted approximately 4 hours. Her surgeon, Dr. Wallace came out saying she was a star and did very well! Dr. Wallace removed 11 lymph nodes from underneath her left armpit. These were all tested for cancer and came back clear, which the doctor was very excited about! She said Felicitas responded extremely well to the chemotherapy. The doctor removed the breast tissue and cleaned the ducts. The doctor was able to spare her skin and put in expanders. They'll perform a pathology report to make sure all the cancer is gone, but Dr. Wallace said she didn't see any cancer during surgery. So, overall, I don't think the surgery could have gone any better. We still aren't sure if she'll be discharged today or tomorrow. I'll try to update the blog with any new information as quickly as possible. 

Friday, August 12, 2011

Sweet 16


On July 15th, I entered the Infusion Center at the Moore’s Cancer Center for my last chemotherapy treatment. I had waited five months for this day and I could hardly believe the day had arrived. Was this really it? Had I really finished? Yes, this was really it and yes, I had really finished! I mean, it was obviously my last chemo; the Infusion Center was filled with balloons, Dee Jay and fireworks (not really-but we will get to that later).

Last Chemo!!!!
My 16th chemo was pretty routine. I had great company, Samira and Colleen, good snacks and some very good drugs. The only difference was that I felt the need to announce, “Hey, I am here for my last chemo!” to anyone who made eye contact with me (Samira and Colleen are my witnesses). I have to admit that I expected the nurses to do a little cheer or to sing me a clever song about my last chemo. It didn’t happen. Slight disappointment. This got me thinking. Why isn’t anyone doing a cheer? Why isn’t there a banner? Then I thought to myself, “I am crafty, I can make some cool decorations. Lord knows I have enough supplies in my garage!” (Again, Samira and Colleen are my witnesses).  So, I went to Dr. Parker with an idea- Operation Celebration. I told her how great it would be for patients to be greeted with a banner and certificate on the last day of their chemo (how easy is that?) They could even have their picture taken and be on the “ I finished my Chemo” wall. Dr. Parker loved the idea and even improved it by suggesting that we have shirts made. Good one, Dr. P! So, Dr. Parker is going to the advisory board with my Operation Celebration idea. I hope she lets me work on organizing some of it.  
Jessica Daigneault, Clinical Research Coordinator
I honestly did not really need any operation celebration myself. I have so much to be thankful for and we had our own celebration planned.  Junior and I went to the Giants/Padres game the night before my last chemo. I could not remember the last time we had been out together without the kids. It was fun to watch any type of event uninterrupted and to not have to share my churro. Then, the night after my chemo many of our good friends joined us for yet another Giants/Padres game (hmmmmm, Junior obviously planned my celebration weekend). We let our kids come this time. So much fun! Once the game was over, we tucked the kids into bed and went out to a late dinner with friends.  I am so thankful to be surrounded by people who care for us. It was the busiest day after chemo to date. I paid for it the next day. I was actually unable to get out of bed until late afternoon. But it was soooooo worth it!
Go Giants!

The following Tuesday, July 19th, I went back to work. Yes, you read that correctly. I returned to room 802 and started off my school year (gotta love the year round calendar). It wasn’t something that I had to do and honestly, it was pretty darn exhausting. But, at the end of the week, I was glad that I made the decision to be there and meet my new group of students and their parents. All teachers know how important it is to establish routines and procedures and I wanted to make sure I was able to do that and bond with my great group of students. I am looking forward to seeing them once I finish radiation.

Forest fairies, Graciela & Maya
Somewhere in between all of these events, my little Maya Papaya turned 4 years old. This birthday was an especially big deal because we have been talking about her fourth birthday since I was diagnosed. We all knew that once Maya turned 4, I would be done taking the strong medicine and my hair would grow back.  She and her sister could not wait. They even tried to make her turn four back in May. Well, unfortunately, I had not quite explained the hair thing correctly. Maya seemed to think that on the day she turned 4, ALL of my hair would grow back. All of it. All at once. I had to explain that I meant that my hair would BEGIN to grow back on her fourth birthday but that it was going to grow a little at a time. Both she and Graciela decided that was going to take forever. Maya was the perfect Forest Fairy at her birthday party and all of our guests had a fairy good time!

July 28th was a fun day. The family and I met a photographer at Balboa Park to shoot for the cover of the inaugural Moore’s Cancer Center Magazine. The issue is due out next month and we will be sure to post some pictures or a link to the article once it comes out.

As part of the I SPY 2 clinical trial, I was due to have my final MRI on Friday, July 29th.   I was nervous to find out the results. I was hoping for the best but I also did not want to be disappointed. Late Monday night (August 1st) I received a call from Dr. Parker. She was calling from home (yes, I have the number programmed into my phone). She was calling to let me know that my MRI results indicated that both tumors were no longer visible. Wow. I was in complete shock. Even though this is exactly what I had hoped and prayed for, I still had a hard time grasping the idea. Well, 10 days have passed so I believe it now and I am still walking on cloud 9.  Dr. Parker has explained that we still need to wait for the pathology report after my bilateral mastectomy; it is very possible that there is still quite a bit of cancer. We will know for sure after surgery.  

I will be having my bilateral mastectomy on August 18th. I am checking in at 9 am and I am set to begin surgery around 11 am. Surgery should last about 4 hours and they expect that I will stay at the hospital that night.  I am obviously nervous but I know I have to remember how far I have come and this just brings me one step closer to my cure!

Happy 30th Vinicio!
Last weekend, the five of us made our way to northern California for the first time since Christmas. We had the opportunity to celebrate my little brother’s 30th birthday and visit with many of our friends and family. Unfortunately, we were not able to see everyone we would have liked to see, but we sure enjoyed the time we spent with those that we did see. Thank you to Lolo and Lola for always being such great hosts and feeding all of our visitors (and us).

Many people have called me an inspiration, they have told me that there is no way they could have handled the things that I have been through over the last 6 months. Many people have asked me how I have found the strength. Well, that’s easy. Look at my family. Look at my kids. I think about my family and I think about the fact that I cannot imagine them continuing their lives without me. I cannot imagine not being the one to make them their oatmeal or egg burritos in the morning. I cannot imagine not being the one to make them their tutus or festive wear for holidays and birthdays. I cannot imagine not being the one to pick them up from school, they scream with excitement when I arrive (I am not sure that it will always be this way, but let's pretend for now). We have so many outings that we enjoy together-The Zoo, Sea World, the beach, Seaport Village etc- I can’t imagine any of those weekend trips taking place without me. So, when you think that I am Wonder Woman, I know that I am not. I am just a mom. A mom who is madly in love.  I am madly in love with my husband.  I am madly in love with my kids and madly in love with our life. There is no way in H. E. double hockey sticks that any of them are getting out of seeing me each and every day.

So, that is one way I was able to get through the day-to-day struggles. But, it is no secret that I have more friends than Mark Zuckerberg- okay, not really, but I am quite positive that I have more quality friends than Mark Zuckerberg. My friends and family are amazing. They played such a huge role in helping me get through my treatments. Thank you. Every text that you sent brought a smile to my face. Every phone call you made and card that you sent with words of encouragement gave me strength. Every incredible and thoughtful gift let me know that you cared. When you took the time to help me with my kids or bring us a meal you made my day easier. For all of my chemo buddies, you don’t know what it meant to have your company as I went through my infusions. Thank you.  So, even though I was the one that physically went through the treatment, I know that I was not alone. My husband, my family and my friends, you were all there in every way you could be. It wasn’t just me that got through this. You also did it. We all did it. 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Chemo Weeks 14 & 15


I want to apologize for the delay in blog updates. I recently moved and my internet access just got back up and running. Here's the latest with Felicitas' treatment: 



Felicitas & Nina Janet


For Felicitas' 14th chemo session, her Nina, Janet came to town for a week to help. Week 13's chemotherapy completely wiped her out, so Felicitas was expecting she'd need a lot of help this time as well. For week 14, Dr. Parker decided to reduce the dosage to 80% with the hope that she'd be able to handle it better and have more energy. It made a huge difference. She wasn't feeling as exhausted or as nauseous. So while Janet was visiting, Felicitas was able to spend time with her and the kids. They spent a couple days at the beach in Coronado and went to the zoo. She said her Nina spoiled her and the kids! Felicitas didn't have to wash a dish for 9 days :)
Paul stopped by to say hi!
Vanessa, Graciela, Maya, Vinicio & Mateo


Felicitas' brother, Vinicio and his girlfriend, Vanessa have visited a few times, but aren't able to be there on a Friday to accompany her to chemo. They usually come the following day to help with the kids and keep Felicitas company. She loves these visits and thought they needed a shout out on the blog! 




For Week 15, Felicitas' friend from high school, Teresa Wolfe came to visit with her three boys. All six kids get along great and had so much fun together.  Felicitas was feeling well, so they took the kids to Legoland. She said it was exhausting, but definitely worth it to see the kids having such a wonderful time.  Even little Mateo thought he was a big boy and was going on the rides. During her 15th chemo session, Felicitas' good friend, Cheli Hanley was there, along with Teresa. 


Week 15! Cheli, Teresa & Felicitas
Felicitas was interviewed for the Moores Cancer Center Magazine! The issue will be out this fall. I'll be sure to include a link to it on the blog as soon as it becomes available. 


This Friday, Felicitas will have her 16th and LAST round of chemotherapy!!!!!! She is thrilled to be able to conclude this part of her treatment and focus on the next stage, surgery for her double mastectomy. She has yet to meet with the surgeon, but hoping to do so soon so she can learn the specifics of what the surgery entails.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Blood Transfusion & Hospital

This past Thursday, June 9, Felicitas was scheduled for her chemo treatment. Unfortunately, after her lab work showed that her blood counts were at a record low, the doctors decided she needed a blood transfusion instead. Understandably, she was pretty upset with this news. Once again, her chemo was going to have to be pushed back a week, therefore delaying her treatment. 


The following day, she had a fever, so Dr. Parker had her go to the emergency room at UCSD's Thornton Hospital. After spending around 7 hours in the ER on Friday, they admitted her into the hospital. Her fever spiked to 103.1 that night. She was given fluids and antibiotics to bring her fever down. Dr. Parker came to see her and told her she thought they'd need to keep her until Sunday to monitor her. 


On Saturday, Junior brought the girls to visit, but Felicitas broke out in a rash so she had them leave. It turned out she had an allergic reaction to one of the medications she'd been given. They ended up moving her to another floor where the doctors could monitor her more closely. They were concerned that her blood pressure was too low and she was having discomfort when inhaling. 


On Sunday, she was still having pain when breathing in. Her doctors performed a blood test to test for a possible pulmonary embolism (blood clot) in her lungs. Normal levels should be at a 240, but Felicitas' came back at a 371. After much debate between countless doctors on whether or not to perform a chest CT, Dr. Parker, who was out of town, sent two oncologists on her team to evaluate Felicitas. They decided that a chest CT wasn't necessary. There are several different factors that could have elevated her results from the blood test, cancer being one of them. They also tested for different bacteria, but fortunately, all the bacterial cultures came back negative.


This morning, Felicitas thought she would be getting discharged, but the doctors were still concerned with her inability to take a deep breath. Instead of a chest CT, they performed a V-Q scan (ventilation-perfusion scan), which studies the airflow and blood flow in the lungs. Results showed there was no pulmonary embolism! She was discharged tonight and is happy to finally be home with her family. 


She is scheduled for chemotherapy this Friday, if all goes well!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Chemo Week 13

Last Thursday, May 26, Felicitas received her first round of her new chemotherapy drugs, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. Her mom's dear friend, Marta Puga, who was in town from Seattle visiting her daughter at USD, accompanied her to chemo. On Friday, she returned to Moores Cancer Center for her Neulasta injection. Previously, she was receiving a Neupogen injection on both Saturdays and Sundays to help raise her white blood counts. Now, she gets one Neulasta injection the day after her chemo. This drug also increases her white blood cell count, but lasts for two weeks. She's definitely excited to have her weekends free again!


On Friday, the day after chemo, she was feeling ok, but by Saturday she was completely wiped out. She spent the weekend on the couch with her iPad. Her energy level was extremely low, she was feeling nauseas and it was difficult for her to do much of anything. Her doctors have put her on a new, stronger anti-nausea medication as well. By early the next week, she was feeling much better and her energy level had increased. 

Felicitas and Marta
As long as her counts are high enough, Felicitas will have chemo every other Thursday, from now on. So although she only has 3 treatments left, it will take six weeks to complete. The last time I talked with Felicitas, she was saying how excited she was to be almost done with her chemo. She mentioned that she remembers walking into the treatment center for her very first chemo appointment and what a long road she had ahead of her, and now in a few weeks, chemo will be complete! It's so exciting that she has almost finished this stage of her treatment! Now, she's beginning to focus on the months to come...surgeries, radiation and reconstruction. She's still as positive as ever, taking it one day at a time with a smile on her face. 


A couple of days ago, she received an email from the Director of Service Line Marketing for the Moores Cancer Center. They are launching their first issue of the Moores Cancer Center magazine and want to feature Felicitas on the cover and as the lead story! They'd heard what a phenomenal job she's done as a spokesperson and motivational speaker regarding her cancer treatment at Moores. She'll participate in an interview and photo shoot with a professional photographer! Her uplifting attitude and encouragement has, and will continue, to motivate others who are struggling through their treatment, to push forward and not give up. Love you girl! You're an inspiration to us all!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Chemo Weeks 11 & 12

Over the past couple of weeks, Felicitas has had many visitors! She loves having people visit. It really lifts her spirits and is a great distraction. Felicitas' sister-in-law, Cindy accompanied her to the eleventh chemotherapy session. 

Felicitas & Cindy at Chemo
Shauna, Felicitas, Maya & Graciela
Later that day, Shauna Dunton, Felicitas' college roomate, came to visit from San Francisco. She wasn't able to make it to chemo, but spent some time with Felicitas at her home shortly after. Felicitas hadn't seen Shauna since Graciela was a baby, so needless to say, it was wonderful to see her! 
Kristine & Felicitas at Chemo

For her 12th round, Kristine was back in town and able to go with her. It's been so nice that Kristine's been in San Diego as much as she has! 


Last Wednesday, May 18th, as part of the I-Spy 2 trial, Felicitas had an MRI to check the progress of her tumor. The following day, she met with Dr. Parker to hear the results. The MRI showed that her tumor has shrunk to 1.2 cm x 0.9 cm! Dr. Parker was so amazed and thrilled with the results, although Felicitas of course wishes it was completely gone! But Dr. Parker reminded her of how large (6 cm x 6 cm) and dense the tumor was before she started the clinical trial. These results are awesome! They won't know until surgery, how much of the remaining mass is actually scar tissue or cancer cells. 

The Rayray's & Aunt Chilo
The next four rounds of chemotherapy will be two new drugs, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. This chemo will be administered every other week instead of every week because it tends to bring on more side effects and can be harder on the patient's body. These medications can cause more nausea and a greater decrease in white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelet counts. 
Spending time with Monica


The first round of this new chemo was scheduled to take place this past Friday, May 20th, but was cancelled due to low platelet counts. Since the Adriamycin and Cytoxan will be harder on her body, Dr. Paker wants to make sure she is as healthy and rested as possible before beginning this new combination of drugs. Of course, Felicitas wasn't happy about her chemo being cancelled, since this pushes her treatment back a week, but she trusts Dr. Parker's judgement and knows she's putting her health first. Felicitas' Aunt Chilo and Comadre Monica were in town because they were planning on taking her to chemo.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Chemo Week 10

I felt so special and blessed being with Felicitas during her chemo treatment this week.  Along with her Nina Janet & Elena, we arrived at her appointment a little early that day because she had a very special opportunity to speak about her experiences at the Moores Cancer Center to important community leaders that were touring the hospital.  Knowing that Felicitas has been such an inspiration and such a positive spirit throughout her journey, its no surprise that Dr. Parker asked her again to represent the Moores Cancer Center.  Janet, Elena, and I had the opportunity to join both tours and listened in awe on the amazing work that the scientists and doctors do everyday for all cancer patients at Moores Cancer Center. It just reassured us more that Felicitas was in the right place!

We listened with tears in our eyes as she told her story about her adorable kids, her loving husband, Junior, disbelief when she discovered she had breast cancer, and total relief of becoming a patient of Dr. Parkers’ at the Moores Cancer Center because she knew that they were going for a cure!  From the very first day there she has had nothing but unbelievable care and service from everyone at the hospital.  Felicitas did an amazing job as everyone was touched by her story.

Felicitas, Paul & Kristine
The Moores Cancer Center is truly a special place for her.  From the moment she walks through the sliding glass doors she eludes this energy of strength and upbeat attitude that is so addicting.  She is like a hostess in her own home. In the waiting room, she has no problems helping other patients with clipboards or giving status updates on why the staff is running behind.  During her treatments, she gives the nurse a quick synopsis of her treatment and she’s asking the nurse about her wedding and honeymoon plans the rest of her time there.  It’s no wonder why she gets the VIP garden view every week.  They love her there!   

We were also joined by Paul again this week and our dear friend, Karen, who flew in with her family from Houston, Texas!  We had lots of fun together with our kids the days leading up to chemo, we went to the beach and Sea World! Felicitas had lots of energy saved up for us! Karen and I had a truly special time with Felicitas and the family.

It was a busy household for the Rayray’s this week! They hosted Janet, Elena, me and my son along with Karen and her two kids who joined us for dinner every night!  We felt like we were a part of the Duggar family!  Through the kid chaos we always found time to laugh and enjoy each others company. 

Karen, Felicitas, Kristine, Elena & Nana Janet
I asked her if having visitors bothered her at all and she looked at me strangely and said, “Not at all. I love having visitors!”  It was apparent that having visitors really brings her strength and having a friend to laugh with is priceless.  Junior continues to be AMAZING with her and the kids.  I know that he appreciates having visitors to help with the kids and especially the laundry!  

Thank you to everyone who continues to give their love, support, and prayers.  I know how much they appreciate it and amazed by everyone who has helped! 
Love you, Comadre! Kristine

Chemo Week 9 & Translational Oncology Symposium

Felicitas and Colleen
It's been a couple of weeks since the last update. We were planning on combining weeks 9 and 10 into one journal entry, but unfortunately Felicitas' blood counts were too low to receive chemo on April 22. This would have been her 10th round. Of course she was disappointed because missing a round of chemo pushes all of her treatment back a week. On a positive note, the following week was Graciela and Maya's spring break, and since she missed chemo, Felicitas wasn't feeling sick and had plenty of energy to do fun activities with the family that week. The previous week, on April 15th, she had her 9th session of chemotherapy. Her friends Jenn Porch and Colleen Smith were there to keep her company. 

Felicitas and Jenn
On April 21st, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center hosted the 7th annual Translational Oncology Symposium. This effort promotes relationships between physician-scientists with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The meeting is a venue to help foster and strengthen the ties between scientists in the laboratory and experts at companies to develop new, potentially valuable drugs. Dr. Parker asked Felicitas to participate in the symposium. They needed a patient currently enrolled in the I-Spy 2 Trial to answer questions about their experience. There are 2 videos from the symposium. The first is about 3 minutes long and gives a short overview of the event. The second, Junior recorded and shows Felicitas' entire part in the symposium.


As you can see, she did such an amazing job! Only Felicitas could get a room full of scientists and doctors laughing when talking about her stage 3 cancer! Dr. Parker told her that she had many people approach her after the symposium and say how beneficial it was to have a patient speak. It allowed people to hear things from Felicitas' perspective. It's not often that the scientists are able to put a face to their drugs or to actually interact with the patients that are using their drugs. Dr. Parker thought having Felicitas speak was very powerful and she even left her a message that evening saying what a star Felicitas was!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Chemo Week 8

Week 8 - "Fight Like a Girl!"
Unfortunately, the chemo is starting to take it's toll on Felicitas. Amazingly, she's been feeling pretty good these past 8 weeks, but now that the drugs have accumulated in her system, she's feeling more sick and exhausted lately. This past weekend was rough. She spent most of her time in bed, with her only outing being to cheer on Graciela at her soccer game. By Monday, she was starting to feel slightly better and thankfully, that has continued throughout the week. It seems that from now on, the side effects from chemo will be more intense and that Felicitas' weekends are going to be a struggle. Hopefully, she continues to feel better as the week goes on, but it's difficult to tell at this point, since each week she seems to feel a little worse. She hasn't had much of an appetite and tends to feel sick to her stomach after meals. So for the most part, she's been eating soup which seems to be gentler on her stomach.

Viviane & Felicitas
This week she attended a support group for cancer patients. It was helpful to have a place to talk about what she's been going through with people that truly understand. Obviously she's had a lot of emotions through this experience and it was helpful for her to be able to get them out. Within the next couple of weeks, she'll be attending a group that's specifically for young mothers. It will be nice for her to be able to talk with other women who are having the same struggles as she is.


Yesterday, Junior buzzed Felicitas' hair. It's of course been difficult having to come to this point, but she knows this is just one more step on her way to recovery. On a happier note, a parent from the girls' school donated 14 inches of her hair to Locks of Love in honor of Felicitas because she saw how happy Felicitas' "real hair" wig made her.


Felicitas & I 
I know so many of you are constantly thinking of Felicitas and her family and ways to help them. This is the time that they need us more than ever. She's spent the last 2 months fighting cancer with a positive attitude and a huge smile on her face, but she's getting tired and needs our love and support to keep her spirits lifted. Thank you so much for all of your love and prayers!! Thank you to Colleen Smith who was also at chemo this week!



Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Chemo Weeks 6 & 7

Week 6
Shannon and Felicitas
Since there wasn't much new information to report, we decided to combine the last two weeks into one blog entry. The last two chemo sessions, Felicitas' friend, Shannon Marchal has taken her to Moores Cancer Center for her infusions. Shannon and Felicitas know each other through their mutual friend, Kristine Sterchi. Both Felicitas and Shannon have 3 kids, so they had lots to chat about! Felicitas truly appreciates her getting up bright and early to take her to chemo and keeping her company. Thank you so much Shannon for helping the time at Moores pass more quickly! During her 7th infusion, the Rayray's friend, Paul Sanches stopped by on his way to Horton Hospital. It was so nice of him to take the time out of his busy day to visit with Felicitas. Thank you Paul!

Week 7
Today, Felicitas had an appointment with Dr. Parker to check her progress. She continues to be impressed with how the tumor is reacting to the chemotherapy and actually had difficulty locating it today because it has shrunk so dramatically and is less dense. She is also impressed with the way Felicitas' body is handling the chemo. It is very common for patients to be forced to skip chemo infusions or be given a lower dosage of chemo because of low blood counts. A few weeks ago, Felicitas' counts were low so they added a second neupogen shot during the week to help raise her counts. She goes to Moores every Saturday and Sunday to receive her neupogen shot. Because of these injections, her blood counts have been high enough for her to get her regular dose of chemo each week. 


Felicitas has 5 more weeks of the Carboplatin/Taxol chemotherapy combination left. Once she has completed the full 12 cycles of this medication, she will meet with her surgeon, Dr. Anne Wallace to discuss her surgery. She will also have an MRI to check the progress of her tumors. Once this is complete, she will be given a new type of chemo, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. She will receive 4 cycles of this combination of chemotherapy.


Felicitas and Paul

Friday, March 25, 2011

Chili's Fundraiser

One of Felicitas' awesome team partners, Jennifer French, has put together a fundraiser through Chili's in Chula Vista for her. The Rayray family is so appreciative of all of the hard work and long hours she put into organizing this event. Felicitas feels extremely lucky to have such a wonderful friend to share so many laughs with at school. Thank you so much Jennifer! If you can come out to support the Rayrays, they would be so grateful! We all need to eat, so why not have a meal at Chili's in support of Felicitas? 

Here are the details:

How: Click on the link below "Chili's Fundraiser Flyer" 
          Print out the flyer and present it to your server. 
          15% of the sales you bring in will go directly to Felicitas.
          Good for both dine in and take out orders.

When:  One day only! Wednesday, April 6, 2011   11am - 11pm

Where: Chili's Rancho Del Rey
             800 Paseo Del Rey
             Chula Vista, CA 
             (619) 656-2910

Monday, March 21, 2011

Chemo #5: Nana Janet


It was such a wonderful experience being with my goddaughter during her 5th chemo treatment this past Friday. She approaches each treatment with conviction, kindness, faith and a sense of humor. As many of you know, she has many gifts, and is becoming quite popular at the Infusion Center. Felicitas calms everyone’s nerves through her laughter, humor and stories.

Felicitas and her Nina, Janet
During treatment we met Dee, a lovely and kind woman, who was having a hard time with her chemo. She, like Felicitas, is part of the ISPY2 study, she is actually assigned to the same ARM of the trial as Felicitas but was just beginning her second treatment that day. She shared that since her first chemo was so difficult that she actually dropped out of the study. Felicitas immediately encouraged her not to give up and shared how important it was to be a part of a study of a few select women. Since Felicitas is 3 weeks ahead of Dee in her treatment, she was able to calm her down and reassure her that she could do it. Every three weeks the treatment would be harder with both the carboplatin and taxol, but in between, it wouldn’t be as bad. Dee was smiling and very appreciative of Pita’s words. She remarked at Pita’s beauty, strength and courage for such a young woman and left the center, determined to stay with the study. Observing this interaction and the compassion that Felicitas communicates to others are rare gifts that she can use to discover a new path in her life of serving others. I am extremely proud of her and admire her strength and compassion. She is definitely forging a new path in her life.

New hair!
Felicitas is tired after her chemo, but finds it difficult to sleep with the Decadron (taken on Thursdays and Fridays) that keeps her awake. But she always makes special time with each of her children. Felicitas and Junior are amazing parents and spend important time with their children, loving, listening, guiding, and nurturing them while honoring family time in spite of all they are going through. I am so thankful to all of their friends and family who have been so supportive with time, gifts and love that have kept them focused and positive. They are awed by your kindness!


Lastly, the special blanket that Felicitas packs away in her pink bag that she takes with her to chemo, filled with books, treats, I-pod, are all symbols that remind her that she is never alone on this journey. I feel anxious when I’m away from her, but I remember all of you and then I thank God for you and your love and remember she is well loved and cared for. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. Nana Janet.