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!