Woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend... Just when I thought life could not get any better I heard a knock on my door, it was Cancer.
It changed everything but not for the worse. I choose Life and Hope .
BACK OFF CANCER is what I say!

The beginning of this journey...shaving my head

The beginning of this journey...shaving my head
Me, Francesca, on April 1st 2007, the day I shaved my head....

Monday, April 23, 2007

Giovanissima!!


Alexandra and I always made fun of people that liked to talk about the weather... so its funny that I do feel an urge to write about the glorious weather that we had this week end. I have always been a Sun worshipper but have found myself in recent years having to either deny that I liked it ( s0 people didn't think I was crazy) or hide from the Sun completely.... Well! This weekend I took all the rays of Sun that I could get... and with minimal protection... It felt almost like I was doing something illegal... if someone would have asked : -How much SPF does your face cream have? I would have lied....

Anyway... so Spring is here and all is blooming and its great timing because I am almost completely bold and I was getting very cold in my head but now I am OK with just a scarf.

Last Friday , as I was having my eyebrows done, I saw 2 ladies looking at me and one saying something to the other.... So Voila! It happened... people are finally beginning to look at me at know that I am not only just trying to be fashionable and wear turbans/scarf.... I see it in their eyes... trying to figure it out "what happened?"...

At the doctors office last Friday, an older couple was seating next to me, it seemed to be the gentleman was the one that was or had been sick but I wasn't sure.... and they were staring at me... I was there.. so I was sick .. and then they began to speak Italian, without knowing that I could understand them , and they said: - Giovanissima! Come mai cosi giovanne? ... I first wanted to speak to them but I figure that it would have made them so embarrassed that I just decided to sit there and listen.... funny!

My white cells have gone down a lot but a part of having to be extra careful of not getting sick / cold/ infections etc... all is normal... Last week I wasn't able to be on the bike a lot but today I did and I plan to continue...

On Wednesday 4/25 I will have a small surgery to place a port under my chest where the chemo can be easier to give as my veins are very bad to begin with plus they are tired from all the poking. On Friday 4/27 I will get 3rd cycle of chemo.

Carsten is back and I am so happy that life can be a bit "normal" again... Carsten has been the best husband, friend that one can wish for and he brings meaning to when one day , 5 years ago, we vowed to be with each other ... "in sickness and in health"... I love you Amore! Thank you!

Big kiss to all
xo

6 comments:

Carsten Giessmann said...

Hey you all that are reading this.
Just in case you happen to live with a strong woman like Francesca is, make sure you don't read her blog at work. I am crying right now and that can be a bit strange when you sit at your desk staring at a 19 inch screen.
In her blog she forgot to mention that she got on her bike yesterday and peddaled away for 20 minutes. That much for being weak.
She is as strong as they get. I am already afraid of her being healthy again. She will challenge me on the bike and running a marathon. :)

Strange that nobody mentioned it yet, but she looks like Sigourney Weaver in Alien 3 in 1992,
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0103644/Ss/0103644/IMG0017.jpg.html?path=pgallery&path_key=Weaver,%20Sigourney
no fear, just pissed off that this cancer disturbs her and ready to kick some serious butt.

I am proud of you my wife.

Maria Pia Bastos-Tigre Buchheim said...

Francesca. Não nos conhecemos pessoalmente mas já sei muito sobre você. Sou sobrinha da Sylvia Bastos-Tigre. Boa sorte amanhã e sempre. Estamos torcendo pela sua recuperação. Beijo. Maria Pia
mariapia@bastostigre.com.br

Cecilia said...

Francesca, though I have only met you twice I knew then that you were a strong woman, reading your blog is only a confirmation of what I already knew!
Our prayers are with you!

Unknown said...

Francesca, you make me laugh and you make me cry all at the same time with the witty, warm and strong words from both you and your friends and family. Always best wishes to you for continued strength and good health.
Love
Nancy

Unknown said...

Francesca, Carsten & Leonardo, Vi penso ogni giorno.

theluckyprincess said...

Francesca,

I missed you and was looking for some contact info on you on google and came across your blog. I'm so sorry to hear your diagnosis, but I am so sure you will fight with all the feistiness I remember in you! Please feel free to email me. I would love to see you or at least communicate with you again.
Love,
Melody (from Core)