2 years

Todd W Franzen

October 10, 2012

Hey everyone, sorry it’s been a while since I updated my blog.  It’s been a bit hectic in the old Franzen world but such is life.  


September 27 marked the two-year date since my stem cell transplant. I cannot begin to explain the gratitude and feelings that have gone along with having a second chance! Two years of reflection have help me understand myself and my surroundings. What is important and what is not.  The time has gone by quickly juggling work and family.  I constantly think about my treatment and time spent in the hospital.  Health wise, things are good.  My blood counts are looking good and don’t have any scans planed till the beginning of December.  Im tired of the scans,  they create so much anxiety.  

Work, Family Illness.  Its been tough watching my father get sick.  A couple weeks ago, my father was diagnosed with a unknown lung fibrosis.  I know there’s no explanation, but I still keep asking the question why?   Im wondering if his years in the excavation trade has something to do with it.  All the dust and dirt?  I’ve been following in his footsteps for the last six or seven years now and starting to wonder if its worth it.  From a health standpoint, I’ve already been through a huge battle, and i’m a bit paranoid that excavation and construction work is going to lead me down a similar path as dad’s.  From a construction standpoint, its not worth building anything in this town since there is so much red tape.  Hypocritically speaking!  The development project that I have been working on has only proved that to me.  In other words, Stress.  Breckenridge is and has a really good small town community and that was prevalent during my fundraisers.  I am having to start from scratch financially, and i’m in a industry that has such high overhead, especially from a mechanical standpoint.  Ive seen my payroll taxes go up, liability insurance go up, unemployment insurance go up all while making less and less money.  Is it worth it?  I think Im leaning towards no.  There has to be a better way!     

So in this endless quest to deal with finances, I feel like my future opportunities involve winter work that has nothing to do with my passion, snowboarding.  Which is the hole reason why I never left Breckenridge.  Breck has always been home, but as of recently its not feeling very home like.  There has been so many changes and challenges here that my love for this town is wavering.  And since it is harder to enjoy my passion, I feel Breck isn’t offering what it use to.  Im starting to feel that bigger change is coming down the pipeline.

The Family is doing well, Rayna is loving SHS Rugby and looks like they have a good JV team brewing.  They haven’t been winning a hole lot but playing seven person division 1 varsity teams, What a great experience!  I don’t know much about rugby, but this is pretty cool.  Kalina just finished up SMS intramural soccer.  She is such a chatter box on the field.  Its too funny.  Im very proud of both of them.  Erika’s doing well, her birthday is Friday.  Looking forward to getting out of town!      
    

Thanks everyone for reading!

      

    


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Todd W Franzen


I am a two-time Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor with 17 years of documented cancer survivorship experience that spans multiple treatment eras. My journey began in November 2009 with a Stage 4B diagnosis at age 33, and continued through recurrence and treatment in 2019-2021. This rare longitudinal perspective—living through two complete treatment cycles a decade apart—gives me comparative insight into cancer care evolution that no single medical professional can replicate.

MY TREATMENT EXPERIENCE

First Treatment Cycle (2009-2010)
• 12 infusions of ABVD Chemotherapy over 6 months
• 2 infusions of ICE Chemotherapy (4-day infusions)
• 1 infusion of BEAM Chemotherapy
• 1 Autologous Stem-Cell Transplant
• 8 PET Scans
• 6 CT Scans

Second Treatment Cycle (2019-2021)
• 2 infusions of Brentuximab and Bendamustine
(Severe allergic reaction to Brentuximab — hives)
• 25 rounds of Radiation to Mediastinum (46RAD combined)
• 4 infusions of Keytruda Immunotherapy
• 2 infusions of IGEV Chemotherapy (5-day infusions)
• 1 Total Body Radiation (2RAD)
• 1 Sibling Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplant
• 6 PET Scans
• 6 CT Scans

COMPARATIVE EXPERTISE

Surviving two stem-cell transplants—one autologous, one sibling allogeneic—across different decades of cancer treatment has given me firsthand experience with nearly every major modality in lymphoma care: combination chemotherapy, salvage chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation protocols, and both types of stem-cell transplantation. I've experienced treatment side effects from the "standard" ABVD era through the modern immunotherapy period.

This comparative expertise matters for survivors. Treatment protocols in 2009 looked very different from 2019, and the long-term survivorship implications are still emerging. Doctors treat; survivors live with the aftermath. I've done both—twice.

CREDENTIALS & PROJECTS

• Founder: Strap In For Life 501(c)(3) nonprofit
• Author: Internal Architect: A Cancer Survivor's Memoir
• Licensed Insurance Agent (practical healthcare system navigation)
• 17-year cancer survivor documenting the journey since 2008

WHAT I WRITE ABOUT

Cancer survivorship doesn't end when treatment stops—it's when the real reconstruction begins. My blog covers:
• Practical survivorship (relationships, careers, identity)
• Treatment experience insights (what they don't tell you)
• Long-term effects and secondary health considerations
• Mental health and emotional reconstruction
• Healthcare system navigation

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