My Journey 2/13/11

Todd W Franzen

February 13, 2011

…so after a while later…

Things have been relly good. The doctor gave me the ok to start working. I was getting on the hill for a little bit but started hiking behind the house with the holidays in Breck going crazy. A couple weeks ago, we got the biggest snow of the year and damn near the most snow in a decade. Epic to say the least. That kept me busy with the backhoe for about two weeks. Gettingnback to work has been great mentally. Not having any work for over a year and battling cancer can take it’s tole on one’s psyche. It’s not a lot, but everything helps. I’m pretty stoked, it looks look I have a bit more work for the forseeable future. Throw the books of four companies on top of that and it’s hard to keep up.

2/10/11-2/13/11
I’ve been judging the Aspen Open since they started it about five or six years ago. It’s a fun event to come to. Aspen is a great host and really know how to do an event. Hell they have x-games to thank. But this year, attendance is way down for the snowboarders. Dew Tour and Rev tour are happening at the same time. Scheduling issues are unfortunately driving this event into the ground. There were eight competitors in pipe. Four men and four women. Unfortunate. Slope is a bit better with finals today. Should be about fifteen in finals. Aspen needs to get affiliated or somthing. I wish there were events like this when I was growing up. The good part of the low attendance was the first day , there was no qualifiers. Got the day off. So I went riding with some friends, Adam Longnecker, Angus Morrison and Ryan Lougee. We took three runs. Epic! Check it out.(Click Here) Thanks guys for showing me around. I’ve been waiting to ride Aspen like that!

As for tests and medical, I have another PET scan torwards the beginning of May. I’m expecting a good outcome for that. I can only base it on how I feel day to day. Today is day +139 since transplant and I feel great. I have to be carful though. I got that crud that was going around Breck and it floored me for about two weeks. Getting sick now is much worse than it use to be.

I don’t go out really any more. Haven’t drank since October of 09 and the girls keep my free time very busy. And we got a puppy. A Begal mix. There is just not enough time in the day! Hahahaha

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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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