My Journey 3/9/10

Todd W Franzen

March 9, 2010

I had a treatment this past Thursday(March 4th), and I’ve done a great job staying relatively healthy during the last few months.  I did finally come down with a pretty good sinus infection that has been a bit of a bear.  Where does all the snot come from?  I feel like the Mucinex snot monster!  I should buy stock in Johnson & Johnson….

Socially going through cancer sucks especially living in a resort town.  Drinking and socializing go hand in hand.  But relationships develop and evolve and certain activities aren’t so important which is pretty cool since it has given me a chance to get to know my girlfriends kids……The Hodgkin’s infected a majority of my liver, so alcohol hasn’t been a part of my life.  In fact, I haven’t drank since August while I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me.         

So I’ve been getting some inquires from people wanting to donate after hearing about the fundraiser at the Breckenridge Clubhouse.  I figured the easiest way was to put a PayPal link on the blog to make it as easy as possible.  Its a donation link and goes to a donation account I have with PayPal.  Believe me, it feels a little odd doing this, but I wanted to give family and friends a chance if they weren’t able to make it to the party on February 16th. 

          

Related Posts

Mentorship

Mentorship

How to Keep Your Mind Off Cancer

How to Keep Your Mind Off Cancer

How Cancer Can Kill

How Cancer Can Kill

Change Your Path

Change Your Path

Cancer Survivor Meaning

Cancer Survivor Meaning

Life After Cancer Reality

Life After Cancer Reality

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

Your Signature

Leave a Reply


Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}