Last week was three years since my Stem-cell transplant. I have been doing a bit of reflecting on what anniversary dates mean. And for me, they represent moments in time where good and not so good things have happened. September 27th is a date that is important to me because of the treatment that I had to undertake for Hodgkins. Last year I got a tattoo to commemorate the two year mark and the likelihood of the lymphoma not coming back, statistically speaking. I feel great, and thankful for my second chance. This year has been different. As I have no reason to be ungrateful, this sept 27th has brought a lot of different emotions. A little bit of depression. I have been remembering experiences that weren’t so good during my treatment. And I guess it reminds me that I don’t want my friends and family to ever have to experience anything like it. My friend Dave Tuck that passed away about a month and a half ago fought his hardest, but couldn’t beat it. Then there is Haley Wastel and Chris Mountyjoy that seem to be winning and kicking its ass. I guess what I’m trying to say is i’ve been a bit confused with the realty of cancer. I’ve been realizing with summer coming to a close and winter just around the corner, that time crepes by so quick. Ive been working so much just to get back on my feet, I think i’ve lost track of whats important to me. And its easy to get caught up in the day to day things that some times its hard to pull back and just enjoy the moment. I am guilty! Not sure why I let myself get so caught up with such mundane things. But I do. I am human.
Three years ago
Todd W Franzen
October 1, 2013
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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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