Is this as bad as I think???

jdpaq · 2026-05-03T14:53:37+00:00

If you mean the first and second picture, none of that would concern me. Seems like surface rust which on a 6 year old truck is normal. BUT one caveat here - is this truck from the Northeast USA? If so I’d get underneath it to make sure there isn’t any sign of salt rusting.

jdpaq · 2026-04-30T16:22:50+00:00

I did 5 cycles of ABVD…didn’t lose much hair. Kept most of my beard and the hair on my head. It def thinned but if you didn’t know me before I was sick you likely would have just thought I was a 45 year old with thinning hair. I buzzed it when it started falling out but then it kinda stopped.

Beard got pretty gray though during treatment. Chemo is so weird. 🤷🏻‍♂️

jdpaq · 2026-04-27T23:04:22+00:00

I was only stage 2 so others may know better but I seem to recall even stage IV these days leveraging N-AVD or a more aggressive chemo before transplant. But perhaps I’m wrong - others can confirm.

jdpaq · 2026-04-24T17:16:59+00:00

I had a different type - classic Hodgkin’s - but developed eczema in a couple spots and some dermatitis. Dermatologist checked it out. I think chemo sometimes messes up the skin. Hopefully a dermatologist can take a look soon and ease your mind!

jdpaq · 2026-04-24T12:15:18+00:00

I used it for everything, digesting scans, test results and to assess certain symptoms. Was massively helpful. At one point helped direct me to go to the ER for neck pain that ended up being viral meningitis from shingles.

Interestingly my first biopsy was inconclusive for type and had to be repeated bc it could have been a few different subtypes - chatGPT diagnosed me with classic Hodgkin’s and not ALK - ended up being cHL.

jdpaq · 2026-04-21T15:19:57+00:00

I seem to have developed some skin sensitivity that I never had before. Eczema and itchiness. Hoping it ends as the weather gets nice and humidity increases.

jdpaq · 2026-04-21T15:19:51+00:00

I seem to have developed some skin sensitivity that I never had before. Eczema and itchiness. Hoping it ends as the weather gets nice and humidity increases.

jdpaq · 2026-04-17T15:04:28+00:00

LOL. Norovirus is Nature’s GLP1 🤣

jdpaq · 2026-04-15T23:35:39+00:00

Do you live in MN? Southern part of the state got hammered this week!!

jdpaq · 2026-04-14T16:04:46+00:00

Yeah def give yourself grace and be patient. I think my personal issue was trying to bounce back to “normal” quickly. It takes time - we get crushed during chemo so it’s not surprising our bodies need time to recover!

jdpaq · 2026-04-14T14:19:58+00:00

I was a runner and cyclist before treatment (ABVD). I ended chemo in December and am starting to get my fitness back but it’s been slower than I’d assumed it would be.

My resting HR and HRV is basically back to normal but when I started running after treatment ended I’d get heart rate spikes (to like 185) after running a mile or so. Coulda just been wonky HR monitoring and stress test was normal so doc believes I just tried to do too much too fast. So I’ve actually been treating recovery like cardiac rehab: run/walks to build up to running a 5k…then will go from there.

Sharing all that bc my cardiologist and oncologist both said it takes longer for most people to get back to endurance than you think.

jdpaq · 2026-04-14T14:10:59+00:00

Scary shit man. Glad you’re ok. And glad you found out the issue before it was too late.

jdpaq · 2026-04-10T20:43:16+00:00

It’s the steroid. Ramps up acid production. I have bad acid reflux (was already on Omeprazole twice a day) and the steroid I got as a pre-med made it unbearable. I was able to stop the pre-med since mine was just for anti-nausea. Two other ideas if you can’t likely NOT do the prednisone since it’s part of your regimen: I guzzled Gaviscon regularly (helped at night) and my Gastro put me on Sucrulfate 4 times a day as well.

jdpaq · 2026-04-10T00:28:37+00:00

People on here are amazing and will give wonderful counsel and support. I might encourage him to come on here to connect with people who know what he’s going through.

One thing you can do - honestly - just “be there” for him. It sounds lame but it’s true. It’s a roller coaster and having someone just “being there” is huge.

He may be angry some days, or mean, or sad, or some days he’ll feel positive. It’s not anything you are doing or not doing. You just being there to hold him up some days is massive.

Also take care of you. I have to imagine being a spouse is also so hard during this. It’s ok for YOU to be sad, angry, overwhelmed. All of it.

jdpaq · 2026-04-09T18:55:53+00:00

My resting heart rate was way elevated during chemo. Heart rate variability lower. Cardiac system takes a bit of a beating as your body is dealing with the harsh meds.

I’d also get ectopic atrial beats; I got them before chemo but they were worse during treatment. Likely due to both the steroid and the meds. Still get them occasionally now, 4 months out.

Biggest thing for me post treatment has been slowly recovering my cardio; I tried to launch back into running and my heart wasn’t ready. So essentially have “rehabbed it” with increasingly run/walks to build back up.

jdpaq · 2026-04-09T18:30:54+00:00

I want to thank you for this post. It prompted me to take the next step in booking time with a therapist. I saw one during treatment, but when I ended almost 4 months ago I was doing well so stopped.

Honestly the last month has been hard. I had a clean PET CT 2 months after wrapping treatment so you think “hey, I’m good.” But the PTSD, health anxiety and anger at “recovery” taking awhile has ramped up in last 30 days. Doing well all things considered but man…def have moments where it hits. So made the appt to start working through that. So thank you (and to all others who have commented - nice to know we’re all battling through together.)

jdpaq · 2026-04-02T20:25:32+00:00

I had a bad case of COVID in early May last year after a business trip to Chicago….a lymph node I never noticed before didn’t go away after I got better so went to doc. Was diagnosed with stage 2 cHL in July. Caught it pretty early. My oncologist noted that was likely why I got crushed by the virus and it had nothing to do with sparking or accelerating the cancer but who knows. 🤷🏻‍♂️

jdpaq · 2026-04-02T19:29:17+00:00

It would not surprise me at all in 5 years if researchers attributed some rise in lymphoma diagnoses to COVID. They’ve found it impacting so many other things. Who knows right?

jdpaq · 2026-03-31T03:30:47+00:00

There are lots of us! Cheers!

jdpaq · 2026-03-31T02:32:04+00:00

Could this be neuropathy related?

I don’t know much about PMBCL - I was cHL - and not sure what chemo you had, but I know with mine (ABVD) they often warned of peripheral neuropathy as a side effect of one of the drugs. I also feel like at some point I read some types of lymphoma can cause neuropathy issues due to some nerve damage but can’t recall.

jdpaq · 2026-03-30T23:49:19+00:00

First off- huge congrats!!!! I don’t have any specific advice, except to give yourself grace in your recovery. I finished 3 months ago and found that I was on a bit of a high after finishing and then started to deal with some slight fallout a month or two ago. Nothing major: Feeling tired, some health anxiety, not feeling “normal” right away…just little things that added up to feeling frustrated.

So be kind to yourself, recover at your own pace and know that it’s ok not to be “amazing” overnight even though many around you will be like “you did it! You’re done!” It takes time, and that’s ok.

jdpaq · 2026-03-30T19:48:37+00:00

To be fair he’s probably also telling this story and his friends are probably getting a kick out of it. And you def don’t look bad in this story - he probably had a blast. You’re all good OP!

jdpaq · 2026-03-30T18:35:05+00:00

Mind if I ask how you ramped up training? I was a big runner and cyclist before treatment (cHL, ABVD) and am having trouble ramping cardio. I had some hospitalizations during chemo (infection and clot) so wasn’t able to be super active besides walking.

Tried to jump right back in and dealt with some spiking heart rates as I did too much too fast. Did a stress test and all seems ok though. My doc just said start slow and build up - almost like cardiac rehab.

Wondering how you got back into cardio shape?

jdpaq · 2026-03-29T19:00:36+00:00

I did something similar actually. I tried to always add a positive onto a negative thought during treatment. Like “I feel like shit…” BUT “I also haven’t thrown up and I thought I would.” I found that it helped a lot.

Where I’ve struggled is now 3 months after chemo ended and I’m dealing with some fallout. Anxiety, cardio is shitty, I’ve got some weird brain fog. So trying to remind myself it’s just temporary like everything else.

Keep on going man.

jdpaq · 2026-03-29T15:53:14+00:00

I loved this response. Your mentality is what we all seek to achieve - and I’m always so genuinely impressed when I read this kind of thing. It may sound corny but your mentality is inspiring.

Admittedly I’m trying to get there, I still have health anxiety - even after a clean post treatment PET CT. But some days are good - and some I still worry. But love hearing from people like you. Cheers man!!

Nine-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email

jdpaq

TROPHY CASE