Marcel started his treatment

I created this blog a few months ago because my husband relapsed…and Hodgkin’s lymphoma came back.


These past few months have been the most insane roller coaster of our lives. My husband was told he relapsed in January, and just last week (April 26) he started treatment.

We weren’t even sure what could be done. He already had 2 bone marrow transplants (1 auto, 1 allo; cells from his brother)…had every chemo…and even chemo’s created for him by his favorite Hodgkin’s specialist Dr. Sandra Horning.

So the only option was a clinical trial….and we almost lost that opportunity because he was taking immunosuppressant’s. they let us know he couldn’t participate in the trail….but by the grace of god, with help from Dr. Logan (only the most amazing man who actually answers all of our phone calls…and calls to check up on how marcel is doing). He is one of the assisting Dr.’s for Dr. Advani…and he really pushed for marcel to be in the trial….

These past months have been pure hell. We weren’t even sure he’d make it to treatment. Almost everyday the past month…my husband kept saying he could feel himself dying…. That really messed up my head. I couldn’t comprehend such a thing. The right side of his chest have visible tumor growth….if I put my hand there, its like a bunch of peanut M&M’s under his skin…I cant even touch that area because I start felling like I cant breath. It’s really hard to see your spouse going through such things…or to contemplate death….I can’t even begin imagine how he must feel.

So I’ll use this blog to write about his experience and progress with SGN-35….and also to write about how brain is wrapping around our life.
……………………………………………
Last Monday he had his first treatment. The weird thing compared to other chemo’s he’s received…this infusion only took 30 minutes (some of the chemo’s he’s had in the past were 24 hour infusions). But he spent all Monday at Stanford. They did an ECG on him for 2 hours…gave him the SGN-35, and then gave him another ECG for 2 more hours.

Then Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday he went each day for a 2 hour ECG. I have no idea why all the ECG’s…most likely because it’s a clinical trial.

We were told that many people had no side effects to the SGN-35…but I think he may be having some. For the past few days he’s been complaining of bone pain. And he has been having diarrhea …but hopefully these go away.

I’d really like to hear from anyone else who is doing SGN-35. I don’t know anyone personally who has ever done this treatment. I know that some respond…some people don’t… (I pray he responds)…. I’d just really like to find an internet support buddy…ha-ha. Preferably a spouse.. of someone who is going through the same thing.

I didn’t do much research on SGN-35 because we thought he didn’t qualify for the trial, so I put it out of my mind.
……………………………………………
My husband’s mother arrived in the states this past Saturday…so hopefully that lifts his spirits and helps aid in his recovery. She will be here for 2 months :)