Hodgkin lymphoma: How can I help my friend?

@sara96, I can see that you are very worried about your friend. You are a good friend. There are treatments available for relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma. Here's some information https://www.lymphoma.org/understanding-lymphoma/aboutlymphoma/hl/relapsedhl/

I think she is scared and that may be why she reacts agressively. Would it help to acknowledge your fear and her fear? Could you start simply, but saying "I know you're scared. I am too."? Then just listen first. Do you think that might work?

Hi my friend
Thanks alot for your recommendation. I'll try that.
Good luck 🌹

I will just say that my brother was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease (Lymphoma) at the age of 27. He went through chemo and radiation and was in remission for ten years before it came back. At 37 he had a stem cell transplant of his own cells. He turned 61 today with no reoccurrence. Please know there is always hope. My brother has survived 24 years in remission so far. And he was treated at Mayo both times.

Thanks a lot for your hopefully sentences. I wish you and your brother the bests.

Welcome to Connect, @raetp and thank you for such an uplifting, encouraging reply about your brother’s Hodgkin’s lymphoma experience. Many years ago, in 1969, I lost my 27 year old brother to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Back then there was no potential cure and the survival rate for anyone getting this cancer was less than 2%.

Since then there have been huge strides in HL research and now, with treatment, the survival rate is 92% and continues to rise. So congratulations and Happy Birthday to your brother. I wish him continued success. It’s refreshing to hear positive stories like this.
At which Mayo Campus did your brother have his medical treatments?

He was treated at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Methodist Campus, in downtown Rochester, MN

Isn’t Mayo just an amazing clinic? I was also at Methodist for my bone marrow transplant and can’t speak highly enough of the entire clinic and their outstanding devotion to patient focused care.
Thank you again for sharing your brother’s story. You or your brother may want to post a photo in this discussion I started a few years back:
Snapshots of hope: Life on the other side of transplant. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/snapshots-of-hope-life-on-the-other-side-of-transplant/

Have you had an opportunity to browse through the 70+ other great support groups we have in Connect?

My mother was also treated at Mayo. She had colangiocarcinoma. I was sitting next to my mother when the doctor told her the cancer was terminal. We have two options.
Option one is to treat the cancer with chemotherapy. The second option is to try to have the tumor resected. I should probably mention at this point, my mother was a retired RN after working 30 years at our local VA Hospital. She could handle anything! Anticipating my mom’s answer, the doctor brought the surgeon in. He was brisk, forthrightly, and cut to the chase explaining how the tumor was wrapped around a vein above her liver. He will go in and cut as much out as he can. He will use something like a meat slicer to take out very tiny layers. My mom agreed to the surgery and it bought her ten years more with us. It came back in three places the next time. My mom did chemo for a year before she decided to stop. My brother, father, and I were there the day of her surgery at Mayo. My brother had been there for treatment both times. It was amazing how they all greeted my brother by name, hugged him, and asked him how he’s doing. Not only is Mayo a great hospital, it has the best people.

How are you doing? I hope you are living an amazing life! 🙂

I am living an amazing life, thank you! Your brother was able to use his own cells. My form of leukemia, AML, required me to use donor cells. That was 5 years ago at the age of 65. It has given me a second chance at life and I’m not wasting a moment. ☺️
Plus, I get to be here on Connect where I can help give hope to others who have blood cancers and possibly heading to transplant. It’s been quite a ride but well worth the effort.