Can a hodgkins lymphoma survivor go to his college?

Hi @darshsingh1 Having cancer and going through treatments is difficult at any time in our lives. But this is certainly a blow to a young person of 21 in the prime of their life. The good news is that this usually responds well to treatments and if all goes according to plan, you’ll be able to have a productive life ahead.
But right now chemo treatments intended to rid your body of cancer cells will also take a toll on your body. Cancer cells are rapidly dividing cells. Chemo targets these rapidly dividing cells, destroying them. However, your body also has other rapidly dividing cells such as your blood cells, cells in the lining of your mouth, stomach, intestines, hair follicles…these become impacted with chemo as well. So you may have some side effects such as extreme tiredness, possible nausea and hair loss. Appetite suffers too. Weight and muscle mass loss are not uncommon.

Chemo is generally given in monthly cycles. So by the middle of the cycle you’ll reach a very low ebb of energy as your blood cell numbers drop. Then they start regenerating and you might feel pretty good right before the next round of chemo.

To answer your question, yes, your body may become a little weaker with subsequent rounds of chemo. It may take longer between rounds for the body to recover. At least it did for me.

As you’re going through treatment, your immune system is also very compromised, meaning you’re more vulnerable to infections, colds, viruses, etc., so being in a public setting such a university does run risks of infection.

The most important thing you can do for the success of your treatments and recovery is to use this time to rest. I do know of some students who are taking college courses while under chemo. They were able to do much of the workload at home and their own pace. They discussed the situations with their professors and counselor to come up with a feasible plan. However, this really will depend on how you’re feeling.

We do have other members in the forum who also have/had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and share their experiences in several discussion. Here is a link to one: (more can be found by typing in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the upper search bar)
Any Survivors of NHL out there?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/any-survivors-of-non-hodgkins-lymphoma-out-there/

There is no shame in taking the time off. You need to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard. Sleep, eating healthy foods, getting enough protein and drinking plenty of water will help your body recharge between cycles.
Are you away from home while you’re getting treatment? Do you have family or friends nearby for support?

no i am not away from home i do live with my family, even during the time of my hospital visit my dad or my mom goes with me, also i wanna know if i can like add some exercises into my daily life ? would that be okay ? and have a cheat meal like once a month from a restaurant? like kfc or dominoes ?

Having some support right now is really important so I’m relieved to see you live at home. Built in support team! ☺️
You definitely can add some exercises to your daily activities. I found it to be really helpful when I went through chemo. It made me feel better to be active. I walked daily, lifted small weights and used stretch bands to keep my muscle mass healthy. Though I will admit there some days it was a challenge to even get out of bed! So pace yourself and keep things slow to moderate. Your body will tell you when to rest. But any exercise is good!

I found this article was an interesting read about the benefits of sticking with exercise while going through chemo. https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/is-it-ok-to-exercise-during-chemotherapy#tips

As for your diet, of course healthy foods are optimum, but if you’re hungry for KFC or Dominoes, I’d say go for it! Sometimes we need comfort food. I would avoid too much grease or hot/spicy foods though. Chemo can be a bit rough on the intestinal tract. If you have any signs of diarrhea or stomach pain, let your cancer team know. Those are times you’ll want to avoid less healthy foods. But occasionally, it’s ok to cheat on food. ☺️ Also, one thing you can add to your daily diet to help improve your gut health is non-fat Greek yogurt with live cultures.

A word of caution if you’re eating out at a restaurant. Keep in mind that your immune system will be weak while you’re on chemo. So mask up in public settings or gatherings of family and friends. It’s good to avoid close contact with people who are ill. But it’s also important for you to try to keep as much normalcy in your life as possible…though nothing feels normal right now, does it?

What have you decided about continuing with college right now?

well actually i havent came up with the decision rn but for whats most important ill do take my rest of a period of 6 months till my chemo is over , but would ask them if it could be possible for them to provide me a way of taking it online from home or if theres another way so i can keep up with my studies, but for now i have joined a virtual internship like its just for a time period of one month so atleast i could keep myself busy till then .

@darshsingh1, there’s a monthly Zoom group of young adults living with cancer that you can join. It might be good to connect with others like you like @ptljesus @annalise @jessica0 @nicolecodega and others who get it.

The next meeting is March 6. Here’s more information about time and how to connect:
- Young Adult Cancer Support Group Meeting: Y.A. Me Too https://connect.mayoclinic.org/event/aya-adolescents-and-young-adults-support-group-meeting-y-a-me-too-1-e72d190c/

What are you studying? How are you doing?

well i am studying law , and doing great, but i also noticed i started to lose my hairs like even when i comb them alot of my hairs came out idk how to feel , btw how are you ? and yes id love to join the meeting