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In an Oct. 28, 2026, post, writer Craig Hockenberry recounted chemotherapy for lymphoma, including severe side effects and a bout of pneumonia in March. He said he completed infusions in May and has since noticed returning strength and signs that spinal nerve symptoms may be improving.
Writer Craig Hockenberry said he completed lymphoma chemotherapy infusions in May and has since regained some strength and stamina, while describing a serious bout of pneumonia and continuing spinal nerve symptoms during treatment. In a personal account published Oct. 28 on Furbo.org, he said a new sensation in the backs of his legs after a walk appeared to signal that the nerves were recovering, though he did not present that as a confirmed medical finding.
Hockenberry described receiving weekly lumbar punctures for six weeks, ending in late January, during which doctors removed spinal fluid for analysis and replaced it with methotrexate. He said the procedures were followed by severe headaches, which eased when he lay flat. He later received chemotherapy infusions of bendamustine and rituximab on a 28-day cycle. He said the first week of each cycle was especially difficult and that he often did not feel more like himself until the middle of the second week.
He reported changes in taste, fatigue, muscle loss and a 50-pound weight loss over a couple of months, which he attributed to his metabolism outpacing his food intake. He said he did not experience nausea or hair loss, although his hair lost its usual body. To keep active despite weakness and balance problems, he took daily walks with walking sticks his wife found for him. At his lowest point, he wrote, even a short walk around the block raised his heart rate to 160 beats per minute.
In March, after an infusion, Hockenberry said he developed pneumonia associated with a weakened immune system. He reported that his blood oxygen level fell below 90% and that his Apple Watch alerted him to an episode of atrial fibrillation. He said antibiotics helped him recover from the pneumonia. His doctor offered to skip the next chemotherapy cycle, but Hockenberry chose to continue. He completed his final infusions in May, after which he said his appetite, strength and walking distance gradually improved.
Treatment Complications and Recovery
Hockenberry’s account describes how lymphoma treatment affected daily life beyond the infusion appointments: painful procedures, altered taste, major weight loss, fatigue and impaired balance. His experience also included a reported infection during chemotherapy, when he said his oxygen level dropped and he received an alert about an irregular heart rhythm.
The post is a personal account, not a clinical report or guidance for other patients. It illustrates that treatment experiences can vary: Hockenberry said he avoided nausea and hair loss but faced other substantial effects. His description of possible nerve recovery is hopeful, but the account does not establish the cause of the change or confirm a medical assessment of the nerves.
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From Lumbar Punctures to Infusions
Hockenberry said treatment began with a six-week course of lumbar punctures that ended at the close of January. After that, he received bendamustine and rituximab infusions on a 28-day schedule, with a week of treatment followed by a period of recovery. He wrote that steroids given with an infusion initially made him feel more energetic, but that effect faded by the weekend.
He also said nerve damage was present before his lymphoma was discovered and continued through the infusion course. Numbness and tingling, along with difficulty walking and using stairs, became persistent concerns. Following the final infusion in May, he gradually increased his walks from short distances to a mile. At a state park, he noticed an unfamiliar sensation in the backs of his legs after bending his head forward to reach into his car, which he interpreted as a possible sign of change in his spine.
“Everyone experiences chemotherapy differently.”
— Craig Hockenberry, in his Oct. 28 Furbo.org post
Nerve Recovery Still Unconfirmed
Hockenberry said his leg sensation changed after his final infusions and that he and others believed this might mean the spinal nerves were repairing themselves. The post does not identify a medical test or clinician’s conclusion confirming that interpretation. It also does not specify the lymphoma subtype, the full treatment plan, or his current test results and disease status.
The account reports pneumonia, low oxygen and an atrial fibrillation alert, but does not give further clinical details about the heart episode or say whether atrial fibrillation was diagnosed by a clinician. The duration and extent of his ongoing nerve symptoms are also not established in the post.
Recovery After the Final Infusion
Hockenberry’s update describes a gradual recovery after his last infusion in May, with improved appetite, strength and walking distance. He did not provide a schedule for further treatment or follow-up, nor did he say whether additional tests are planned. The next meaningful update would clarify his current lymphoma status and whether his nerve symptoms continue to improve.
For now, the account offers a personal snapshot of the months after treatment rather than a full medical status report. Any conclusions about his recovery, cancer response or the cause of the new leg sensation remain dependent on information not included in the post.
Key Questions
Who shared the health update?
Craig Hockenberry published the personal account on Furbo.org on Oct. 28, 2026.
What treatment did Hockenberry describe?
He wrote about a six-week course of lumbar punctures involving methotrexate, followed by bendamustine and rituximab infusions on a 28-day cycle. He said his final infusions were in May.
What complications did he report?
He described severe headaches after lumbar punctures, changes in taste, fatigue, muscle loss, substantial weight loss and balance problems. He also reported pneumonia in March, a blood oxygen reading below 90% and an Apple Watch alert for an atrial fibrillation episode.
Has Hockenberry confirmed that his spinal nerves are healing?
No. He said a new sensation in his legs seemed to him like a sign that the nerves might be recovering, but his post does not report a medical test or clinician’s confirmation.
What is known about his current cancer status?
The post says he completed infusions in May and describes gradual physical recovery. It does not provide current test results, say whether the lymphoma is in remission, or outline a follow-up treatment plan.
Source: furbo.org
