Hello CAR-T patients and survivors,

I'm Sunil from Michigan. I was diagnosed with DLBCL in '23. I went through radiation and 6 cycles of R-CHOP. I rang the bell, went through IV methotrexate cycles, and after the last treatment, I was told I was in remission/cured. 6 months later, the cancer was back. My first symptom at the time was severe abdominal pain....later misdiagnosed as pancreatic cancer.
My memory of the next part is extremely hazy, but this is what my wife told me. I was approved for CAR-T. Went through counseling, chemotherapy, and radiation. T cells were harvested, modified, and infused back into me. This was done on December 18, 2023. A day later, I was in the ICU. Christmas Eve, I was put on a vent. I had a severe case of cytokine release syndrome (CRS). I had brain swelling, CMV viremia, Clostridium difficle infection...and many other symptoms etc.
After 1 month in the ICU, I was transferred to a step-down unit for a couple of weeks and finally released. I lost 40 lbs, couldn't walk, lost significant memory, and was severely depressed. For months, I had appointments with my doctor at the stem cell clinic 2x a week. Over the months, I've received blood transfusions, platelet infusions, IgG infusions, and shots to treat neutropenia. Since the beginning of the year, I've gone from not being able to walk without a walker/wheelchair to slowly walking 3 miles a day. The neuropathy and joint pain make exercising a challenge. I've started back to the gym to lift light weights, and I plan on going back to work after Labor Day. My memory regarding work is back to normal, but there are many things that I still don't recall, including all my time in the ICU and the step-down clinic. I forgot my father passed away and don't remember my children graduating from high school, college, and post-graduate programs. In the beginning, I even forgot I was married or how old my wife and children were. The months after I came home were dark days indeed.
It's been a tough journey, but I feel it was well worth it. I had a PET scan this week and see my oncologist in 2 days. If this latest PET is clear, I probably will be released from the stem cell clinic. I'm very anxious about getting the results of the PET scan and am trying to keep my mind from going down the dark path.
Thank you for allowing me to express myself.