Greta--My husband underwent CAR-T immunotherapy in May-June 2018. I can tell you this much:

Make sure you have all your living accommodations set. You will be in Rochester for at least six or seven weeks, possibly longer.
Be prepared for anything to happen. This CAR-T is rough. Really rough. The side effects can happen right away--within 24 hours. My husband was in the ICU for days. One night three days following infusion, his fever was 105.4 and his heart rate 180. There is a reason why all those pre-tests were necessary. The neurological effects are rough too. The CAR-T team will put your husband through a battery of questions and simple tests several times every day. One time you husband will do pretty well. The next time, he can regress. Sometimes it's two steps forward and one step back. Other times it will seem like one step forward and two steps back. And my husband didn't have as serious a time with the neurological effects as another poster did. Have you ever been around someone with a bad head injury/concussion? I mean a really bad one. My sister had one in an auto accident in 1996 and I helped care for her (she recovered with only a couple of minor aftereffects). But the neurotoxic effects for my husband were very similar to the concussive injury my sis had. When asked during his several-times-a-day tests the team gives, your husband may not know what city he is in, and may not rememberr what he had for breakfast a half hour ago. He won't be able to draw the simplest of figures--like a hexagon. His handwriting will be affected and it will be an indecipherable scribble. His balance and ability to walk by himself will be affected--he will be taking walks with the nurses and will have to have support--a walker and a nurse waling with with him at all times. He will have some physical therapy. All this is normal. This can go on for days. But all these effects are temporary. My hubby's were gone by the time we went home. The doctors, PAs, nurses--well, everyone on the CAR-T team and on Eiseniberg 7-3 and 7-4 is stellar. They will pay very, very close attention to your husband. You, too, will be a critical part of his recovery. When they tell you that you will need to be with him 24 hours a day--they aren't kidding. You will need to be on alert for any changes in his behavior or cognition, especially when he is an outpatient. As for the outpatient clinic on 7-4, sometimes you can be there for hours--especially if your husband will need infusions of fluids, potatssium, etc. Also--one more thing--stay away from the Eisenberg cafeteria cheesecake. It's addictive. Especially with the blueberries on it. You will find yourself craving it after just one piece. You have been warned.

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