Dave just had another regularly scheduled checkup at Mayo Hematology. He is cancer-free since the CAR-T in May-June 2018. But he's still immunosuppressed, as his pneumonia in January really affected his immune system--which hadn't really rebounded from CAR-T, of course. But RBC and platelets are back to normal range and his WBC, neutrophils, etc. counts are improving as time goes on. He hasn't been sick or had any infections since--so that is good. But since he hasn't had any repeat infections, he is not eligible for any gamma globulin protocol. But we are glad that he is feeling fine and continues to work. The big change we have is that he has a new job and we have relocated. A word of warning to other cancer patients/those with serious illnesses: It can be against the law for your employer to fire you because you've been sick, and, particularly, you've been increasing the company's health insurance rates. But what they can do is "eliminate your position" and downsize you. The company may give you severance or other benefits for a while to, well, CTA is the usual acronym. Then the company changes the name of your position and hires someone else to do the same job you've been doing. It's legal. Of course, then the person who's been downsized my not be able to find another job, afford the COBRA; or, if another job is found, have health insurance as comprehensive as what he/she had at the former job. But sometimes things do work out even after things like this happen. The moving process is never easy or smooth; finding a new house, going through the buying the new one/selling the old house, dealing with all the packing and moving. And it always it takes several months for all the boxes to be unpacked and updates are finished (like painting walls!). But one gets through it. Things could be worse.

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