With the reassuring validation of a clear chest x-ray, I progressed into the realm of round 3 of my treatment journey on April 13, 2023. Prior to each treatment round, the routine blood tests and a thorough physical examination by Dr. Rajguru or one of his adept Nurse Practitioners (NP) were customary. A noticeable change caught my attention—I could feel that the lumps under my right jaw and in my right pelvic area, present before treatment, seemed to have vanished or significantly diminished. My NP confirmed that this reduction in tumor size signified a positive “clinical response,” a reassuring outcome attributed to the efficacy of the clinical trial’s top-notch treatment drugs for MCL.
A noteworthy detail emerged during this round regarding my blood platelet counts. As anticipated, they had been on a declining trajectory since the initiation of treatment, dropping from 118 before round 1 to 99 before round 2. However, on this specific day, they exhibited an unexpected improvement, surging to 140. Despite lacking a clear explanation for this anomaly, we marked it as an interesting deviation. Keep an eye out for further insights into my platelet counts, a pivotal indicator of my overall well-being.
Approaching round 3, the treatment process seemed to settle into a familiar routine, and the initial two days of treatment mirrored the protocol established in round 2.
Submitting my meticulously kept round 2 pill log to my study coordinator, I received a fresh supply of the study drug. The transition prompted a sense of continuity, yet it also served as a prelude to the upcoming rounds—rounds 4 through 6, set to unfold within the confines of UW Hospital in Madison, signaling a shift to inpatient care. As I bid farewell to Noreen with a heartfelt hug, the journey into the subsequent phases of treatment awaited at UW Hospital.