Jonathan Pitre discharged from hospital
Posted Oct 11, 2017 04:23:34 PM.
Last Updated Oct 12, 2017 06:52:07 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA–It’s an encouraging milestone for Ottawa’s ‘Butterfly Child.’
Jonathan Pitre, now 17, was released from the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on Monday, as he continues to make progress following a second stem cell transplant to treat his painful and rare skin blistering disease.
Jonathan’s mother, Tina Boileau, has spent nearly every minute with her son at the hospital, sleeping on a couch in his room.
“We actually have to get used to a different kind of environment,” she said. “We’re so used to having nurses come in every time and just having beeps from his I-V pole all the time. It’s been very quiet.”
Jonathan still has to go back to the hospital for appointments and monitoring, but he’s really happy to see the healing of his skin, and to be feeling better.
“It’s been a big turn around since approximately three weeks ago,” he said. “Something clicked and I started feeling better.”
Jonathan and Tina dealt with some setbacks following the second transplant that included respiratory infections, and gallbladder problems.
He called seeing the wounds on his skin close “the biggest plus in our life right now,” adding he loves tackling the work of occupational and physical therapy, to restore lost muscle tone from being bedridden, as well as develop some flexibility.
“I feel good again,” he said. “Like I’m fixing myself.”
