Jonathan Pitre received some good news Thursday when blood tests revealed the first sign of white blood cell growth. Tina Boileau / -

After three arduous and eventful weeks in a Minnesota hospital, Jonathan Pitre recorded his first white blood cells Tuesday in the first promising sign since his stem cell transplant.

Pitre, 16, has suffered a series of medical challenges infections, fevers, pain and kidney issues since the April 13 transplant that saw him infused with stem-cell rich blood and marrow drawn from his mother.

But on Tuesday, he finally received some good news when his blood test revealed the first sign of white blood cell growth. The test, which measures white blood cells in a unit of blood, registered 0.1.The normal range is 4.0 to 11.0

We still have to wait for skin biopsies to find out whose cells they are, but its definitely a step in the right direction, said his mother, Tina Boileau.

Last year, after his first stem cell transplant, Pitre and his mother were devastated when biopsies revealed that the white blood cells his body had started to produce were his own. It meant that the transplant had not worked, and that Pitres own stem cells had recolonized his bone marrow.

The family is taking a cautious approach this time, but Tuesdays news was much welcomed after 19 difficult days.

Today is a good day, Boileau tweeted.

A rise in Pitres white blood cell count is the first potential sign that his mothers donated stem cells have started to take root and grow in his bone marrow. But only a biopsy will be able to confirm the cells are being made by Boileaus stem cells, and not his own.

Meanwhile, Pitre will head to surgery again Wednesday to have two central intravenous lines placed in his chest. A third line, a peripherally inserted central catheter (known as a PICC line), will also be installed in case Pitre has to go on dialysis at some point to give his overworked kidneys a break.

During the past three weeks, Pitre has had a central line and a PICC line removed because of infection concerns. It has forced him to use three IVs to support all of his medications.

Boileau said it has been a trying few weeks with one medical problem being fixed only in time for another to appear. The three IVs have also complicated Pitres once-every-second-night bath routine, which is necessary to care for his damaged skin.

Jonathan and I have become very creative with all of his new lines, said Boileau, who is the only one Pitre trusts to remove and re-apply his complex welter of bandages. Its like the most complex puzzle.

Since its not a bath night, they plan to watch the Ottawa Senators play the New York Rangers on Tuesday evening.

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Some good news for Jonathan Pitre: the first white blood cells have appeared - Ottawa Citizen

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