Tuesday

We're finally home! Jack was released this afternoon from the hospital and is glad to be home. I'm pretty stoked myself and I think Tibor and Chase missed us too. Jack is retaining a lot of fluid still, weighing in at 50 lbs when he left today, he looks a like a little chipmunk. I foresee lots of trips to the bathroom in the next few days. (He weighs about 40lbs.) 

One of the side-effectss of the Immunotherapy is joint pain and swelling. Jack is pretty stiff and can barely walk, or maybe I should say can't walk. He can shuffle a few steps, but then we need to carefully pick him up and carry him. (And weighing in a 50 lbs, he's no feather. :)) 

We have a follow up appointment on Thursday afternoon for labs and to see the doctor. I think we'll talk about tweaking the next round of treatment. Last few days of kidney stress and fancy medical names like actute kidney failure was a bit stressful to hear. Those kidneys were mad as hell and my vote is not to irritate them again. The part of the kidneys that were injured was luckily a part that can heal itself and isn't permeant. 

So, slow and steady for the rest of the week for Jack. The only medicine Jack is allowed to take is Tylenol. He starts taking his Acutane medicine tonight, so we'll expect the dry skin and chapped lips next week. He still has a week or so before we start injections, and back to the hospital August 11th for a week of anti-body treatment. Not even going to think about going back, only R&R on our minds for now. 

Thankful for:

- Jack being released today

- Chase and Tibor decorated the house for us with welcome home balloons, confetti, signs and streamers. It looks like a party in our house. 

- no permeant kidney damage 

- and thank you to everyone who keeps Jack in your thoughts and prayers. It was a tough 8 days in the hospital. Well, more like 13 days. We only had a short recoup weekend (the weekend before last) before having to start this leg of treatment.