I have had a few people ask about pancreas transplants for V.
Here's what I know:
We asked the doc about it when we scheduled the surgery. We were told that he, normally, did not do a pancreas alone, but in conjunction with a liver and/or kidney transplant. We were also told that the success rate was much less than that of other organ transplants.
At the time, having just been told that his pancreas was going to be removed, we accepted all of that without question.
Since friends and family have raised the question (I'm amazed at how many people have had a pancreas transplant!) I did a wee bit of research.
According to the Mayo Clinic site a pancreas transplant is one method of treating Type 1 Diabetes, but only when other methods fail.
The wait is several years or longer.
It's normally done with a kidney transplant.
70% of people who successfully receive a kidney-pancreas transplant have a functioning pancreas after 5 years.
53% of people who successfully receive a pancreas only transplant have a functioning pancreas after 5 years.
The procedure can fail.
Then it goes on to list the side effects of the anti-rejection drugs.
V would have traded the insulin-enzyme regimen for an anti-rejection regimen (and all of its bad side effects), with only a 1 in 2 chance that it would work for 5 years.
Plus, the doc didn't want him to wait. He was certain that the, currently, benign tumor would not stay benign for the next 5 years. Waiting was a big risk.
Better the known than the risk.
Did I say I was going to stay away from barley for awhile?
I lied.
Barley, Ham and Green Bean Salad
1/2 cup quick cooking barley
1 cup chicken stock
10oz (300gr) ham
8oz (250gr) green beans
1 avocado
1 tomato
2 tbs fresh, snipped chives
Mustard Vinaigrette
Cook barley in chicken stock until tender.
Top and tail beans. Cut into 1 1/2" (4cm) lengths. Blanch in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove, drain and refresh in cold water.
Cut ham into bite-size pieces. Slice avocado and tomato. Make vinaigrette
To finish: Put barley into a large bowl. Add beans, ham, chives and vinaigrette, Stir to combine. Divide and spoon onto 2 plates. Arrange half of the avocado and tomato on each plate.
Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tbs whole grain mustard
2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
1 tbs sherry vinegar
1/2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs olive oil
Whisk all ingredients until well combined.
BTW: Vern, apparently, was a bad boy and messed up his Weekend Leave. He had been told he would get out on Wed. but today they informed him it would be Friday.
I believe he is hatching an escape plan. He told me this evening that he left the hospital today, and found the local tram station. He was gone for 3 hours and no one missed him.
