Cruisin with the Real"s

Cruisin with the Real"s
Joe and Nancy Grand Cayman 10-07

Loma Linda Medical Center

Loma Linda Medical Center
Where the magic happens........

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Immunosuppressants friend or foe

The body is amazing. It has the ability to recognize proteins that can do harm to itself. This is all good when we are concerned with incursions of bacteria, or a virus even the occasional fungi or mold. Sometimes it cannot distinguish between a foreign protein and one of its own then it can destroy itself. So what happens when we put a new liver (a huge mass of foreign substance) into a person. That persons body recognizes the liver as a foreign protein and mounts a massive attack to reject it. The white blood cell and all it's allies rally to eliminate this threat. Well... we want to keep this liver so we must suppress this natural defense mechanism but not much as to allow the bacteria and its allies to take over. What a dilemma. You thought that once the surgery was over the battle was won but now you find that it has only began. Enter the pharmacologist an the juggling act begins...just enough immunity to keep the body healthy, the new liver happy and the patient alive. This life long symbiotic relationship begins.
This is only one part of the marvelous adventure that Nancy is beginning
To think that that we ( man ) can do this is amazing to me.
Tomarrow we visit the social worker.... should be interesting.

1 comment:

Cruising With Karen and Bob said...

Nancy and Joe,

We are following your story and you are in our thoughts and our prayers. We know you will have a long and happy life together once Nancy has her transplant.

Take care of one another and know we are here for whatever you need.

Karen and Bob

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