内容摘要：“That is crazy,” Forsling said. “I didn’t know that stat. That is crazy, for sure. It’s a lot of preparation and a lot of recovery and you have to do the right things. Otherwise, you’re going to be struggling out there — because that’s a lot of hockey. And mentally, you’ve got to take days off and not think about hockey as much. I have a son now; that takes my mind off things.”

“That is crazy,” Forsling said. “I didn’t know that stat. That is crazy, for sure. It’s a lot of preparation and a lot of recovery and you have to do the right things. Otherwise, you’re going to be struggling out there — because that’s a lot of hockey. And mentally, you’ve got to take days off and not think about hockey as much. I have a son now; that takes my mind off things.”

Solutions abroad can be translated to the U.S., experts believe. For example, many European countries make it easier to get prenatal and postpartum care that involves both doctors and non-physicians like midwives, said Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, a senior vice president at the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund who studies maternal care across nations.Marie Jean Denis, left, is examined by Jennie Joseph, lead midwife and clinic director at the Commonsense Childbirth clinic. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Marie Jean Denis, left, is examined by Jennie Joseph, lead midwife and clinic director at the Commonsense Childbirth clinic. (AP Photo/John Raoux)Joseph’s organization — called Commonsense Childbirth — is a smaller-scale example of that type of care.It has clinics, a birthing center and training for health professionals. The midwives who run the program welcome vulnerable patients that other practices turn away, such as those who are uninsured or haven’t had prenatal care until late in pregnancy.

About half the patients and much of the staff, including Joseph, are people of color. Research shows Black Americans are more likely to distrust the medical system than their white counterparts, but Joseph stresses building trust.Jennie Joseph, back left, lead midwife and clinic director at the Commonsense Childbirth clinic talks with client Regine Baramore as husband Scott holds six-week-old daughter, Yahareice. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Jennie Joseph, back left, lead midwife and clinic director at the Commonsense Childbirth clinic talks with client Regine Baramore as husband Scott holds six-week-old daughter, Yahareice. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

“We have these four tenets that go with my model: access, connection, knowledge and empowerment,” she said. Some patients “cry because they’ve never had that kind of care or respect.”Still, Andrews was a little nervous and sought advice from the only other person who knew what a pig kidney transplant was like — the NYU patient, Towana Looney.

“We just prayed together and talked about how it would be,” Andrews said of their phone calls before and after his transplant. He said Looney advised “to just stay strong and that’s what I’m doing.”Doctors said Andrews’ pig kidney turned pink and quickly began producing urine in the operating room, and since then has cleared waste normally with no signs of rejection. Andrews spent the week after his discharge in a nearby Boston hotel for daily checkups but is expected to return home to New Hampshire soon.

NYU transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery said patients like those in Mass General’s pilot study could be “the sweet spot” for early xenotransplants — not yet too sick from years of dialysis but unlikely to survive long enough for a human transplant.“Those are the patients where it really makes sense for them to try something else,” said Montgomery. His hospital is one of two that will be part of United Therapeutics’ clinical trial later this year, which will include similar patients.