upcoming chemo

Mom will be going through a combined regimen of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The latter involves the use of targeted radiation; the former will involve a drug that goes by the brand name Temodar. The visible side effects of this drug include nausea and vomiting; one major, but less visible, side effect is myelosuppression, which refers to the lowered capacity to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. You'll remember from biology class that red cells are associated with things like oxygen transmission/distribution throughout the body, white cells are associated with the fighting of infections, and platelets are associated with the blood's ability to clot.

For comprehensive information on Temodar-- its properties, how dosages are calculated, its side effects, etc.-- see this article, which goes on for several pages. Plenty of Temodar-related info is out there in cyberspace.


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