vol2 - Page 189
Page 189
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importance to their future well being than obedience to an
overbearing and inappropriate law.
!8. It may be difficult for a layman to fully under _
stands much less comprehend, the severity of the nausea and
vomiting caused by many of the chemotherapeutic agents used to
fight cancer. Chemotherapeutically_induced emesis cane in many
cases, be described as devastating to a patients
19o The vomiting induced by chemotherapeutic drugs
may last up to four days following treatment° The vomiting,
itself, is intense_ protracted and, in some instances, unendur-
able. °
20. The nausea which follows the vomiting is also
deep and prolonged° _usea may prevent a patient from taking
food or even much water for periods of weeks at a time.
214 Obviously_ nausea and vomiting of this severity
degrades the quality of life available to these patients. Not
only do these symptoms weaken the patient and make him less
able to fight his cancer, but they also destroy the patient's
will to fight his cancer. Ending treatment to escape emesis
can supersede the will to live.
22_ It has been estimated that thirty to forty
percent of patients who experienced nausea and vomiting of this
severity will decide to end their treatment. _n this way,
chemotherapeutically-induced emesis can be considered a life-
threatening consequence of many cancer treatments.
23. !nan effort to illustrate the profound dif-
ference marijuana can make in the course of a patient's
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