Tonights thoughts are bought to you by the usual couple of red wines but also some side effects of steroids (unfortunately not the muscle building type, more the lets keep him awake and make him not sleepy – *yeah lets do that , ok lets ignore that sedative wine he is giving us and have a crazy all nighter party in his head – yeah lets do that*)

Some of you who see me in the real world on a more day to day basis, may have noticed my lazy manner lately, like walking slowly, breathing heavy (hopefully not in a creepy way), driving to school to pickup the kids, leaning against walls, sitting back and not doing much etc. I have not transformed into the new superhero of “Slugman”, just that my lungs have been feeling a bit average.

Well when I say average, to the point that I feel like I have just had another half a lung out!

I was starting to get worried, as fears do play havoc at times, that the maybe some cells had lived through the Platinum drugs of chemotherapy and the X-ray beams of radiation to make me into a superhero.

But lucky I spoke to my mad scientist wife (and greatest researcher and practical advice giver) who pointed out it could be a side effect of the radiation called Radiation Pneumonitis that comes on a good month/months/years after treatment.

As it was, I had a follow up appointment with my really nice Radiation Oncologist who is a bit like the Count of Sesame Street, he smiles and says things like “Count thirty cycles of Radiation, mwahhahhahhah” (ok not really but that is what it sounds like in my head). I explained my feelings and he smiles “Count one more CT scan, mwahhahhahhah, its probably Radiation Pneumonitis”.

So yet another CT Scan. Yes I am pro at them now, I can lay, hold my breath, breath in, hold, breath out, really well.Waited an anxious week and found out that yes I have Radiation Pneumonitis.

According the CT report (on a serious note people, always ask for a copy of the report for your own records), I supposedly have “groundglass change” and “groundglass opacities” in my left lung. GROUND GLASS – come on people I have to read this report, give me shiny diamonds, led light windows, winebottle green appearance, squeaky sand under your feet, but not groundglass in my lungs – that sounds too much like I have been in a pub fight, my heads fallen into the five day old mop bucket and I thought it would be a good idea to drink the remnants as a cocktail!! Ok it may be a correct description as I do feel like someone has winded me a few times; if a cool air hits the lungs it is like someones glassing me across the chest, but talk to your marketing people and come up with a nicer sounding description!!

Now what does this mean, well supposedly if I take some steroids called Dexmethsone, it should clear up. The Count did turn to me and smile with a slight warning of “Don’t take them too late in the day or you will be up cleaning your house all night” (wow sounded more like the old Chinese guy from the Gremlins movie – don’t feed them after midnight).

Great advice however after a few days of taking these, I got around 3 hours sleep a night for two nights then my body went into fatigue mode and finally feel into a deep sleep about 0530 in the morning – ummm when you wake up at late at 1000 how can you take the tablets really early if you are meant to eat first – ahhhhhh.

So here I am day five and out of rhythm trying to take these drugs as I woke late again today and damn you, now wide awake and hungry – ahh they make you wired, awake and hungry (yes the party is still going on in my head). Anyway that’s it for tonight as I need to hunt for food now (well not much hunting is required, I do have a kitchen with a fridge and a pantry so really it is a simple task of walking, opening and eating, but I am really hungry).

Hope you all are sleeping well.