Well, just when you thought you had jumped through all of the hurdles… got through the surgeries and radiation, a new symptom has developed.  About the middle of May, I started to get a dry cough and some pain in my rib cage area, on the radiation (right) side. It’s pretty bad and feels like someone has taken a fist and punched me in the ribs from inside. It burns and the pain goes to 8-9/10 when I cough, take a deep breath or sneeze. It also hurts very much to lay down, and to recline in recliner.

At first I wondered at a pneumothorax (partial) but I don’t think so, as my respirations seem to be ok. It feel pleuritic, and that is what my family Dr felt as well, that it was pleuritic pain. Last week she listened to my lungs and thought I had good air entry, but she listened on side and back, not in front at lower ribcage under the breast, where it’s really hurting. I see my onco-radiologist on the 31st so will tell her about it. I suspect that she is going to tell me I have radiation pneumonitis  as it fits as to when the symptoms started. But I can’t diagnose, so I’ll hope for the best and see if it’s just something else. 🙂

I am doing the gradual return to work and am trying to do 8 hr shifts. It’s difficult with the pain now because if I get coughing it really hurts, and if I can’t splint myself fast enough, I feel it big time. I am feeling tired, but so far energy levels holding at about 70%. I am pushing myself to get back to working full time.

I’m sounding like a whiner and I don’t mean to. I am lucky, I have a job I love, I have a loving husband, dog and family, good friends, good people I work with, good Drs. It is all good, it’s just that next hurdle is all, I thought whoever had the voodoo doll and pin had finally put it away, but alas poor yoric, is not to be.

…Pam…