The "It's Not Really The 'Kissing Disease'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking to someone about a mutual friend who has been diagnosed with the "kissing disease," otherwise known as mononucleosis.  Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and is spread from person to person by contact.  Even though it is known as the "kissing disease," only a small number of people actually contract it by kissing.  It usually is spread by sharing drinks, coughing on someone or sneezing in someone's face.  And, it can remain in the saliva of a person for up to 18 months.  A high number of infections occur in early childhood and are never diagnosed.  It has been reported that about 95% of adults carry antibodies which means they more than likely had the disease as a child.  The disease causes more serious compilations the older you are when you get it.  My family is a good example of that.  Our oldest son had mono when he was a freshman at Villanova University.  He was diagnosed with it just before Christmas vacation and spent a week in the hospital because of dehydration.  He returned home, but on New Year's day had neck pain and a large lump on his neck so he went to the emergency room.  A lymph node in his neck had become infected so they drained it and placed a tube in it which was attached to a bag placed on his chest.  My wife had to empty the bag periodically.  Really grossed out all who came to see him as well as his family.  He lost quite a bit of weight, but returned to Villanova for the start of the second semester.  Since he was on a baseball scholarship, he began to work out after his return.  Found out he shouldn't have done that when he returned home to show us his shoulder blade in the back.  We took him to the family doctor and he was diagnosed with a winged scapula which means the shoulder blade separated from the muscles in his back.  Took forever to recover, but he ended up having a great freshman year pitching for the Wildcats.  Two years later our daughter, a junior in high school, was diagnosed with mono.  She was feeling ill and began coughing up blood.  Another trip to the doctor and the blood test showed mono.  She missed about two weeks of school while home recuperating.  Then, two years after that our youngest son ended up in the hospital for a few days with mono.  He was so dehydrated he needed quite a few bags of liquid to hydrate him.  He came home and was scheduled to take a trip to England with his church youth group two weeks later.  Never made it, but our assistant minister, who was the youth pastor, allowed him to take the trip to England two years later even though he was no longer in high school.  Then, are you ready for this, in 2012 my wife was diagnosed with mono!  At the age of ... well she was older than the kids when she got it.  We have no idea how she got it, but she was quite ill for a few weeks.  She missed my 50th year high school reunion which I had to attend without her.  A card was passed around to my classmates by another member of my class and I was able to take it home for her to read all the "Get Well" messages.  There is no known treatment except plenty of rest and lots of fluid.  The spleen needs to be protected, since it usually swells with mono.  The spleen is an important part of the blood system and immune system, but can be removed if necessary, because of disease or rupture, usually without many problems.  If you have ever had mono or know someone who has had it, you know how serious it may be.  And, it isn't necessarily spread by "swapping spit" as has always been thought.  As for me, well I'm well aware of what can happen, but hope I may be one of those who had it as a child and never found out.  Heavens, the last thing I need is mono, especially after having just about every other disease, sickness and physical disability in the past few years.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.