The results are in

[flutterbee]

Devon has mono. Never doubt your mommy instincts.

His blood sugar was also a little high - 124. They asked if he had been fasting, and although I can't be sure (he's at work), I don't think he ate anything yesterday before the test. He had slept all day and made it to school in time for last period, came home and then had the blood work done. Still, I want to pursue more testing for this since he's been sick so much. He's gotten so thin.

I'm adding vitamins and more supplements to his regimen and am going to bring him healthy snacks when he's in his room playing Rock Band.

But, I am worried about him. He looks sick. And he has for some time. I have little doubt that his mood swings are a direct result of his health.

Please keep a good thought for my boy.

 

[Hound dog]

Make sure he gets plenty of rest. Not easy with a teen boy, I know. But he's gonna need as much rest as possible to get over this. Do they let them go to school?? I remember way back when....students would be out for whole quarters due to mono....schools would provide tutors so they wouldn't get behind.

At least you know.

Hugs

 

[flutterbee]

He's expected to be at school no matter what. The doctor will write him an excuse for any days he misses (or half days, whatever), so at least they will be excused absences and he can make up the work.

 

[KTMom91]

Poor guy. Glad you got an answer. Hope he's feeling better soon.

 

[klmno]

EEeek! I'm so sorry- his plate was full enough between school and work without being sick on top of it- and with mono....I feel so bad for him, he must be miserable.

 

[DammitJanet]

I thought they were not allowed in school with mono? Cory was told he had to stay home....for probably two months I think. He was in bed for at least a month or more.

 

[flutterbee]

Are you kidding? Unless they're on death's door, the school expects them to be there. And then they wonder why kids are run down and illnesses are spread around the school.

 

[Hound dog]

Last time I checked, mono is highly contagious. And school policy says they're not allowed on school grounds while ill with something contagious. At least this is what they loved to tell me every single time Nichole came down with pink eye.

Hmmmm. Wonder what would happen if an irate parent called the Health dept or say maybe the editor of the newspaper??

They at least have to give him time for the antibiotics to work so he's not contagious.

I used to dare them to attempt to enforce that with my kids, most especially when they had an excuse from the doctor. They backed down everytime. And my kids never returned to school until they were well enough.

If I was another parent in the hs I'd be having fits knowing there was a student there with mono.......who's just started treatment. sheesh

 

[TerryJ2]

Aw, poor kid.

That's about the right age to get mono. Sometimes they get it in college ... all the studying and papers AND parties ...

It's not that contagious unless you're exchanging body fluids. Even then, it isn't that contagious. Pink eye and impetigo are far more contagious.

My sister had it. Apparently I had it at one time, because I had Epstein Barr 12 yrs ago, and you have to have mono first.

It is so hard to just stay home and sleep all day. You want to watch TV, talk to your friends, get up and go places. Interesting that the school expects him to be there. Our school would send home work, at least for the first 2 wks. He needs lots of sleep.

Don't forget to up his Vit C and echinacea. You want to boost his white count as much as possible. (But I'm sure the dr told you that.)

When does he go back for another test?

Good luck!!!!

 

[susiestar]

I am sorry he is so sick. But mono IS very contagious. I would check with the district Nurse before sending him to school again. Many times what the office and/or teachers tell you is NOT what is correct. You have to call the school board and ask for the phone number for the nurse.

We go through this every other year with thank you's Chicken pox shot. He had it the day before his first birthday - and there is a 7 day grace period, but the person at school who audits records is NEVER aware of this and sends about 20 kids home from different grades because some shot was a day too early. Then it takes the District Nurse to fix it all. Many districts only have a nurse for all the elementary schools and a nurse for all secondary schools, so it is a separate number.

I hope he can get enough rest to feel better soon. AND i hope that YOU don't get it!

 

[flutterbee]

Lisa, mono is viral so there are no antibiotics. It just has to run it's course and you manage symptoms.

I've known a couple of kids around here with mono and they had to be at school. If they have a doctor's excuse, they'll be allowed to miss. But, his teachers are already giving him carp about missing so much with this (I think he's missed 6 days in the month+ that he's had it). If he's going to be out, I can call to get his assignments, but often not all the teachers get this together and they need 24 hours notice. So, either he goes when he can or he will end up failing. But, I will call Admin on Monday and find out school policy to make sure. Often what teachers say and what policy is are different.

I've already had mono - December, 2005. I didn't know it until 14 months later that that's what it was. I put it together when blood work revealed prior mono and I put the symptoms together. I had a recurrence of it in Spring, 2007, but that's when I was on steroids for so long because of an allergic reaction. I'm not drinking after him or anything like that. He and I both are funny about washing our hands - we wash our hands a gazillion times a day. I think I'll be ok.

More than the mono, I'm just worried that he's been sick sooooo much since this summer. I suppose it's possible that he's had this since then. Some people have it a very long time and others, like one of Devon's friends, was only sick for a month.

 

[Star*]

OMG, poor baby!! Gets a street rod and has to stay home. UGH! I sure hope you can get his work sent home - he needs EXTREME rest.

Sending HUGE hugs (you know, from a distance, with a mask, and gloves, and lysol)

GET WELL DEVON -

REST! REST! REST! REST! - it's your VERY LAST chance to sleep this much WITH an excuse.

Hugs
STar

 

[hearts and roses]

Mom's always know!! I hope he is feeling better real soon~

 

[klmno]

What are the symptoms?

 

[flutterbee]

Sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and overwhelming fatigue are the biggies.

 

[Hound dog]

Heather

I'm glad you're contacting the Admin to get the policy. Maybe if the boy could get a good solid 2 wks rest he'd go on the upswing. I know it's a virus, but thought maybe they'd gave him some antibiotcs to help boost his immune system. (sometimes they do that)

Hugs

 

[gcvmom]

Hope he feels better soon, and that you don't worry too much, mom! And please keep him at arm's length -- that's the LAST thing you need to be dealing with on top of everything else!

 

[dreamer]

Oh my, that hooovers. I had mono in HS but I had to go to school and work, even with it cuz I lived on my own, and had to pay my rent etc. and I was already in trouble at school re attendance. it was SO hard. I was so exhausted all the time, and it took me almost a year to feel half normal again.

easy child and her boyfriend got mono Um a year or 2 ago. boyfriend was more sick for a shorter time, Like a month, but he was laid out flat. easy child was sick a few months, and got several other "bugs" floating around at the time, includeing pneumonia. PCs school was odd about it, and I had to fight for her to have any days off.....I had to fight HARD, which made me very angry, becuz until the mono, she had perfect attendance all her years of school. and she was in the top 2% for her grades. But, yes our school kept demanding she be at school every day....
My son got it but his did not make him feel crummy, he had some serious spleen invovlement.....he got his a year not around the time of easy child and boyfriend. He was still in elem, and a classmate of his got it and wound up so sick, he was on hhomebound for 6 months. That boy was NOT a happy camper......he was a school geek, loved school, and his parents had a very hard time dealing with the school.

Seems our schools here have these policies re illness and attendance etc, but....how they behave if you follow the policies still can land you in middle of problems. Its like they want to have their cake and eat it, too. I suppose it is becuz they have to have the illness policies, but.....then when it comes down to the wire, they d not want kids out of class becuz it affects the $$ they get? and they feel it is disruptive. SO the school as an entity wants the illness policies becuz they are the correct thing, but the school the entity also wants the $$ generated by great attendance of the masses...and the teachers and staff at school want the policies, cuz they also do not want to get sick, and they are human with feelings for the kids, but, they also do not want any increased work load due to haveing to gather a sick kids work.

School issues aside, gentle hugs to you guys.....hope he feels better soon!

 

[compassion]

difficult child had mono-found out via tests wshen she was in phospiytal. She still played JV volleyball. She was active can't keep her down. She may still have it. Time and rest from what I read are the cures. It can take 6 months or more to heal. Compassion

 

[janebrain]

I had a mild case of mono when I was in high school. The dr. said I could still go to school but nothing else (I was not happy about that). My mom wrote a note to my teachers to ask them to excuse me if I fell asleep in class. I took advantage of that to sleep during one my classes that was boriing.

On the other hand, my sister had a severe case while she was living on her own as a young adult and had to come back to my parents' house to recuperate. All she did was sleep and I hated having her around and waiting on her hand and foot!

Good luck, am glad you know what is wrong!

Jane