Virus Defined (and it has nothing to do with computers...)

So a few weeks ago when I was stressing out about my poor dear computer's CPU crash, everyone in our family was getting sick.  First my husband, then me, then the two boys.  We had fever, sore throats, viral "pink eye", coughs, headaches, and general exhaustion.  I try to avoid doctors at all costs because I am convinced you go in there with one thing and leave with a few new diseases.  Especially when you go to the pediatrician.

However, the boys both had their annual exam (they hadn't been to the Dr. in a year) so I decided to go ahead and bring them in and try to figure out what was going on.  After a quick glance at Duke's swollen eyes and red throat
 the Dr. decided we all had an Adenovirus, which confirmed my  husband's belief.  

So page forward a week later and we are all still sick.   My husband and the boys are gradually getting better, but I seem to be getting worse.  When I swallow it feels like razor blades are going down my throat, my neck is sore, I still have fever (which I never have), and my coughing and severe headaches have been keeping me awake pretty much all night.  When I do fall asleep either Duke or Imp wake me to wipe out their mucus-filled glued-shut eyes or get them some water.  

This morning I decided I had had enough and was ready to just die and get it over with.  So my dear husband told me he would take the morning off to watch the kids so I could run to the Dr. and make sure I hadn't gone into a secondary bacterial infection.  I refused at first because I knew I had a virus and they couldn't help me, but after coughing up what appeared to be small part of my lung lining while sucking on ice so I could breathe through my swollen throat, I decided to listen to his wise advice. 

So I went in one of those amazing quick clinics at the grocery store and after listening to me the incredibly nice and YOUNG PA pulled out a quick assay test and drew a blood sample.  And within minutes diagnosed me with mononucleosis.  Yes, the "Kissing Disease"...

For some reason I completely missed getting this as a teenager even though I practiced some kissing on cute guys. ;-)  And more interesting, our family of four apparently became infected at the same time (it takes 4-8 weeks to show symptoms once infected).  For the life of me I can't imagine a time we all passionately kissed or shared a drink with an infected person ;-) 

The mystery of how we got infected will probably never be solved.  My mother-in-law is convinced we got it from my mother's hot tub (she probably watched an Oprah where they talked about the dangers of hot tubs)...  :-)  Truthfully, I am just happy to know I am not some crazy hypochondriac.  I have been so fatigued that I don't even feel like working at my computer. Taking care of my sick family while I am also sick has sucked every last bit of energy from my body.  

I have many new actions I am working on (including quite a few B&W ones), so I will be posting those the next days/weeks.  Mono won't keep my from blogging.  :-)