Thursday 2/29/08

Actually, today and yesterday have been pretty good days for Jessica. She came home at lunch (Lucy brought her), but she didn't go to sleep. So, a couple of days without a nap! Yesterday we even went to see Mia after school/work, and she played with her some on the ground. (The doctor said she can't ride her yet.) We went to the doctor Wednesday for more tests, and her white blood count was back up in the normal range. He said he thought she'd peaked and was going to be getting better. At the time, I was skeptical, because we've thought she was getting better before too, only to have setbacks. But we have had 2 good days since. I hope she is getting better! Of course by 8:00 last night she was really tired and ready for bed. The doctor had set up an appointment next Tuesday with an Infectious Disease doctor at Children's Hospital just to confirm that there wasn't anything else going on.

Thursday 2/28/08

Today was a good day - the first day in such a long time that she's made it through a whole day of school. And without a nap during the day. She's tired now, and in bed. But, we'd like to hope that this could be the start of more good days! At her doctor's appointment yesterday, her white blood count was up in the normal range, so that's good news. They've set up an appointment with a specialist at the Children's Hospital for next week.

Monday 2/25/08

Jessica stayed home today.

Thursday 2/21/08

My daughter has been sick with mono for the past 6-1/2 weeks. She's been weak, tired (worn completely out), her legs like noodles, and her body like jello, had difficulty breathing, and side hurting (from enlarged spleen), etc. The doctor said this can last 6 months. I guess she'll have her good days and bad days; and there's nothing we can do except rest and wait it out, which makes me feel helpless. She goes to school as she can.

Yesterday and today haven't been good days for Jessica. My mom stayed with her for part of the day yesterday, and said that was the worst she's seen her. But of course she hadn't seen her a few weeks ago in the evenings. I took her to the doctor yesterday to do blood work and check for flu since her whole body was hurting. No flu, but the mono was still positive and her white blood count was low. I just stayed home all day today. She was worn out, her legs like noodles, and didn't want to get up to get out of bed at all. 6-1/2 weeks is a long time of this! There's evidently nothing they can do. So she just sleeps it off.

She had what they decided was mono last year, but it wasn't this bad or this long.

Wednesday 2/13/08

Evidently there's nothing you can do for mono except rest, lots of rest. Jessica stayed home this morning, couldn't make it to school again. So, I stayed home for a while, slept, and my mom came over and relieved me. Jessica made it to science class at 1:30.

Her teachers have been great. I had emailed her science teacher today saying that she was coming in for science class, but she wasn't ready for today's test and could she take yesterday's test instead. He called me saying she didn't have to come in if she didn't feel up to it, and he was exempting her from today's test. Her civics teacher has also exempted her from some tests. I've emailed and sent several notes and doctor's notes. The last one covered the next couple of weeks, and she will just go to school as she can. Her spleen is enlarged, but they did an ultrasound last week, and evidently they've seen them a whole lot bigger. (Hers was a 14; should be a 12; but they've been as large as 22.) She just has to be careful not to get it hit or do anything physical. Evidently hers is hurting some because she has a small frame. We want her to be well!

Wednesday 2/13/08

Jessica's still struggling with the mono. The doctor said it was Epstein Barr Mono which could last 6 months. In looking that up online, it got me even more confused, because it looks like all mono is epstein barr. But this is our 6th week of it. She couldn't make it to school yesterday or today. The doctor had said she'd have her good days and bad days. Saturday was a good day, and she even played with her horse. Today she's worn out and her side is hurting from her (enlarged) spleen. I wish I could do something to make it all go away for her. She has missed so much school. Some days she's gone and we brought her home during lunch and dance class to sleep, and then back for science. At least she had her harder classes last semester. So far, she's been able to keep up fairly well.

Friday 2/8/08

Jessica has been sick for the past 5 weeks (starting 1/6/08) with pnuemonia and then mono - weak, tired (worn out), difficulty breathing, and side hurting (from enlarged spleen), etc. She was having difficulty breathing in the evenings. I'm not talking about being stopped up, but it was like she couldn't get enough air and she was huffing and puffing, panting, fast breathing all night long like she'd run in a race until she was so worn out that she finally went to sleep. Today at her (6th!) doctor's appointment, they got results showing that she has Epstein Barr Mono, which can last 6 months. I guess she'll have her good days and bad days, and there's nothing we can do except rest and wait it out. And she'll go to school as she can, which may mean coming home every day during lunch and dance class to sleep. Please pray for her speedy recovery and strength.