Illness Update

We've been on a bit of a rollercoaster since Paul started feeling sick on Tuesday. As I said earlier, the doctor at the clinic in Welland suspected Mono but their facilities don't have blood testing. We decided to see how he felt the next day to determine whether we should go to Buffalo for more testing.

I got to his apartment Wednesday morning to make him some breakfast and the first thing he said was, "We are going to Buffalo." So, we got a little bit of eggs into him and headed off. Many thanks and praises to God for Buffalo only being half an hour away from the border. The first hospital we got to, Buffalo General Hospital, were tight lipped about expenses, but I went ahead and saw a doctor about the possibility of me getting tested for Mono. She said that it would be pointless for me because it would probably turn up negative regardless if I had it since it's so soon after Paul having acute symptoms. If I was sick in a few weeks then I would know, if not, then I wasn't infected. So far I'm still feeling fine.

Since that hospital would tell us nothing about expenses (yes, we checked with the billing department), we decided to head to another urgent care facility in West Seneca. They were very gracious and took care of us immediately. About half an hour later we had confirmed Mono. Paul spent the rest of the day sleeping and being an obedient patient for me, dutifully taking his coconut oil, echinacea, and eating healthy. I don't know if it's the lack of energy, but his patience and obedience is making things a lot easier on me.

Today I went to see him for breakfast and he seemed to be doing a little better. I went back at lunchtime and he was well enough to be oogling a car in the parking lot when we walked outside for a few minutes ;) Then, just before I got off work he texts me asking me if he could drive to the store to get pizza. Of course I told him no, but that made me feel very encouraged. He had an appetite, was feeling energetic enough to go somewhere, etc. I told him if he forewent the pizza then he could go to the team picnic for 15-20 minutes and see people. We went to the team picnic for about 15 minutes and he seemed ok there which was good. I brought him back home and had him rest until I came back later with some groceries.

By the time I got back around 9:15 he was not looking so good...his ear has been bothering him all day and I think the pain is increasing. This is common with Mono, because of all the pressure of the lymph nodes. If it continues to stay bad we may have to go back to the doctor to get him some steroids.

It was hard being in the office without him today; I had no one to tell me that what I was doing looked awful =P I'm praying hard that he won't have to go home, but if that's what God wants him to do and if that's what he needs to do then I will have to try and be ok with that. I must admit how frustrated I am that this has happened now, in the middle of what I thought would be an awesome summer together. Paul summed it up very well this evening, "This sucks."


I do praise God that this didn't happen during school year which probably cause him to take longer to finish. We're also in a place where he can get medical help if needed. We're surrounded by people who even after knowing us for just a few weeks and doing everything they can to help us. Truly, we serve a good God. 


So to sum up: please pray for Paul that he will be able to get the rest he needs and for the pressure in his lymph nodes to reduce so that his ear doesn't hurt. Ultimately, pray that he be completely healed. Help him to find the good in this experience and to not be discouraged and scared. Pray that I will make the right decisions, be ok with the right decisions, and take the best care I can of him. Thank you so much for following along and reading.