Good Housekeeping

My room mate had been poorly for a week or so, but overnight his tonsils swelled to the size of a walnut. A trip to the campus health service immediately led to the diagnosis: Mononucleosis. So I have since turned into a Corpsman for my friend.

Mononucleosis, known as "mono", glandular fever, or colloquially as "the kissing disease", is a virus infection affecting the lymphocytes (a part of the immune system). Its symptoms are severe fatigue, swollen lymph nodes around the body, joint pain, muscle soreness, sore throat and potentially flu-like symptoms. Furthermore, the infection of the immune system makes the patient more likely to contract further diseases, such as a bacterial throat infection. Although it is non-fatal, there is no treatment other than symptom-relief, and it can take up to 2-3 months to fully recover. The virus spreads through saliva, so by sharing cups, cutlery, toothbrushes or by kissing, but it is not airborne - hence I have not been panicking about finding a new room mate.

The main impediment to the patient is fatigue, which makes it harder to maintain a normal, fast-paced lifestyle. The virus also affects the spleen, liver and the abdomen, meaning no alcohol and limited fatty foods. Furthermore, the patient should refrain from any contact sport, as a blow to one of the affected organs could cause internal bleeding and potentially be life threatening. So for an athletic footballing college senior in America on exchange with two months left, it is a utterly miserable situation.

Hence my desire to try to help as much as I can. He has been bedridden for the last 3 days, sleeping sporadically with fatigue, headaches, joint pain and a sore, swollen throat. Medication was limited to painkillers, and he was in no condition to go outdoors, let alone do any kind of work. So I have tried to maintain a steady stream of soup, milky tea with honey, and yoghurt every 6 hours to ensure he is somewhat nourished, making sure he drinks other fluids than just water to keep up his electrolyte balance, and trying to alleviate the worst element of lying ill: boredom.


Today was a change of events. He felt considerably worse, his throat swelling up even more, so he went for another check-up at the clinic. Here he got pumped full of saline, painkillers, steroids to reduce the swelling in his throat, and antibiotics for a recently contracted strep throat - he thus looked considerably better this evening, although severely drugged up. However, the steroids lower his already weak immune system, so when my late class got cancelled, I took it as a sign to turn our dusty bachelors den into a somewhat sterile infirmary.

After a quick shopping spree for cleaning utensils, my time in the military was put to good use: The place was vacuum-cleaned spotless, all dust wiped of surfaces with anti-viral wipes, all our laundry was done, including all bed sheets and pillow cases. The duvets were hung outside to get aired, and all items he had been in contact with were thoroughly washed or completely disposed of. Hopefully this will mean he is less susceptible to contract anything else, and he should be back to class on Monday (hopefully) and in some decent shape for Thanksgiving. Till then, I'll keep the orange juice and take-away meals coming!