Board of Social Concerns Page

For Our Souls, Minds, and Bodies:

Our Minds and Spirits:
    For “The simple act of paying attention can go a long ways.” ~ Unknown

For Our Bodies:
    For There is a disease that experts fear we pay too little attention to: mononucleosis, a.k.a. “the kissing disease”. The reason our attention has waned with this disease, is probably because Epstein-Barr virus (the herpes virus that causes mono) is so common. It is believed that around 95 percent of adults in the United States have been infected by the age of 35 to 40 years of age. Once we have the disease, we are immune. Also, many of us who become infected will never even display symptoms. Still, this disease can alter the lives of many for several months or longer.

    For The worst symptoms are experienced by young adults and adolescents. Approximately 35 to 50 percent will develop multiple symptoms, and these symptoms will take months to resolve.

    For Mono is spread through saliva, and has an incubation period of about 4-8 weeks. We can protect ourselves by avoiding sharing food, drinks and utensils; covering our coughs; and avoiding kissing (admittedly, that’s a tough one). Symptoms include: fatigue; weakness; sore throat (perhaps a strep throat that doesn’t get better with antibiotics); fever; swollen lymph nodes in the neck and/or armpits; swollen tonsils; headache; skin rash; loss of appetite; soft, swollen spleen; night sweats. Most of these symptoms will ease after a couple of weeks, but the fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and spleen may last for several months.

    For Enlargement of the spleen is always a risk and requires that we rest and avoid strenuous activity until it resolves. Problems with the liver are also a possibility (hepatitis, jaundice). Anemia, thrombocytopenia (low count of platelets), inflammation of the heart, complications with the nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome) are less common complications, but possibilities. Also, mono is much more serious in people who have impaired immune systems.

    For Once symptoms are noticed, we should see our doctor.   Although there are no medications that cure this illness, we will need tracking. The doctor may also choose to treat some of the symptoms with medications like corticosteroids. We’ll need to drink lots of fluids, use over-the-counter pain medications if we have pain or a fever (avoiding aspirin on children under age 16), and gargle with salt water to ease the sore throat. Returning to sports or other vigorous activity will have to wait until we feel completely normal again.

    For With this illness, the more rest we get, the sooner we will recover. Returning to our usual schedule too soon can increase the risk of a relapse. For students, this can be a difficult time, causing them to lose as much as a semester of school time, so they will need support and encouragement. This is an infection that demands rest and patience. Remember: pay attention to symptoms, then seek help.

PEGGY BEZRUKI, LAKE EDGE PARISH NURSE
February 2012 "Bell" Newsletter