I have now officially had my first overnight stay at a hospital! Whoo hoo! Saturday my throat slowly continued to swell closed. At one point I started to panic and cry, so Denny called a nurses line after we tried everything we could think of to bring some comfort to my aching throat, head and ears.

I'm so thankful that we called the nurses line, they asked a few questions and then demanded that Denny hang up and call an ambulance. He took me to emergency himself, but God's timing was perfect. By the time I had checked into emergency at just before 4 pm and was sitting in the waiting room, my neck was swollen to about 3-4 inches larger than normal, my breathing was shallow because my throat was so swollen. My tongue was swelling and I was starting to feel dizzy, like I was going to fall asleep. While we were waiting for my name to be called, my lips began to swell and get tingly - so we ended up having to go and ask to get in right away.

They made immediate room for me in the ER and got me an IV and I sat in a chair in the ER for 5 hours. The Benadryl made me SO sleepy, but I was in a chair, so I had to sleep sitting up. After I think 3 hours they told me they needed to admit me for a couple days, but I had to wait for a bed to open up. So, I say there, exhausted for a couple hours.

Denny went home to get me some things and was gone for an hour or so, still no bed. Finally just after 9:00 a bed was available, but I had to stay in the ER section for the night. OY! If it wasn't for the morphine and the drugs, not sure what the point of being in the hospital ER is, cause I wasn't getting much rest!

My nurse said it was the busiest night he'd seen since he started a few months ago. They had 2 stabbings come in, one of them was screaming for nearly 40 minutes. In the end, they opened his chest and actually had to massage his heart, but he died. Then 6 people from his family came in and they were crying for a while. There was drunk and stoned people screaming all night, the doctors were being paged "Code Blue STAT!" all night. The guy on my left had bad the poopers real bad and a phlegm problem, the guy on my right was in restraints because he was crazy. He woke up every 1/2 hour to 40 minutes screaming, "Help! Nurse! Get me out of here!" Plus the "F" word every other word. By the time 5 am rolled around, I made a fist and told my nurse I'd help him. The nurse thought it was funny, but the guy heard me and called me a "B*tch". Good thing he was tied up!

So, I was all excited on Sunday when they said they were moving me out of that room, I thought I'd get more sleep - they moved me to Pediatrics! Still in the ER> So, I got to have a change of scenery and got to hear little children crying and screaming in agony all night as doctors took candies out of their ears, gave them blood tests, stitched cuts - ya, that was better! At one point, I begged my nurse to give me something just so I could pass out and fall asleep, I didn't get more than 40 mintues sleep total at any one time before some screaming or activity would wake me up. Plus, they come in and wake you to check your vitals every hour.

I was so bored because there was no TV of course since I wasn't in the ward and walking around with my IV pole was exhausting, reading was hard because my eyes couldn't focus. So, I sat there a lot. Visiting hours were only from 2-8, so I was EXTATIC when Denny came on Sunday afternoon. He sat with me the whole 6 hours, even when they gave me morphine and knocked me out, he stayed by my side until they made the announcement visiting hours were over. He massaged lotion into my feet, he read my book to me, brought me magazines. Man - he's the best husband ever! I love him so much!

So - when they said I was allowed to come home Monday, I was itchin for them to discharge me. I was going mental in there. My meals consisted of clear fluids, because until late Sunday night I couldn't even swallow my own saliva, so I had to be able to swallow before I could leave. So, I had jello and water, juice and broth to eat for all my meals. My IV was feeding me the fluids I needed and strong antibiotics and steriods for swelling.

I was up at 4:00 am that morning WAITING and WAITING for a doctor to come and discharge me. They didn't discharge me until 10:00. Mom came to get me and I was home by 11:30, filling my perscription for more steroids and liquid antibiotics.

So, my first ever stay at a hospital, wasn't pleasant, but I'm thankful I was there because I can breathe and swallow. They always ask you how your pain is from 1-10, 10 being the worst. When I went to the hospital, I was a 10 (well, I say I was a 12 - drama queen rating) and when I left, I was a 3 - so thank God for drugs and doctors! If Denny hadn't called and made that decision as I was telling him I was getting worse, who knows what would have happened as my throat was closing. I was starting to pass out in the ER, so I'm glad it didn't happen at home - God had His hand on us!

It's 4:30 in the morning and I couldn't sleep, so I thought this might put me out. My nasal passage is still swollen, so I can't breathe out my nose and breathing in my mouth for hours dries it out and makes my throat sore, so I thought I'd get up for a bit and re-hydrate myself. Sounds like I'm a fish that fell out of it's tank!

Tonight was the first night in like close to 2 weeks I've slept in the bed with my husband - that's a blessing I THANK God for! Last night Denny & I watched TV for a while, then we turned on a worship DVD and sat on the floor in the dark and just worshiped together. I couldn't sing, but I cried a little and worshiped and prayed. That was one of the nicest moments I've had since we got back from our honeymoon. It was very romantic, even though I look the way I do and feel like this, God gave us a really nice time together before we went to bed. God is good.

Isn't this cute? It's a plushy you can get on-line of a mono cell. Awwww.

I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I made a caserole yesterday and nearly killed myself. I got in trouble from my husband and Charlie. So, today I'm trying not to do as much - but it's SO HARD!

I miss my husband so much! I can't kiss him, can't sleep with him (in BOTH aspects of the word) and he's gone most of the day and goes to bed before I'm tired cause he has to work.

We both feel like we live separately right now, like before we were married.

It's not all bad - I laughed last night. It was fun. That was the first time I was even able to crack a smile in three days. Ya, that was good times! I've even gotten a get well card! I've never had one of those before! That's something to be thankful for!

I was watching Joyce Meyer this morning and had to stop. You know how when you're on the verge of tears, you get that little sore throat when your face really starts to get into the cry? YA - it's a lot like someone putting a hot poker in the back of my throat right now, so feeling convicted by a television evangelist, not high on my list of fun things to do while I'm sick.

Since I still can't talk on the phone I can't even write about anyone else's life. I heard Charlie has started running - hello!? That rocks! I'm proud of her! I must say my "Never run unless you're being chased by a cop, dog, or it's raining and you have straight hair" motto is not being followed - but I'm proud of her for taking that step. And even if I didn't have the nightmarish kissing disease, I can't say I'd be jealous.

And, since I don't know about what else is happening with anyone, I'll start a rumor - she's going to run in the New York marathon and take me with her to coach her. We'll be staying at Trump Tower, penthouse suite. We've been invited by the mayor to attend a gala event at the Guggenheim where we will meet several - yes, you should be jealous, celebrities! We will first be treated to a shopping spree at Vera Wang by Oprah Winfrey who has also arranged a guided tour of New York and it's finest fire hall by none other than...you guessed it...Matthew Mcconaughey.

Sorry, I must apologize for that little tale. I have been hallucinating an aweful lot during my half-hour SLEEP MARATHONS. Hard to tell what reality is. Sleeping with mono is like going to sleep for what feels like a year: you wake up a completely different person every time.

So, since it's called the "kissing disease, I thought I might as well bring it up. All those well-meaning relatives and friends like to suggestively ask, “what you’ve been up to,” while most people will at least mention it once when you say why you’ve been MISSING for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Yes, I have been "missing" my husband. All I can say is, I will do anything to make sure Denny does not get this. In my mind, MONO feels like a Man-Cold to a man every time he's sick. So I can JUST imagine what it would be like to see Man-MONO! Lord - hear my prayers!!

And of course, there's all those people that have had mono that either laugh at you because they'be been through it, or they tell you how to get over it as quickly as possible. I have had e-mails and homeopathic books sent to me - like everyone I know is a doctor. Hee hee...I know they're just trying to help...and I appreciate it. I have been popping vitamins every 3 hours - I WILL BE WELL!!!!! (picture me shouting that at the top of my lungs, my head thrown back, standing on the kitchen table pounding my chest)

Okay I'm leaving with a computer kiss - ha ha - I just gave you Mono!!

Luvz!

Well - how do I look? I think this is a good picture! I was feeling at the top of my game here. I have been to the doctor 3 times and to emergency once already since last Friday. Tomorrow is officially a week I've been suffering with this throat and gland infection. And it's about 5 weeks of being sick for this stint. My doctor had to write me a note to stay off work until AS LEAST October 23rd. Wasn't my boss THRILLED to hear that? NOT! I think I'll be punished for a long time for this.

The pain last night from 1-10, 10 being the worst was a 12. Last night I took the first 8 steriod pills of my 5-day treatment and it made me feel like an 8 this morning! Now I'm at about a 9-1/2 again. SO, hoping the next dose I just took either kills me or brings me back to life!

So far, I've watched an entire season of Smallville and I'm halfway through watching Season 4 of 24. I pretty much sleep for a half hour at time, then I wake up choking because the hole at the back of my throat is so small, I can't swallow or breathe.

I wish I could say I'm being a "drama queen", but this really does suck. I'm trying really hard not to "go-there" and believe everything Dave & Gerry said about mono - but tonight while I was hallucinating between asleep and awake. I actually made peace with God, because I was sure that God let me get married, just so I could die!

Well - this is me signing off for the night, I hope you enjoyed my depressing view of the first week of mono.

Love you all!

Abbi and I are sitting on the couch like lumps, like we've been doing all weekend. Denny went to Thanksgiving dinner tonight without me, dinner at my parents nearly killed me last night - so I have to miss turkey tonight.

Turns out I have mono and I have the worst infection in my throat that I could have ever imagined! I've never been so sick before. I'll be sitting around with my butt on the couch again tomorrow, trying to get better. I can't even fully open my mouth to talk yet!

It's so frustrating being this sick. I feel so bad for Denny because I can't do ANYTHING! It's hard for him to see me like this, because he's used to me pushing myself to get things done, take care of him, make dinner, clean, work hard. Poor guy. But, he's so awesome - he's taking awesome care of me and he bought me flowers today for our "one-month" being married anniversary.

I keep praying he doesn't get sick. It's one thing when you're sick - but it's so hard when someone gets sick because of you, and I know it would be really hard if he had it too. (He doesn't get paid for sick days!) I can't afford to take anymore sick days after tomorrow, it'll just pile up for me and I'll be more stressed when I get back to work - it's the busiest time of year!

Speaking of praying, it seems like I don't even have the energy to do much of that lately either. I feel really disconected from God right now - I really am disappointed that I don't make more of an effort. THAT is what I should be praying about!

I know, I know it's been a LONG time! It's been a crazy and busy year. So much has happened and I'm excited about what's to come.

I'm at home sick today, couldn't sleep, tired of watching TV, don't have the strength to do anything around the house....SO I thought, "How about that blog that I never seem to update!"

Denny and I were married September 9th. It was such an awesome day! I really wanted to elope, but since we didn't, I have to say that it was an awesome wedding that went according to plan! Everyone that helped was so awesome and we're grateful for all that everyone did.

We keep saying that the best part of the whole thing was getting to the hotel afterwards and just crashing! We went to the River Rock and it's a beautiful hotel. We jumped on the luxurious bed and went for dinner. It was an awesome night. We were pretty emotional from the day and so tired and happy. We remembered how the whole day went and the day before preparing and went over every detail we could remember, cause it went by SO fast!

My first night as a married woman was perfect! I finally got to fall asleep in the arms of the man I love!

Anyways - I should type more later...it's time for some more medication....