Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). **Really worried about my husband. He thinks he has an ulcer but it kind of came out of nowhere and knocked him off his feet. My gut feeling is that something really is not right.
Anyway, he went to the Doctor immediately and won't get ulcer test results until Monday. But in the meantime his Doctor had him do a bunch of other blood tests and his iron is crazy low. I don't know if she will contact him again before Monday, but you know, since he eats a well rounded diet, is not pregnant, is not female/menstruating, is perfectly healthy otherwise, etc. Sounds like internal bleeding. (Long-term internal bleeding??) We are prepared to take him to emergency if he exhibits any symptoms they told us to be careful about. (More severe internal bleeding symptoms were basically the reason to go to ER).
Otherwise, I suppose we find out more on Monday.
*sigh*
**In good news, DL(11) has completely snapped out of his funk. Life is back to normal.
We've not ruled out a mood disorder or something along those lines. I feel like we aren't being taken very seriously because he is so high functioning, which can be very good but can also be very bad. That's very typical in my family. (These are the type people who just randomly commit suicide "out of nowhere" because they can appear to keep it together for a long time. Just to point out why it's problematic). But we were referred to getting more professional help because the school counselor was dumbfounded by him and VERY concerned. It's just that by the time we got him into any help he was back to a range of normal. So I know that my worries are not over-blown but there's not going to be much that we can figure out or diagnose while he is in "happy land".
**In super good news... MH's Grandfather had been ill for a long time and after what seemed like a bazillion tests, they were not finding anything. I think they were just getting resigned to it being old age.
But... He snapped out of it and seems to be returning to normal. After pressing his Doctors about if he could have had some kind of virus, they finally ran some other blood tests.
You will never believe what he had. He's 89 & he had... MONO
Considering that mono almost killed me the month I turned 18... I told MH that his grandfather will live to 110. 
I expect he had a much milder case. From what we had heard, was none of the typical symptoms. But it looks like most people get mono (or are exposed to the virus) before 30 or something like that. I guess nothing typical about it.
So I guess that's a lot of good news but some worrisome news too.
Some Health Updates
October 22nd, 2016 at 04:17 pm
October 22nd, 2016 at 06:35 pm 1477161348
That's good that DL is feeling better.
October 22nd, 2016 at 06:39 pm 1477161569
October 22nd, 2016 at 09:36 pm 1477172174
Wow, mono at 89? Yikes. I had it at 23...I caught it from a student I believe (I was student teaching) and a student had it. I used to drink from drinking fountains. After getting mono, I rarely if ever drink from a fountain.
Glad DL is better.
October 22nd, 2016 at 11:14 pm 1477178059
October 22nd, 2016 at 11:41 pm 1477179669
I had mono when I was 8.
October 22nd, 2016 at 11:43 pm 1477179807
Fatigue
Sore throat, perhaps a strep throat that doesn't get better with antibiotic use
Fever
Swollen lymph nodes in your neck and armpits
Swollen tonsils
Headache
Skin rash
Soft, swollen spleen
The virus has an incubation period of approximately four to six weeks, although in young children this period may be shorter. Signs and symptoms such as a fever and sore throat usually lessen within a couple of weeks, but fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes and a swollen spleen may last for a few weeks longer.
When to see your doctor
If you've been experiencing the above symptoms, you may have mononucleosis.
If rest and a healthy diet don't ease your symptoms within a week or two or if your symptoms recur, see your doctor.
Causes
The most common cause of mononucleosis is the Epstein-Barr virus, but other viruses can also cause this disease.
Mononucleosis usually isn't very serious. Most adults have been exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus and have built up antibodies. They're immune and won't get mononucleosis again.
October 23rd, 2016 at 02:54 am 1477191252
My husband has had two bleeding ulcers. His came on very sudden. It is very serious. Don't hesitate to go to the ER if needed!! Antibiotics to kill the H.Pylori bacteria were given both times. And he avoids all pain medications as a safety precaution. He's been ulcer free for over 10 years.
October 23rd, 2016 at 03:09 am 1477192191
October 23rd, 2016 at 10:46 am 1477219599
October 25th, 2016 at 12:57 am 1477357046
October 25th, 2016 at 07:08 pm 1477422537