Mononucleosis and "SF Baby" pipeline

[Praxis]

Hello All,
I searched everywhere for something resembling this topic but could not find anything.

I am scheduled to ship for the Rep-63 route in July. Long story short: I wound up in the hospital last weekend and have Mono. Needless to say, this is distressing. I know that Mono can take 6-8 weeks to disappear and pushing yourself before your body is ready can cause relapse. The first symptoms presented themselves a couple of weeks ago and has made training properly impossible.

I spoke to my recruiter who said that if I was still physically ill very close to the ship date we could push it back, but he did not seem eager to do this. My worry is that I am unable to prepare properly at all over the next month or two and show up for the pipeline essentially "off the couch." He tried to reassure me, saying that I would have plenty of time at Benning to get back into shape during the initial schools and SFPC. It is worth noting that he is not an SF recruiter. I was in decent shape prior to falling ill; I could max out an APFT and was working mostly on toughening my feet through rucking.

Has anyone had experience with a situation like this? Does anyone know of a possible way to push my date back to have more time to train up? Or do individuals who have been through the course think it is possible to rebuild through the schools? I am not one who feels comfortable tackling life goals without examining everything within my locus of control.

Thanks in advance,
Pete

[SF-TX]

SF candidates have been recycled (held back to the next or later class) so they could recuperate from mononucleosis. If you are not ready, why set yourself up for failure?

Had a soldier report to Phase I, (old days), not feeling well. Got off the bus, did PT, gutted it out, no complaining. After dinner, reported to the Medics at Camp MacKall.

Soldier was medically dropped, reported that night to "troop barracks" near the old PX. Recovered, one week in bed, then did 6 months of SWC coffee boy chores.

Returned to training after convincing the CSM he left the 18th Abn Corp because was too valuable as a coffee boy there also. Told to the CSM, either send me to OSC or the "Q".

Ran into him in ANCOC years later -

Lesson Learned: Stick to the plan, be aware that situations change courses of action, but the objective remains the same.

Good luck.

edited to read: p.s., report to Basic Trainning as planned. Take your instructions from your Drill Sergeants.

[Dusty]

Rest up. This ain't the last SF class.

[x SF med]

Originally Posted by Dusty

Rest up. This ain't the last SF class.

But.... it might be the "Last Hard Class".... No, wait... Classes 12-83 and 1-84 were... I was there...

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by x SF med

But.... it might be the "Last Hard Class".... No, wait... Classes 12-83 and 1-84 were... I was there...

Does this mean you recycled the "last hard class" for the last-last hard class? Or recycled the second to last hard class for the last hard class? Or recycled the last hard class for the first easy class?

[Dusty]

I must have been in the last easy class. I gained weight during Patrolling.

[Praxis]

I'm hoping for a class like Dusty's. Then I'll be fine.

But with all seriousness, "thank you" to those who responded and PMed me. I sincerely appreciate your feedback.

The last hard class was the class before the last hard, hard, hard class. It was when SWC hold overs got to go through SFOT no less than two times side by side with course's first Cadre Team, who also went through it TWICE.

Once completed, several of us went to AIMC, some failed to pass 15/15, so we got to go to SFAS - Test Class. Then back to AIMC to only pass 18/18 on the second week. Those lucky few who tested early, got to spend the next 6 weeks of AIMC grading papers for tests of 5/5, 7/7, 10/10, etc., because the AIMC cadre were also tasked to attend SFAS - Test Class, Part II.

Then after AIMC, we got to go to Camp MacKall for phase I, then back to Bragg to start Phase II, but wait, there was not enough of us 18E wanabees, so we got to go to selection one more time, while other Phase I students were completing Land Nav and Patrolling.

Only after SWC conducted "6" test classes did it change from SFOT to SFAS, a close aprox., of what it is today. Sort of.

I'd take another rotation in another SFAS class then attend PT in the old Phase I while living in a leaky roof tar paper shack in winter.

Wait, strike that,....

I'd love to ruck with Bob Howard one more time.

Don't ever fool yourself, you are always being selected.

[x SF med]

Now, back to our regularly scheduled thread....

Mononeucleosis can be very dangerous.... I'd like for one of our MDs to show up and fully explain - there is a reason for the projected 6 month recovery time - clotting issues, splenomegaly and other vasular issues.

Long term health is more important than short term goals. Follow the MDs orders to avoid long term, life changing complications that will forever preclude your achieving the short term life changing goal you've set.

[Last hard class]

Originally Posted by x SF med

But.... it might be the "Last Hard Class".... No, wait... Classes 12-83 and 1-84 were... I was there...

I'm with you x SF med. Just as I was back in 83'-84'.



LHC

[PedOncoDoc]

Originally Posted by x SF med

Mononeucleosis can be very dangerous.... I'd like for one of our MDs to show up and fully explain - there is a reason for the projected 6 month recovery time - clotting issues, splenomegaly and other vasular issues.

I see consults on a regular basis to evaluate an enlarged spleen - many of them are due to infectious mononucleosis. The enlarged spleen can trap red blood cells (which can contribute to fatigue and exercise intolerance) and platelets (which can cause easy bruising/bleeding).

The most concern complication of mono is splenic rupture which rarely occurs after 1 month after onset of the infection. This is why physicians srtongly recommend against any contact sports, weight lifting and any other activity that can lead to trauma to the chest and/or abdomen for at least the first month. Splenic rupture can lead to signficant blood loss and requires close medical observation and, at times, surgical removal of the spleen.

My rule of thumb is light physical activity as tolerated in the first month to avoid excessive loss of conditioning followed by a gradual increase activity as tolerated therafter.

HTH...

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by PedOncoDoc

...Splenic rupture can lead to signficant blood loss and requires close medical observation and, at times, surgical removal of the spleen.

No spleen...no SF, unless waivered...and that has to be signed here at SWC.

[Red Flag 1]

The spleen was my concern also. As a friend of mine on this board points out, "long range health is better than short term goal". I've been there for the emergency spleen removal; you don't want to be!

Be well.

RF 1

[mark46th]

I got mono when I was in SE Asia a couple of hundred years ago. No fun. It took me 3 months to just feel normal and another 3 months before I was 100%. First, get better. Not just feel better but 100% better....