It's like the winter of 1986-87 all over again

One warm October Day in 1986 I was walking down the street with a few of my pals - laughing, sharing a can of coke, delighting in our status as high school seniors. My best friend Amy was there, as were a few of the "Glenside Guys" - our local artist/rebel/sweetheart guys, including Matt Rosenberger, who had returned to school a few weeks ago after a bout with mono.

A few days later was Rosh Hashana and in the middle of our family dinner at my grandparents' apartment, I pretty much melted - fever, sore throat, chills. I stayed back at the apartment while the rest of the Gross crew went to services.

My mom dragged me to the doctor who tested me for everything from Strep to Mono. All came back negative. I missed a few days of school, the fever broke and I went back to school. A week or so later, same thing. More tests, more negatives.

Finally, on the third round of Mono testing, which included my graciously blacking out during the blood test - it was determined that YES, I had Mono. Clearly I had gotten it from sharing a Coke with former Mono victim, Matt Rosenberger.

I was promptly put to bed, where I remained for months. My memory is a bit foggy, but the way I recall the experience is that I went to bed in the Fall and woke up and it was Spring.

One night this week I was telling Nick about my Mono bedrest experience. I explained that each day my big activity would be heading downstairs for a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal. I ate so much Captain Crunch that I earned myself a Young Astronaut's watch, which I wore proudly for years.

In telling Nick this story, I said how great it was to "get a prize" for the whole experience. I thought out loud about getting some sort of prize for this bed rest sentence. Nick smiled and reminded me of the awesome prize we will have at the end of May.

Silly me, how could I want a watch, when I get a baby?!?