Over the last two days, I’ve started to feel a little bit better. My spleen is still so enlarged I risk bursting it at just about every turn (boy, that’s a lot of fun) but the various medicines my doctor prescribed have taken care of the secondary infections in my sinuses and throat, so while I’m super exhausted, at least I’m not in any pain.
You know what sucks? I haven’t been able to do much more than passively watch DVDs, because even trying to focus long enough to read is exhausting. I can’t even think about trying to write anything, either, so I feel like I’m just wasting time and losing days . . . and even though I know it’s what I have to do, it’s still annoying.
Because I can’t do much of anything, Anne has become responsible for everything we normally share, like getting the kids to and from school, preparing meals, feeding the dogs, keeping the house clean and all that stuff.
When I told Anne that I just hate it that I can’t help her, especially since I keep asking her to do stuff for me, she said, “It’s okay. This is the ‘sickness’ part of ‘sickness and health.'”
My wife is the most awesome person in the universe. She’s made this experience much less miserable for me, with her compassion, patience and understanding. Hopefully, it will only be another week or so before I have the strength to pick up at least a little bit of the slack around here.
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I am truly impressed by you, and it has nothing to do with the acting, writing etc. I am impressed that when you are as sick as you are, you are a fantastic enough husband to be worried that your wife is doing your chores.. Kudos to you!
Wil, I’m hoping you won’t be reading this until after you’re all better, but just in case you are, then take this advice.
Being seriously ill as an adult sucks. In addition to the physical, there’s the emotional feeling of guilt that we are not fulfilling our adult responsibilities.
Let it go. This is one of those rare opportunities as an adult to be a kid again. Embrace it. Lay in bed all day. Watch TV. Don’t be in charge. This will happen perhaps two or three times in your adult life. Don’t waste on feelings of guilt or inadequacy. Just be a little kid, and let Mommy take care of you. Not only will it bring peace of mind, but it’s also probably the fastest way to get better.
So do the responsible thing, Wil, and just be a kid for a bit.
I know it’s totally cliched and stuff, but I hope you get well soon. Watch plenty of movies and crappy TV (at this time of year pretty much all TV is crappy, so it won’t be that hard) and drink loads of fluids (real fluids, not soda). And perhaps try to enjoy the waiting on you that people tend to do when you’re sick… you can make her breakfast in bed once you get better.
Hey Wil! I am glad to hear that you are feeling better. Over the weekend I bought your book, “Just a Geek” and read it in one sitting. It was great. I am glad that you have someone in your life who is so understanding. Anne seems like a really cool person. Keep getting better.
Hugs!
Allie
“My spleen is still so enlarged I risk bursting it at just about every turn”
conveniently, the internet is here to provide you opportunities for VENTING YOUR SPLEEN.
keep getting better.
Wil,
You don’t wanna be messing with that spleen. You CAN live without one, but not so goodly as you might suspect, so take care of it. And yourself.
As luck would have it, I am in Pasadena this week for a couple of days of meetings with a client, and had hoped to take in your show at the ACME… that was the plan before I saw you were sick. But, hey, these things happen. I caught mono during an epidemic at the university where I was researching some years back. Not from kissing — the officials said that one group of outbreak victims (including me) were all heavy users of the recreation center (swimming, weights, etc.). Very easy place for the stuff to grow and transmit.
As a former mono victim, take it from me, you NEED the rest and healing time. You may find yourself coming up with creative stuff as you lay there sleeping and resting — that may be the only good outcome of this (other than Anne’s devotion to you). So, there IS a silver lining.
continuing healing mojo from somewhere in Pasadena…
😉
Yep, I still adore you. I know you’ll feel better soon! 😀
Wil, sometimes you have to look real hard for the positives in adversity.
Remember several months ago when you were upset at the expanding results of your “Body by Linux” and “Guiness Fatness” programs? Expect this illness to reverse some of that.
Like I said, sometimes you have to look hard for the good side of things. Get well soon.
Yep, I still adore you. I know you’ll feel better soon! 😀
Wil, I feel for ya. I had mono my first semester of college. Had to drop the whole semester. Couldn’t talk and could barely walk down the hall to the bathroom without getting exhausted. It blew. Drink lots o’ orange juice!
Wow. What a great girl! Tell her Thanks for the great example. Because God help me (and him) when my husband gets sick, I not so great girl . . . hee hee Keep getting better.
Hey Wil, thanks for letting us know how it’s going, it’s nice that you don’t forget we’re all thinking of you and waiting to hear news. Glad that some of the symptoms have subsided and that you’re taking it easy. Even though it’s hard, keep resting and you’ll get there. As someone else has said, and as you know, you’d do the same for Anne (and let’s hope you never have to). That’s what love is all about. Best wishes.
As long as you don’t share your Mono with your spouse, you should give her a big wet kiss 😀
Good to see you online, even if it is only limited. Now, sleep. Sleep and feel better. It’s better to lose the days in the middle, than to have them taken away at the end. Oh, and keep a pen and paper near-by so you can record dreams, ideas, etc, as they arise!!
Sending warm, healing thoughts your way,
Dierdra
I’m so glad you posted – so many people out here are worried about you and sending good mojo your way. Now, go back to bed and leave the computer alone. Sleep. Drink more clear fluids.
Dude, danamongden, has it exactly right — do the responsible thing and be a kid for another month or so.
As for the too tired to read bit — when I was in the hospital having a bone marrow transplant, they told me I’d be in there for at least 3-4 weeks. I brought about twenty or thirty books so that I’d have something to do during the enforced rest. Yeah, I couldn’t read at all. I’d get through about 5 pages if I was doing really stellar — and it wasn’t even that I felt that bad. I felt pretty good and was TERRIBLY bored – but I just couldn’t concentrate on the reading.
Comic books, on the other hand, those I could read. 🙂 Comic books, many many many many cartoons, lots of LEGO kits (put together the huge x-wing fighter during the first weekend) and running the remote control car out of my room and into the nurse’s station.
Take it easy, Wil.
And tell Anne thank you from all of your little monkeys. She sounds like a very amazing woman.
peace,
enderFP
Hey Wil!!
Thank you so much for letting us know how you are doing. I have been praying for you every single day! You may not know most of the people on your website, but you sure have a lot of people who care very much about you, me included! I hope that mess goes out of your system very, very soon. It’s hard when your home bound and can’t leave, but you are doing the right thing. I hope Anne and the kids are doing great. The best to you, Anne, Nolan, and Ryan!! Again, get well soon, and don’t forget we are all pulling for you!!
Wil,
Move slowly and don’t get discouraged when you have trouble doing things you think you should be able to do. Mono takes so much of your body’s energy to fight into submission that the hard you try to push yourself to be better, the longer getting better will actually take.
Mono sucks whether you are a child or adult, I know, I had it when I was 8 and then had it reactivate 19 years later.
You can’t really concentrate, but your fingers are twitching to do something… You may want to have Anne pick up some GeoMags for you. They are kind of like magnetic legos and I’ve found them just distracting enough to keep from going insane. They can be found at most toy stores. http://www.geomagsa.com/
Take it easy and get well, but don’t push yourself too soon!
Wil:
Man, I really feel for you – had mono when I was 17 – completely floored me for about a month, then I had to sleep 2-4 extra hours per day to get enough energy.
Get well soon – catch up on your music listening (visual stuff always bugged me when I was sick with mono).
Wives are AWESOME!
Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. But we’ve been together for 9 years.
I can’t wait until we’re celebrating 40 and 50 years together. It just gets better every day. Although I imagine that by that time, my love for her will have grown so much that I’ll litterally explode …
of course i send you my best wishes for good health and soon, but mostly i wanted to comment on the comments. Wil, you must be magic! seeing the outpouring of affection from your fans is really awesome. reading all the comments from this weird online family about all of the run-ins with sickenss made me feel not so alone in mine – i too did the super-infection thing of ‘flu then monster sinus infection but thank god without the mono. i guess it’s true – misery loves company! personally, i deal with a bunch of tiresome auto-immune disorders and i catch every bug that crosses my path, it seems. so i know what it is to be sick and i know how important mental state is to getting healthy so read all these lovely comments and work at getting better. which, by the way, is hard to do when you beat yourself about the head with guilt so chill out, man. you will get better faster and then be able to help your darling wife and write, and perform and play poker and hang with the boys…see what i’m getting at? 🙂
Glad to hear that you are starting to feel a little bit better.
Hey Wil-
Glad to read you’re through the throat pain: that was the worst part for me when I had mono. Don’t worry about not doing stuff- I really believe your creative juices are still percolating though you may not be aware of it, so no time’s being wasted. Take care.
“The ‘sickness’ part of the sickness and health.”
That’s just kick ass. As annoyed as you are be lucky you have someone as cool as Anne looking out for you.
Just lie back and watch a bunch of movies that make you smile – laughter is the very best medicine – but don’t laugh to hard because that will probably hurt.
The less you worry and strain, the quicker you’ll feel better and the quicker you can go back to doing the million and 1 things you.
Mucho Mojo.
Ugh, talk about teh suck! What does an enlarged spleen feel like? My toes are curling under just thinking about it; I can’t imagine what it feels like.
Poor you! Sending mojo and best wishes. I’d send gumbo if I were closer. THAT would clear out your sinuses!
Not a day goes by I don’t thank the stars for my beautiful wife. Hold tight to your Anne, Wil. Be good.
Wil thanks for risking your life to check in with us! I was wondering how you were doing. Glad to hear you’re still alive and that Anne is taking such good care of you!
Wil,
From two months to a couple of weeks is very cool. You are lucky to have such a wife.
FG
Wil, I really enjoy your blog. I think it’s one of the best out there. Glad to hear you are healing.
Wil,
I won’t pretend to know you completely, but had you considered getting a tape recorder of some kind and dictating your thoughts for later?
Maybe call it “THe Mono Diaries?”
Anyhow, get better and I hope the Mac doesn’t read this comment too oddly.
🙂
Wil, don’t be a bad patient. Don’t be an impatient patient. Be a gracious, compliant patient. I myself have done too much too soon two times after birthin’ some babies. I have to say that is a pretty good way to make your recovery time even longer and even suckier.
We…..love…..you….so much…. you’re seriously one of our favorite people… ever. Sorry that your sick 🙁 Your our favorite living actor…ever. You rock.
We in KC are mustering mucho mojo for your recovery, Wil. Just don’t rush things. Major props to Anne for picking up the slack. You have a true gem there. Major F. U.’s to all the doody heads who would dare bitch about you missing performances or appearances. We want you around for many years to come. So do whatcha gotta do. Those of us who truly care, understand. And we’ll see you once you’re healthy.
*Jaegermeister as cough syrup? Who’da thunk?*
Ciao4niao…
Maybe you should go and spread the Mono-love around to all those cranks who seem to think you owe them something.
On a better note, I was channel surfing and noticed ST:TNG was on Spike, so I stopped. Riker with a beard announced they were getting a visit from Wesley Crusher and in the next scene, who should happen to appear but a very young (and cute!) Ashley Judd. I can’t believe I’ve never seen this episode! Up until now, I’ve always managed to miss it in it’s umpteen thousand re-airings.
Well, keep resting and hopefully you’ll get over this soon. Continued Mojo
There is nothing to compare to the experience of being the caregiver. I was so fortunate to be able to be the one caring for mom during the period of her last illness from a chronic condition. Also took care of DAd as his primary caregiver when he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Wil. those asses who got on you have never had these kinds of life enriching experiences. More importantly – as I say to my darling, thank god you listen to the tap on the shoulder. Dad, good ole tough sumariner that he was – toughed it out for ten years, put in his own cathether for heavens sake – when we finially found out that it was prostate cancer – it was long past time anything could be done. He chated us of years of family experience because he was too proud to admit pain til it took him down!
Just two weeks ago my beloved mentor was suffering from abdominal pains – it didnt feel right to me and I begged him to please if he valued anything about my insights, to go to a doctor.
He listened.
He had appendicitus.
It had ruptured.
When they did the surgery, they found a tumor and took 18 inches between the large/small colan.
We just found out they got it all.
He will live years becaused he listened and ACTED when people who CARED about him insistant something wasnt right!… Your family knows – YOU know, your beloved wife most especially knows when things aint right.
I am so greatfyl when my darling fellow listens to me and acts – not because Im any great shakes, but because when I see a breaking in his patterns, I look, listen and feel with my inner voice for guidence on what is needed for help!
So good on you and more of it. I am quite sure it is easier for you to be a giver then an receiver – try to sit back and enjoy the gifts of caring that your wife, children, and friends try to give you – treasure the moments for they ARE special.
My heart to yours!
I’m sick today and one of the things I did was watch “The Game” — that’s right, ST:TNG Episode 106 in which you and your little ensign friend are the only ones smart enough not to get sucked into that game thing.
Hope you’re better soon, Wil!
QUOTES:
Posted by: ExHack at June 1, 2005 12:31 AM
Hey Wil,
Good to hear you’re feeling a bit better. Over the past week I’ve had two sympathy colds. Not as bad as what you’ve got, but I got a couple of days off school, so that’s good.
I suggest if you’re really bored, watch a bunch of movies you were in. That’s what I’ve been doing. So far I’ve watched the movie where you died, and one where you got knocked out. Hmm…hopefully it’s not a bad sign. I’m just about to go up to the video place to get some more.
Anyways, I’m sending lots of ‘get-better’ mojo. Rest up, sleep is always good (but Anne’s better!) and don’t stress. Just get well again so we can read all about your next adventure.
Zkid
PS. Oh, wow, I just realised your summer just started. That must really suck.
Wil,
Sending my good well mojo your way. Rest up, and stay hydrated.
Wil,
I just finished your books and want to thank you for the honosty that seeped out of your book. 🙂 Get well and take care of your self. Writing you from Iraq.
Get Well,
AsunderHat
Glad to hear you’re on the mend tho I had hoped you’d return to post that all was well. Here’s to hoping that you get to make that post sooner than later. You’ve been a very busy man Wil, in most any time period 😉 And no doubt, you’re probably overdue for a good rest. Focus on getting better,the world will not soon leave you behind.
Women+;
Anne++;
Just rest and get better, mang.
Hey Wil,
Reading this reminds me of how I felt when I got mono just after my honeymoon. Man, it sucked. The only good part was that because I couldn’t sleep for long without having to wake up to breath properly I was able to watch more of the World Cup than I would otherwise have been able to.
In the three years that I have been married I have been on all sides of the “in sickness and in health” part of the vows more times than I would have thought possible. From my mono and depressions to my wife being diagnosed with bipolar disorder during our second pregnancy. The love between Cindy and me was what has been carrying us through our marriage and our lives. It sounds like you and Anne have that same love. It’s one of the greatest thing in the world and I wouldn’t want to live without it (or the possibility of it).
Thanks for sharing your life with us. It’s making me truly appreaciate my wife even more than I did.
much love and good mojo coming your way…
David
Wil,
I’m glad you’re feeling better! Keep getting well, definately.
I do have to gripe a bit at you, though. I can’t believe you voted to authorize a strike against game manugacturers for voice-over work. Sure you may only get a few jobs per year, but the game designers and coders are working excruciatingly long hours – often without overtime compensation, or bonuses (based on game sales). I would hope you would at least be backing the game-making geeks, too.
I know there are a lot of working-class actors who don’t fit the typical hollywood stereotype of rich, huge houses, fancy cars, coat and tie parties every weekend. But often times, even the working-class actors are (sometimes much) better off than the stiffs who create the video games people so dearly love.
Anyway, now isn’t the time to go on about this. You need to concentrate on getting better. Your health is more important than this debate. Get healthy, feel better. Differences, or no, you’re a great guy, and I’m pulling for you.
(Comments as a result of this article from Wired news (tinyurled for length) http://tinyurl.com/73tzv)
Eric/Fyre:
In life (as in comedy and fine performances) timing is everything. This is neither the time nor place to take Wil to task for his stance.
Spacewriter,
Until he posts a writeup on it, this is the ONLY place to post such things. I came here for the same reason.
Sorry to bring it up on an unconnected post, but Wil, I hope you open the floor on this topic when you’re feeling better.
Wil,
Star Trek was on yesterday
Spacewriter,
I don’t expect Wil to respond, here, nor do I expect him to respond at all until he has completely recovered. This is, at the moment, however, the only location I have to voice such commentary.
I am quite concerned about Wil’s health, and am pulling for him to get better. I’d rather him get completely well and not deal with my comments, than deal with them now. I was merely voicing an opinion. My apologies if it offended anyone.
Wil, of course get better before giving any thought to my commentary. Your health is obviously paramount to anything else. Take care of yourself!
-Fyre
Dear Wil,
I’m so sorry you’re so ill. Been there done that and did not want the t-shirt. Marriage is fantastic, isn’t it? Been there done that and my darling wife of 26 years washes that t-shirt. (sometimes I do)Hope you’re well sooner than they think. Love the blog.
John Gregory
Hey Wil,
I’m sorry that you have to deal with mono right now. Ick – I had it 3 summers ago and it was awful. I also had liver and spleen involvement and lay around watching tv for quite a while. My tonsils were so swollen I couldn’t eat, so instead I watched the Food Network. Good times.
Keep watching those DVD’s, definitely get tons of rest, and take all the time you need getting better. It does take a while, but pretty soon you’ll be walking up stairs and staying up past 9pm again. 🙂
You’re lucky to have someone taking such good care of you. And you’ve got all your fans writing comments to keep you entertained.
Get well soon,
sending ya some healing vibes
Maribou
Ok, this is totally weak Wil (not you, the situation). You slam down so much money for vet bills for your cats, and then you lose them… and now you’re sick to the point where you can’t even READ, let alone feel productive. I couldn’t imagine it… but that’s why I’d like to do something to lend a hand. I’ve been trying to bust my butt in the studio lately, so that I could figure out a way to do this. So, my new album will be releasing hopefully in the beginning of July. I already convinced the local Tower Records to carry it, and going to try and get a few more. What I’d like to do is work out a way where I could donate a portion of the profits to you. It’ll help pay off some of those vet bills… and I don’t know about your health insurance, but I know that mine have some not so fun co=pays, so maybe it’ll help put a dent in any personal bills you get. So, when you get better, drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s talk about this, because I’d like to help.
Gary
Yikes! Sorry to read that you’re not feeling well. Ignore the angry folks. Right now, just think about getting better and being surrounded by your wonderful family. It’s nice that you feel a sense of obligation to your fans, but the small minority of said folks who feel enough entitlement to your time and energy to be angry that you’re ill will soon get over it, and the rest of us simply want you to take all the time you need to recovery well and fully.