Glandular fever

For over six weeks now, the curse of the world champion's jersey has weighed on me in the form of Pfeiffer's disease, also known as glandular fever.

Photo: better times. Back in October, I fulfilled a boyhood dream by becoming world champion on the track.

Glandular fever is sometimes referred to as the 'kissing disease' because it commonly affects young children under five and young adults. And yet, here I am at 65, dealing with it. So, Grandpa, where have you been hanging out? It all started with a horrible, splitting headache and a burning throat. Then came the stabbing muscle pain, especially in my thighs, a scorched sensation in my lungs and throat, a dry cough, a reduced appetite, and a complete lack of energy. Sleep, sleep, and more sleep became my routine.

One day, when I felt a little better, I decided to ride the rollers for an hour—just an easy ride. I ended up in bed for two hours afterward to recover. A week later, I tried again with 45 minutes, only to spend twice as long flat on the bed, completely drained. Last week, I attempted half an hour, and you can guess the result. Meanwhile, circumstances led me to consult three doctors. Only after a second, more comprehensive blood test did I finally get an answer. Under the heading “virology serology,” it showed a positive result for Epstein-Barr. For the specialists out there: the score should be below 0.7. Mine? A whopping 325.

There’s no medication; you simply have to endure it. The fatigue can persist for months. Here's wishing you all a HEALTHY 2025!