My mom's a nurse, and when I heard there was an outbreak (somewhere, I forgot) I asked her about it.
The biggest issue with tuberculosis is that it is a very long recovery usually. It's still a dangerous disease, of course, but it's not as bad as it was in the Edgar Allen Poe days. From my understanding, most people don't do the "cough up blood" thing. I could be wrong.
agpgirl, you should get yourself tested, and the test is very simple. The most common one, the Mantoux test, is done by injecting a very, very, very tiny amount of tuberculin into the skin of your arm. You wait a while, two days at my clinic, come back, and if there's any reaction or change to it, then it's a positive ID. If you heal up, you're clean. It's a very common test, especially for parents with newborn babies. Tuberculosis is, (if I remember right please correct me if not) something that can lie dormant for a while, and 5-10% of the US population has got it without even knowing it.
Wiki on the test:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantoux_testDon't freak out. Modern day medicine is awesome, and we live in a country with the best of it. Given it's HUGELY expensive with a lot of things, but America is kick-ass with healing people, and insurance companies like preventative medicine a lot more than they like curing a disease.
And, seriously, knock that "How can I still go on?" drama off. It's not the end of the world. He's just sick. Your boy will be just fine. Talk to him. I bet you he's just frustrated, gross-feeling, and lonely. He probably wants to hear from you. It'll give you the opportunity to tell him you're worried. If anyone knows how he is, it's him.
Also, look at this map:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tuberculosis_world_map_-_DALY_-_WHO2004.svgIt's a map from 2004 (so dated by 7 years but I would definitely argue still applicable) states that per 100,000 people in a given country, the color of the country indicates how many deaths by tuberculosis there were. The US is butter yellow. That means that in 2004 there were, on average, less than or equal to 10 deaths per 100,000 people. That means that maybe a couple hundred died of tuberculosis in a country who's population is around 2.5 million. Those are REALLY damn good odds in favor of the people. I can guarantee you that the people who did die were mostly babies or the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. I'm guessing besides his current condition, your boy is a healthy teenager. That's, like, right smack in having the best immune system of your lifetime.
It's all good. Kind of crappy right now, but it'll be fine I'm sure.
