By Victor Fernandes
Victor.fernandes@timesnews.com

Nick Palmieri envisioned one night of being pampered by Mom.
To his dismay, he will have many more.
Palmieri, the Erie Otters’ third-year winger, could miss the next month or more after being diagnosed with mononucleosis on Tuesday, his mother, Amy, said by telephone from the family’s Clinton, N.Y., home.
Mononucleosis is a common viral illness that can leave people tired and weak for weeks or months and also can cause the spleen to swell, according to www.webmd.com. Doctors also said Nick’s liver could swell, Amy said. So doctors could wait 30 days before clearing him for contact, Amy said, although he could resume skating before then. The family’s primary physician will examine him later this week, Amy said.
“For now, he’s going to stay home and let me nurse him (back to health),” Amy said. Yet, she said, “He could prove (his doctors) wrong. He’s pretty healthy and in good shape. … It stinks for everybody. But I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Nick, 18, was unavailable for comment, Amy said, since he was too weak to speak.
He had three goals in four games since returning from a three-week stint at New Jersey’s training camp three weeks ago. He played in both games last weekend, scoring two goals in Saturday’s home win against London. “He didn’t feel great (at the time),” Amy said. “But he didn’t think it was anything like this.”
He received permission from club officials to head home Sunday. The family had a meeting scheduled with a financial advisor on Monday, Amy said. Nick signed a three-year, NHL entry-level contract with the Devils on Wednesday. “As soon as I saw him,” Amy said, “I knew he (was ill).”
On Sunday night, doctors originally thought Nick had strep throat or tonsillitis, Amy said. The most common symptoms of mononucleosis are a high fever, severe sore throat, swollen glands and swollen tonsils, according to WebMD. But a dose of penicillin didn’t work, prompting doctors to conduct blood work. Those tests revealed the illness, which led to a steroid shot. “If it was (strep throat or tonsillitis),” Amy said, “we could have had an antibiotic for him and in five days he would have been fine. … There’s nothing that can speed the healing (from mononucleosis). There’s no antibiotic for it.”
Amy missed extended time to an illness only once before in his hockey career. He developed a staph infection in his leg when he was about 9 years old, Amy said. “I remember how well (of) a patient he was back then,” she said. “He hates this.”

VICTOR FERNANDES can be reached at 870-1716 or by e-mail.