So, the kidney stones. I've been enjoying them for years. Had one removed, had one gigantic unpassable one left. And I've been stupidly putting dealing with that one off for four years. But repeated UTI's have taken their toll on my health, and I couldn't ignore it any longer. So I went for help.
Help came in the tall lanky form of Dr. Richards, who did the x-rays, explored the options, listened to my pleas to not have to have surgery again, and elected to have me go through lithotripsy again. I was anxious about this, having been through one once before on the same stone. The stone that, um, still there. This is why they went in via what is apparently called (had to look this up) "nephrolithotomy" to get the stone on the other side out. So, yeah, I was understandably anxious about going through the easier procedure again. If it didn't work, I'd be back under the knife for the nastier procedure which takes days longer to recover from.
So last Monday, I went to Pomona Valley Medical Center's Kidney Stone Center, which it turns out is THE place to be for kidney stones. I was informed that they have the most up to date equipment and training to deal with stubborn stones like mine. I was in and out in mere hours, spend two days in bed, and was more or less back up and running. The follow up x-ray on Wednesday, wasn't promising and had me worried. Then, there was the stent. Go look that up yourself, I don't want to get that graphic. Suffice it to say, a relatively small area of my body was the entire focus of my life and attention for roughly about 4 days. Nearly on the verge of panic, I was ready to lose my mind, and was sure this was all for nothing.
Then, the next follow up visit, yesterday afternoon. Dr. Richards uttered four of the most singularly lovely words in the English language, after seeing my latest x-ray..."The stone IS fragmented". And the stent came out, a source of NO small relief to my body and my mind. (Turns out, neither one is fond of having foreign objects lodged anywhere)
And the best part?? The very most wonderful thing in the whole world?? I'm so sorry, my beloved friends and random strangers who might wander in here, but here I AM going to get graphic...
I peed gravel today, and it was the most wonderful thing I've ever seen in the last four years. That gravel means that stone is COMING OUT, and maybe now I can recover from the endless cycle of infections, constant tiredness, weight gain, crankiness and everything else. Maybe I can be ME again.