I try not to curse too much on this blog because I don't want my readers to know how little class I truly possess. But this warrants it. I finally passed that mother fucking kidney stone! This was from my right side which seems to be where the last few have come from...I wonder if that kidney doesn't work as well as the other, if it's just serendipity, or the left is loaded with some boulders that are waiting to unleash when I least expect it.
Here's a pic of the nasty bastard. I've included some items in the photo to help you compare sizes. Obviously, you know the dime. On the top is an uncooked grain of instant rice, the stone is in the middle, and a Rice Krispie is on the bottom. When you see the jagged crystallized edges of the stone it's easy to understand how it could tear my ureter as it was forced through and cause the bleeding that passed in my urine.
Birth size: 6mm L x 5mm W x 3mm H. Another stone (or a piece broken off from this one) the size of a grain of sand came out with it. The ureter, the muscular tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder and through which stones have to pass, is 3mm to 5mm in diameter.
Now I can drink a whole glass of fluid at a time without worrying that there may be painful consequences and I can stop peeing through a strainer. This stone started back in May so I've been doing that for three months. The other positive aspect is that I don't have that conscious and subconscious fear that something could happen at any moment.
I'm so happy, so very very happy. I'm doing my happy dance!
Update:
I get a large number of hits from Google searches on "Kidney Stone", "Lithotripsy", and other related terms. In an effort to make this subject easier to navigate on this blog, I am adding the following list of posts to every kidney stone entry to make them cross reference accessible.
If you are reading this because you have, or think you have, a kidney stone, I know your pain. Unless you've had one, and I've had some mild incidences and some really bad ones, no one can even imagine the level of pain.
Make an immediate appointment with an urologist. I am not a doctor and these are my experiences only!
You could be experiencing a kidney stone, but it may also be a urinary tract infection, a tumor, or other medical condition. Don't take any chances with your health!
These posts involve my passing of two giant 6mm stones this summer...three days apart! Wrapped in these posts are stories that detail my lifelong battle with them.
In the interest of clarity, these links are in temporal order.
First Signs Of A Stone May 7, 2007I wish you well.
What I Know About Kidney Stones May 8, 2007
A Discussion Of Lithotripsy May 9, 2007
Peeing Blood, No Pain May 11, 2007
Pain Returns May 18, 2007
Pain Again In The Back May 26, 2007
Bloody Urine Is Back July 12, 2007
Passed Kidney Stone #1 July 26, 2007
Passed Kidney Stone #2 July 30, 2007
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10 comments:
Congrats! Do they have a card for that at Hallmark?
Yaaaaa Hoooooooo!!!!!!! I am so happy for you! That certainly was a long time coming! I'm remembering your concern about parking close enough to the park when we went to the Tulip Festival. Next stop....NYC!
Baby, I've had kidney stones and I've felt THAT pain. I had an episode 5 years ago - the pain was so bad it dropped me face down on my back porch in agony, praying to the invisible cloud being to make it stop. I'm so glad you've past the little bastard. No go party your ass off.
Sweet Peanut Butter, man. The exhaltation you must be feeling. A man's ability to pee painlessly should never be taken for granted. I say you come over, we drink gallons of liquid, and stand together in solidarity at the john, peeing freely in a painless chorus of "Let it flow! Let it flow! Let flow!" I am so glad you made it through this one at last. here's to being stoneless eternally!
oops...no "h" in exaltation...unless your Dr. Cox from scrubs..."Ex-Hal-tation!"
Congratulations! I don't even want to think about it. Having reached an age where I spend an inordinate amount of time emptying my bladder, just mapping out all of the public urinals in the area, so I can make emergency stops is bad enough.
Damn. My stone was nothing compared to that. I can't believe you've suffered with that so long.
Now all the kidney stone veterans have to rush to congratulate you and I am no exception. I got them at 22 (31 years ago) and have only had occasional gravel since. The importance of regular cranberry juice in preventing recurrence cannot be overstated.
Ouch! I shall not curse the next grain of sand I pass after seeing the boulder that chased Indiana Jones coming out of you.
Now comes the fun part: making sure you don't get another one.
Hey YOY: Just wanted to share that I was surfing the web because I too have a Kidney Stone 5mm...anyway came across your blog and laughed so much. Been a little down cause I have been sick with this stone for the last month, lost my job and just maxed out. Well you lifted my spirits and made me laugh and I thank you for that. O fuck the X buss comes every 5 minutes and u are better off. U seem like a great guy... Also Im a coke and although they said stay away from Dr. Pepper I think we would be great friends...ill be listening for updates and wish me luck on passing this stone or baby as my cute ER doctor calls it, we named it Adam. well Adam needs to get the f out!
Luv Ya
Ashley in Lakeland, Florida
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