Kidney Stones

Today was a day of firsts for me. It was the first time I have used a sick day at a job. It was the first time I had been to a walk in clinic in Birmingham. It was the first time I have had a xray done on my bladder. It was the first time I've ever had kidney stones.

Due to contrary belief people my age can get kidney stones. It came on this morning during the staff meeting. One minute I was fine and then the next I felt sick to my stomach. My right side hurt with a pain like I had never experienced before. I knew at that point I had to go to the doctor. I went to the walk in clinic. In the waiting room the pain grew. At one point I thought that I might die. I was trying to get things right with the Lord because this might have been my last five minutes on Earth. What a way to die, in the waiting room of the walk in clinic.

Jen came because she knew I was hurting. We get in to see the doctor and they run a bunch of tests. At first they thought it may be my appendix but the blood work came back negative. However, my urine test pointed strait towards kidney stones.

We have all heard the tales of kidney stones being the male equivelant of giving birth. I was terrified by this diagnosis. I was doing the math, and passing a stone was not adding up. The logistics of it were impossible. The amount of pain this thing was causing must have meant it was the size of a golf ball. They give me some sort of shot for the pain. I was high as a kite for the next three hours.

The doctor ordered a catscan so I had to go see a urologist for some additional testing. I get there and they take more samples and xrays. They discover that between the time I left the clinic and the time they took the xrays I have passed the stone. It was explained to me that kidney stones when passed are usually the size of a few grains of sand. You never know you pass them unless you sift for them.

So the worse part of having the stones is before they are passed. I was literally crippled in pain. I'm still a little soar, but nothing like this morning. My boss was cool about me missing work. I just have to make it through three more days and then I have a long weekend.