Kidney Stone Update

[windinthemaples]

History
In January, while wintering over in South Florida, I woke up with the most phenomenal pain of my life. Worse than labor pains, worse than anything. I couldn't even walk, I had to literally crawl (with several breaks to lay on the floor and cry) back to bed to wake up Daniel. I thought I was going to die, that I had some horrible ovarian cancer or something. Went to the ER and they diagnosed me with a severe urinary tract infection and a large (2 cm) stone in my left kidney. I've never had any sort of kidney stones issue and it doesn't run in my family. Well, they gave me pain meds and antibiotics and a referral to see a urologist about the stone. The antibiotics, within a couple days, had me feeling 100% better. The urology office didn't answer my phone calls, and the pain was all on the right side, not the side they found a stone in, so I ended up letting it go for months and months until June when we moved back to Chicago and I was able to make an appointment with a doctor here at the Northwestern University's hospital.

I've also begun having constant dull pain in my left kidney, blood in my urine, and sometimes attacks of sudden, debilitating pain that makes me pray for quick death.

Doctor Appointment Rundown
#1 (Urology Department): "This is too big to pass. You'll probably need surgery, but if it is a uric acid based stone, we can attempt to dissolve it with drugs. Probably won't work, but we can try. You need to get an x-ray. If the stone shows on an x-ray, it is calcium based. If it doesn't, it is uric acid. We'll have to see which it is. I'll see you in two weeks."

#2 (Radiology Department): *takes x-rays* "We can't tell you if we see a stone in the image or not and we can't let you see the image. You'll have to wait to speak with your doctor in two weeks."

#3 (Urology Department): "Holy moley! I don't see people with your kind of stone walking around upright. How are you doing this? Come on, you have got to see this x-ray! *x-ray looks like a white spiky sea urchin dominating a little dark cowering kidney.* See all the spikes? That doesn't look quite right to me. We need to do surgery, but I want to make sure before I do anything that it is really a stone inside your kidney and not something growing on or around it, something worse. You need to go see Radiology to get an ultrasound. Come back as soon as you can get those images. We need to do something soon."

#4 (Radiology Department): "We have an opening for an ultrasound in two weeks. Would you like to book that appointment?" "Well, my doctor sent me with this note to put a rush on it. I need these images to have surgery." "Sweetheart, that *is* with the rush on it. Well, I can get you in in ten days. That's the best we can do unless you're in the ER."

#5 (Urology Department): "You'll have the ultrasound done on July 9th? Okay. We can see you to review them on July 12th." "What if I have an attack between now and then? What am I supposed to do? Is there something I can take that's better than Motrin?" "No, narcotic painkillers would just make you sleepy and constipated. I don't want to give you those. Just do your best and worst case scenario, if you run a fever over 101 with the pain, we'll want to see you in the ER."

So, I have appointments #6 and #7 booked and, hopefully, will be able to put Pain Relieving Surgery down for #8. But seriously? Being sick is a full-time job. My mom found a lump in her breast when she was my age. It took 30 days before all her run-around doctor-appointments diagnosed breast cancer. I mean really, what's wrong with this system? It is not only annoyingly inefficient, but it is making Daniel's life miserable every day that I need him to stop working to babysit Graeme while I toodle around the hospital. :/ I don't want to be the one feeling guilty and apologetic for being so broken.

I'm hoping that a) my mom can come into town to help babysit so I don't have to be alone in the hospital for surgery and b) that I'll be able to attend my planned weekend at Diana's Grove this month pain-free. We'll see! In the meantime, I have ample validation, finally, for all that pain and discomfort and weeks of saying, "I feel like I'm being stabbed from the inside. I can feel something sharp rattling around in there." :D One can only hope I get to take the stone home for my crystal/mineral collection. ;)

Comments

[ilea.livejournal.com]

OMG! That is ridiculous. Here's hoping that you will be pain and stone free soon

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! :)

[mermaiden.livejournal.com]

I am sending you SO much love, Rachel--you are so strong, so courageous, and holy hell, hospitals and doctors can be so stupid. :/ *HUGS*

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

I know! So annoying. I want instant results and quick fixes! :D On the plus side, it is so slow and annoying and painful to wait that it effectively battles my medical phobia. :D

[aerialmelodies.livejournal.com]

That much runaround really is insane. And to think that 10 days is with rush? Reminds me when I went to the ER after hitting my head. Because the MRI came up blank and concussion-free, they left me in a room for three hours to contemplate maintaining my breathing so the machine attached to me wouldn't say I died. By the time someone saw me, they said "well you weren't an emergency. you just need to eat and that'll be that." Gee, thanks! :p

I hope they are able to take it out and it's NOT anything worse!! *hugs* And I'll keep reminding it to not be so fussy in the meantime lest it want to incur my wrath in spirit. Come on, little stone... play nice for a couple weeks and then you'll be free to enjoy the sunlight in the world. ;)

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I need lots of calm, dormant stone thoughts. :D

The ER is crazy. I've only been once, but it was six hours of almost nothing followed by a five minute diagnosis. :D And that was with zero wait to get a bed. I'm glad you didn't need any help when you went--just very expensive apple juice cups. :/ :D

[aerialmelodies.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I keep hoping that is the system that will get the overhaul or something, but alas, nothing. I'm okay with extreme emergencies being moved ahead, but sometimes it seems like they push people aside for a while out of habit or to maintain order. If no one else is waiting, just see me already, sheeeeeeesh.

*hugs*

[tapati.livejournal.com]

One option, not even lying, is to go to the ER all bent over double moaning in pain and they will work you up, do the damn ultrasound, and who knows, maybe get you into surgery within a day depending on what they find.

Of course you're out the ER copay and all...

But you are having pain. It does need to end asap.

I'm sorry you're suffering with this. I had gallstones, the kissing cousin of kidney stones. Yes it was worse than childbirth! I did get to take the stones home in a bottle, designated as hazardous waste.

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

I'm certainly holding the ER route as a viable option. I'd like to think it won't come to that, but with the way the stone's been acting up, I may not last as long as the doctors and radiologists procrastinate. So if I go to the ER doubled over in pain, I probably won't have to fake it! :D

I'm comforted to be joining the stone-bearing sisterhood. It seems like there are more of us than I thought. Nothing like pain to bond you. Like labor, only without all the parties and balloons to cheer you on. ;)

[neva-butterfly.livejournal.com]

I can't believe that you haven't just given up and gone to the ER, though I know they'll keep you waiting like 20 hours and then probably give you motrin... Stupid medical system. I'm sending lots of prayers, virtual hugs, and healing thoughts your way. I have heard that kidney stones are the worst kind of pain possible, so I really hope you can get some relief very, very soon.

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

It is nice to know what is causing the pain and that, worst case scenario, I can go to the ER. It hasn't come to that yet but the longer they delay things, the more likely it is that I'll have to. I can't take many more of these attacks. :/ Thank you for the well wishes! :)

[willow-cabin.livejournal.com]

That is crazy... :(

I really wish we could be there to help you. *HUGS*

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}} I bought an identical hot water bottle to yours, so you're sorta there in spirit. :D Maybe I need to tell Daniel that I must convalesce in New York after my surgery--you know, for the clean country air. ;D

[costumenut.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who had several stones our sophomore year of college, and another man who also had one and who had also been shot at war said that the stones hurt worst than being shot, so I am sooo impressed you've held it together as well as you have. ::hugs!!!:: I hope your pain will soon be over.

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

There is something strangely comforting about knowing that the pain I have, while incredible, may well be the worst I experience *ever*. It makes past and future troubles seem so trivial and easy to manage. Menstrual cramps? Pshaw! :D Labor pains? Easy-peasy! :D

[cloverdew.livejournal.com]

Holding you in my thoughts, Rachel. I hope this surgery helps you. Will be thinking about you continuously. Be well.

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I appreciate the good, calming stone thoughts. :D

[elfinecstasy.livejournal.com]

HUGS YOU TIGHT

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Uck. I really don't like medicine in Western societies. It's all money and can you afford it and we don't have the time for you and basically... it's not really about healing anymore, and I'm sorry.

It sounds really sucky. :(

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

I know! I would like to see the day (again) when someone who is injured or ill or otherwise distressed can go into the hospital and have the first questions asked be about symptoms and *not* about insurance or money. Medicine shouldn't be about profits, ever.

[azhure.livejournal.com]

You poor thing :( I've heard from a few people that kidney stone pain is the worst pain they've experienced. I really hope you can get it dealt with soon.