The Great Kidney Stone Debacle…

Sounds like a great Nancy Drew book doesn’t it? It was not nearly as fun. I have had an interesting past 24 hours. Let me elaborate.

Yesterday morning I woke up around 6:15am and did my usual roll from bed and walk half asleep down the hallway to pee. Right after I peed I was in crazy pain, like sharp pains in my side and back. I thought “hmmm, weird, what did I eat yesterday? Maybe I slept funny? could I be sore from running?” but I dismissed this as nothing serious as Anni was now awake and in need of my boob. I laid in bed for a while and Jason tried to get ready and take care of Anni (a feat if you ask me) because I still felt yuck. I was hoping the pains would pass but they seemed to be hanging out, coming and going as they pleased with no regard for my plans that morning. One second it felt like someone was happily kicking my side with cleats or stabbing me with a knife and then the next it was just a mild slap. I refused to believe anything could really be wrong (anyone who has known me for more than 10 minutes knows I HATE doctors and hospitals and avoid them at all costs) and argued with my well meaning hubby about not going in. I made everyone breakfast but the pains kept intensifying. Jason finally made the executive decision to work from home (after seeing my curled up on the couch saying “I think I’ll be fine to take care of Anni” (even though at this point I could definitely not pick her up)). All this went on for another couple hours until Annikah went down for her nap. Since it had been about 3 hours and the pain was not magically going away as I had insisted it would I drove myself to an urgent care place (MEMO TO SELF: would you find a primary care doctor already?). The drive over was the first time kidney stones even crossed my mind because the pain was getting so bad that I was actually yelling and scrunched over the wheel (I know fabulously safe driving Rox). I arrived and the nurse looked at me (face white, grabbing my back, hunched over) and said “honey, that ain’t no UTI.” Of course, she still questioned me about insurance and Jason’s employers address (like I so remember that right at that moment) before letting me see a doctor.

After about 20 minutes of waiting they got me in with a very nice doctor who ran a urine test that came up fine. She did a physical exam (which was about as pleasant as the cervical exams in the hospital before you give birth as my back was screaming at this point). She could not really do much of an exam as I am sure she feared I would deck her if she touched me again ( I might have as I once punched another nurse but that is a story for another time). After a wonderful nurse came in and gave me a fabulous shot of some happiness inducing drug in my voluptuous bootay I was a much nicer person. The doctor also did the acupressure points on my legs that she learned hiking in China when she was a med student. Whatever, it helped!! Laying on the table I called Jason and as instructed mumbled something incoherent about needing him to pick me up because as the nurse said I would not be able to drive (no kidding, I could barely remember how to use my cell phone). My doctor said she would not give me an IV (remember I HATE them) if I would drink like 3 liters of water so I got busy. Jason called our friend Nicole Foster (who gets today’s rock star award) for picking up Jason and Anni and bringing them to the urgent care place so he could drive me home. Jason and Anni arrived and got to hear the instructions for me being released (and as a good husband does omitted the “I told you so”).

So, as the title of this post suggests (or gives away) it was indeed kidney stones. Now, I never saw said stone(s) but the pain-so-bad-it-makes-me-want-to seriously-jump-off-a-bridge was conformation enough. Before last year I thought only old men got kidney stones but thanks to my gal pal Laura (who bravely fought the stones last year (while pregnant)UGH!) I knew that it can happen to anyone. They doctor said I probably got it from a high protein, low fat diet coupled with dehydration (from nursing and running). I usually drink tons of water but have realized lately that I sometimes forget to carry my water (although I always can remember Anni’s) and even felt dehydrated on Saturday. After all that I left with a little strainer to pee in, some pain medication prescriptions, and some recommendations for some herbal remedies. On our way home we stopped to eat and get the herbal remedies (in fact I am drinking my tea right now). I am totally trusting that they stuff they gave me will be helpful as the labels are in German. The little pills are oils to help break up any stones that remain and the tea is a diuretic. So we shall see…. Later in the day my gal pal Jill stopped by and went to Costco with me and Anni to help lift the jumbo quantities of stuff (rock star award for her too!).

So far so good but it is also scary as the said the next 36-48 hours I kind of just have to sit and wait to see if anything else happens. If there are any lil buggers left in there I am drowning them with water and tea and they are no match for me- I just had a baby remember!*