kidney stone

I guess "cool science" is going to have to take a backseat to "painful life" right now. I forgot how painful those little stones were. Yesterday morning was two hours of intense, mind-boggling pain, and me asking myself useful questions like "did they always hurt this much?" and "is this kidney stone # 6 or 7?".

While I was grappling with the answers, I was also asking myself where the hospital was. I could not clearly picture its location even though I've walked past it at least a dozen times. So, I went online, only to find it was a mere 3-4 blocks away. For a few seconds, I considered my options. Should I walk there? The emergency room is just down the street. What if was on the Robinson Crusoe Islands and had to hike down from the seabird colony...I would walk then, right? If I call an ambulance, am I getting soft? All this, and more, flashed through my brain in about 4 nanoseconds before I grabbed the phone and dialed 911. There was no way I was walking three feet let alone three blocks; I would pass out from the pain and be laying out on the street at 6 AM. That would not be an improvement.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (but was only 38 min), the ambulance came. I was in the ER in just a few minutes and got help from the nurse and doctor immediately. They gave me drugs for the pain and CT scan for the stone. Once it was revealed that the stone was a mere 1.5 mm, I was discharged to pass it quietly at home. Which I did. Early this morning. Thank goodness. Has been a very rough few days and am inordinately thankful that I am usually healthy and pain free. I know I'm supposed to drink lots of water and have never been able to do this but now I am seriously going to try. I really don't want kidney stone #8.