Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2003. We took Mattie to the US Botanical Gardens with my parents. My mom snapped this photo of us. Only Peter was actually looking at the camera. Mattie and I were doing our own thing and look at the kid in the lower left hand corner of this photo. He was clearly observing our antics! As I am sure we were a sight, as I was trying to get Mattie to smile and look at the camera.
Quote of the day: One must be reasonable in one's demands on life. For myself, all that I ask is: (1) accurate information; (2) coherent knowledge; (3) deep understanding; (4) infinite loving wisdom; (5) no more kidney stones, please. ~ Edward Abbey
I have been dealing with a kidney stone since the beginning of February. I am determined to pass this kidney stone naturally, or I keep hoping that I will. The surgery doesn't sound pleasant, especially since a stent is inserted and remains in me for a week. I have had past issues with my bladder and every time I get scoped or anything is done that is invasive, I develop MORE symptoms from spasms to even incontinence for a period of time. So I am truly not eager to sign up for more of this.
All I can say is that for the past couple of weeks I have consumed more water than a fish. This is a highly unnatural process for me, as I do not enjoy drinking fluids. I never have, and I know where this originated. When I was a child, my peers always made fun of me because I was always running to the bathroom. If I drank something, sure enough, I would need to stop whatever process we were on (even school field trips) to run to the bathroom. So in my head I equated drink fluids to something bad.... being made fun of and feeling different. Therefore, the only thing I felt I had control over was fluid intake, I figured if I drank less or nothing at all, I wouldn't need to run to the bathroom. For the most part that was correct. But of course that decision has long term consequences.
Despite my issues with fluid, I never had a kidney stone until I took a medication several years ago for migraines. It was my neurologist who caught the connection between Topamax and calicium oxalate kidney stones. Despite the fact that he took me off of the medication, the damage was already done. In two years of being on the med, I developed 4 kidney stones. Mind you I haven't generated any other new stones since I have been off the med. The one I am dealing with now, is stone #3. I have passed two already, but this one is being difficult. Of course I have another one still in my kidney, but I can't focus on that one right now.
This afternoon, when I got back home from running chores, I saw I had a voice mail message. Who was it from? Try my doctor! My doctor actually called me himself and also gave me his cell phone number. I am not sure why I am so shocked! Mainly I guess because the only other doctors I know to freely give out their cell numbers are pediatric oncologists. In any case, he wanted me to know that I was being supported, especially since this has been going on for a while and it can be painful and debilitating. He has me tentatively scheduled for surgery on Thursday, but he understands my desire to pass this naturally. He is open to this decision because he has been tracking my stone through xrays, showing that each week it is migrating down and isn't stuck. I promised to call him tomorrow with an update. In any case, I am quite certain after all of this, I could write my own handbook on kidney stones!
No comments:
Post a Comment