Here is a diagram:

Here's what happens when anything obstructs it:

Now, I thought it was funny that I asked my urologist if he has ever had stones and he said he did--and they were about my size. I asked him today why he had them taken out, and he said, "because I couldn't pass them--they were too big." I guess I don't get that luxury--I am expected to wait for it to scrape itself out, or get stuck and damage my kidney. Guess that's one of the perks of being a urologist. I have been researching it all week and found a blog ironically by another military wife in California: www.cystinuriablog.com and she has SOOO much helpful information about kidney stones over her 10 yrs of experience with passing them. Everything I've read says stones >5mm will require intervention. She said none of her urologists would allow a 7mm stone to rot in her ureter for the simple fact that there's a huge potential risk for kidney damage...
Sunday night I awoke at 3am having a nightmare and it felt like my right kidney was contracting. Yes, like I was going into labor through my kidney lol. Babies were asleep so I left the monitor with Susan, and my mom drove me to the ER. They gave me fluids, painkillers that knocked me out, did an xray (with no useful results---stones arent always visible with plain xrays) and stuck a catheter in me (ouch) to get a direct sample from my bladder and pulled it back out (double ouch). I was sent home after being treated like a child: "You're gonna need your kidneys so you need to pass the stone..why didn't you take your pain meds like you were supposed to? i don't understand why you didn't take the pain meds!" He didn't understand I wasn't there asking for more pain meds, I am more concerned about this hunk of a stone causing a full obstruction and hence, kidney damage. The CT scan already revealed there was hydroureternephrosis, and I don't want acute kidney damage. Nothing came of the visit..uh..I mean, except a hefty bill I'm sure. The doctor who was very short with me says "uh, there's a 50/50 chance the stone will pass."
They don't understand that I can't just go home load up on oxycodone and be zonked out until it passes. I have 2 babies and no husband here.
Today's appt with my urologist I was very adamant that I want this boulder out. He agrees it's reasonable. Today's x-ray shows little or no movement of the stone:
Yeah, that tiny fleck is causing lots of trouble.
The doc agreed to schedule me for surgery on friday morning. I am going to be put out, have a scope stuck in me, they will shoot water to inflate the ureter, which usually pushes the stone back up in the kidney, they will chase it, blast it into pieces, and put a stent in my ureter. Basically, I will have a straw in me connecting my kidney to my bladder for a week or so, to flush out the boulder fragments.
That is, unless I spontaneously pass the stone tomorrow or thursday. Thursday night John comes home for a week and a half, so he will hopefully help take care of things.
Thank God for my mom and sister being here to help. I don't know what I would do without yas!
2 comments:
The last part is what I was going to say. Thank God for your sister and mom!!!
yes, i dont even know who could've babysat/drove me to the er or anything. i hope they don't feel taken advantage of!
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