Kidney Stone Fun!!

I had a pretty interesting month of July. It all started one day at the end of June. I was at work in the morning, and I just started feeling wierd and sweating profusely, and had a stomach cramp. So of course I told the boss I was heading home because I didn't feel well. Well I got on the interstate and suddenly I had a stabbing, throbbing, pain in my side that was so intense I couldn't beleive it. It was all I could do not to double over, or blank out. Luckily I was able to get myself off the road and exit to a parking lot. I called Terry to come and get me and take me to the emergency room, which he did. I knew exactly what is was: the dreaded kidney stone!!! Thankfully it wasn't too far to the hospital. The worst part is that they have all these procedures to check you into the ER. So I'm sitting in a chair wrything in massive pain, and the poor nurse is trying to get me to stay still to take vitals. Of course when she asked me from 1 to 10 what was my pain level, I scream out 11 !!!! Well all was well after 2 shots of Morphine, and a cat scan (I even apologized to the nurse for cussing in front of her from the crazy pain). Seems I was trying to deliver a 6 milimeter bouncing baby kidney stone. That size is right on the top end of the threshold of being able to pass it on your own. They decided to send me home with painkillers and that it would pass on it's own. Well so I thought that would be that and I was done with it all. WRONG!!!

3 visits to the Urologist over the next 4 weeks resulted in the same thing, a stuck kidney stone. On the last visit this Thursday the doctor just looks at me and pretty much said "look this thing isn't going anywhere, you need surgery and that is just how it is." So I sucked it up and said "let's do it", and the stars all lined up and he was able to fit in the surgery the next day at 7:30am. Needless to say I scrambled to get time off work, get testing done, and get ready for the big day.

There is a reason I went a month before deciding to do surgery. The procedure is called "laser lithotripsy." It involves a big scope, and laser inserted "you know where" up the urinary tract through the bladder and up the ureter tube toward the kidney. Then they fire up the laser and blast away the stone. Then they get all the pieces out, and insert a tube from the kidney to the bladder, and you have that in for a couple days while the ureter tube heals up from the trauma of the stone and laser. Thankfully the procedure is done under full anasthesia. Of course any man would be VERY leery of any surgery happening down in that area. Man I was nervous. Well so I was off to surgery!!!

Here I am the morning of the surgery, pointing to the pain area!! (wasn't Terry nice to drag the camera out!!!)


And here I am after that lovely procedure all zoned out on heavy drugs!!

Well everything went fine, and the stone is gone. I am still very sore down there, and it's uncomfortable feeling that stupid tube still stuck there. Thankfully I get that removed tomorrow (not sure how fun that will be as I'll be awake for that one.) I will be so glad when this all is done. I just wanna feel normal and not have a constant pain in my side. I think I'll be there in a couple days, and I can' wait!! I'm sure Terry is ready to stop playing "nurse" too!! So there you have my fabulous month! Let's hope August goes better!!

Brian Goes To Cowtown!

Terry and I had a wonderful 4th of July Weekend.

It's kind of funny but we haved lived here in Dallas for 2 years and never ever had been to Fort Worth. This city is so big that we just never ventured that far west (how crazy it that!!). So on our friday off work for the holiday we made a trip west to Fort Worth. It's kinda funny but Fort Worth is known as "Cow Town." It is famous for it's stockyards, and the famous Texas longhorn cattle they used to run in the streets (oh and let's not forget the cowboys too!!!). Actually it has a very large downtown with skyscrapers and wonderful old buildings. It also has a much cleaner and more vibrant downtown than Dallas. We were pleasantly suprised at all the fun restaurants and bars that are all in the square dowtown. Everything does have a western touch in Forth Worth, but I managed to get away without buying a cowboy hat and boots. We didn't make it to the stockyards museum, but we drove by (we were hot and needing a break from the 102 degree heat!!). We did visit an amazing watergarden in the downtown area. One part had this Giant fountain thing that you walked down into. You kind of felt like you were in a giant toilet bowl. All that water made you wanna pee too! If was really amazing and cool though.

Me and a cow made out of flowers in downtown Fort Worth

A really cool mural downtown

Me at the water gardens

The giant fountain you get to walk down into!

Another view of the fountain

Yet another view of the fountain!

Well on our way back from Forth Worth we decided to stop by downtown Dallas, and the Smart dealership. We had ordered a cute little Smart car from them over a year ago (the actual wait list was 18 months!!) They called us about a month ago and said they had one coming in that might match the one we ordered. Anyhow we stopped by to look at the car. Well a couple hours later we drove off in a brand new black and blue Smart car! WOW we just love that car. It is crazy small looking on the outside, but 6'2" Terry and 5'11" me fit in there just fine. We have found it's a car that people just love or really hate. We get lots of looks and funny stares. It gets over 40 miles per gallon so it's a great commuter car for us (not to mention it's built by Mercedes Benz, so it's got good quality too).

Me and Terry and the new edition to our family, a SMART car.

Holy Cow, Terry fits inside!!!

Well so that was our Friday! Saturday on the 4th we went over to our friend Todd and Bill's house. Todd's 2 kids and dad and stepmom were all in town, so it was a big ol fun group. Our dear friends Jerry, Mike, Karen, Jeannie were there too. Bill grilled up some serious fillet mignon tenderloins that were so good. We all ate WAY too much, and topped the night off with some decadent blue-bell ice cream. Course it wouldn't be the 4th without some watermelon too. It was so hot outside still that we all even jumped in the pool for a while. Well needless to say we had a crazy fun weekend. Thanks to everyone who helped us have a great big fun 4th of July!!