Back to Hell Again

Well, this didn’t last long. About 2 months ago, the familiar pains of a kidney stone returned. Anyone that’s ever had one, knows how bad these really are. For me, I just tried to put it off / ignore it. While I was out on FMLA, towards the tail end, that’s when those feelings returned.

Last month, that’s when the fun “signs” reappear. I started taking Flomax in the hopes of just passing it normally, but that idea ended fast when it got stuck. About 3 weeks ago, I was going to drive out to Rocky Mountain National Park to do the Old River trail, I managed to get a pass (timed entry is stupid). The morning I was supposed to go, the pain started putting me on the floor.

The other thing I’ve noticed over the past few months, was this strange lump/bump around my belly button, combined with the flank pain, the belly pain, I ended up giving away my day pass, and headed straight to Swedish ER. By the time I made it to the ER, pain was nearing a 10/10. Since that bump was hurting, I was thinking that this might be my appendix trying to take me out.

At least the ER has been a better experience at Swedish as of late, I don’t have to advocate for myself anymore. It feels like something changed, which I am not complaining one bit. After providing a coffee colored sample to the nurse, I already knew what this was going to be. A quick CT scan showed a 6mm stone leaving my right kidney, but the one thing that’s “new”, is that I now have an Umbilical Hernia. The ER doctor did give me Toradol, and Ketamine, which seemed to calm things down temporarily.

While I was waiting for the discharge paperwork, I logged into my Urologist’s portal and requested an urgent appointment, as last time, things got out of hand pretty quickly. However, the last time, I was able to do ESWL, which is just where you sit on a table and they blast the stones. I thought to myself “this will be quick / easy”.

As I met with one of the Urologists, I let him know about the STEMI I had back in 2023, the last kidney stone that required their intervention was back in 2022. Unfortunately, due to the 2 stents that were placed in my heart, I can no longer do the ESWL procedure, which leaves the only procedure to go get the stones, and I can tell you from a lot of experience, it’s not fun, at all.

I’ve had to do the lithotripsy procedure, where they left a stent, and that was probably the worst 2 weeks of my life. I was hoping to get into surgery within the next few days, however, the surgery scheduler never called me back. I ended up having to call back to get someone to get me on the surgery schedule.

I did come up with the idea to have the “self-remove” option for the stent, where they attach strings to the stent so you can remove it yourself, which at the time, was better than them having to dig around to go “get it”. That’s probably the worst procedure ever. I know that they are lying their asses off when they say “oh its quick and painless”. I don’t think they’ve ever had to have it done.

Last Friday, the 6mm stone was blasted / removed along with 5 other stones up in my right kidney, and a surprise 4mm stone which was almost on its way out. The first 24 hours after that procedure are pure hell. The only way I can describe it, is you literally piss gasoline and razor blades. I’ve been through this before, so I knew what to expect.

However, by Sunday, something wasn’t right. Clots. I’ve never passed them out before. They felt extremely weird. Sunday night, the periodic passing, became constant. Instead of it being liquid, it became syrup. Sunday night, I kept waking up every morning hour to go to the bathroom, but it felt like I couldn’t go. Monday morning, I sat in the bathroom for over 45 minutes trying to go, but at this point, the clots were just ketchup. My bladder felt like it was going to explode. Since Monday was the day to remove the stent, I got in the shower and tried to get it out. They said it shouldn’t take much effort, however, that was simply not the case.

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to go, and you physically can’t. By about 7am, the fever started, and the pain started to go through the roof, I decided to make the call to go to the ER for “help”. Unfortunately, the procedure was done @ Porter hospital, which is the same hospital about 5 years ago that didn’t do a great job helping me through the septic episodes. I wanted to go to Swedish, however, since the surgery was done at porter, I had to go there instead.

There was literally nobody in the waiting room, and it took them over 30 minutes to come get me. At this point, the pain was to the point where I couldn’t walk anymore, let alone drive a car. I don’t even know how I made it there to begin with. As they sat me down in the room, I went over what happened, but at the same time, I had to tell them what’s happened over the past 10 years.

That’s why I go to Swedish, they just know what’s happened, I don’t have to re-explain everything. Things moved extremely slow @ Porter. It took them over an hour and a half to even have the Dr come in and see me. I did contemplate just walking out and going to Swedish.

Finally around 11:30am, they gave me 50mg of Ketamine and Toradol, and I was able to get rid of the literal ketchup in my bladder. The CT scan showed exactly that, clots were blocking the exit, and I had a very large quantity to get rid of. I spent the next 2 hours trying to empty myself.

The problem being the Umbilical Hernia hurts like crazy when I have to push, August 4th I have a consult with surgery to repair it. Even though it’s not serious, it is. It hurts like crazy. Every cough, or sneeze, I get reminded that it’s there.

I’m hoping by the end of the week that this kidney stone pain get better, but at this rate, it’s all up in the air. I’m just tired of dealing with all this day in and day out.

The only good bit of news I can share, is my immunologist has a peer review with Anthem, and I am approved finally for Sajazir. Which ironically the day I was approved, I had an angioedema attack, and I ended up using a dose. I’m just glad that between the Dupixent and the Sajazir along with the ketamine, my immune system seems to be a little more “controlled”.

That’s all I got for now. I guess I still am enslaved to this nightmare. I just want off this ride.