My name is Jessica, and I survived my first kidney stone! I learned some valuable lessons through this whole experience.
1. If you’ve never felt the pain of a kidney stone, do not use the Internet to self-diagnose your symptoms.
The reason is your symptoms can match many different diagnoses leading you down the wrong path of treatment.
2. A kidney stone can cause more pain than you ever felt in your entire life.
I know this because I had gallbladder surgery in February 2012. I would instead go through a second gallbladder surgery. Too bad I only had the one gallbladder. Just kidding, I know we only have one gallbladder.
3. The more prominent a kidney stone gets the worst your pain, and symptoms get.
My symptoms started in January with a slight burning in my stomach; I thought maybe it was normal due to working out. I have no idea the acid in my stomach was coming together to form my worst nightmare. I know what you’re thinking, you waited three months?!? Yes, I did, I thought my stomach was being sensitive because I have no gallbladder. After losing your gallbladder, your stomach becomes sensitive to certain things.
My kidney stone waited until after I attended Cajun comic relief on March 10, 2018, to make a bad situation worse. After my mom and I left the Hymen center. We decided to get something to eat on the way home. My stomach was bothering me, but I thought it was hurting from laughing.
I got home and ate my bacon cheeseburger on toast from Hardee’s. Along with onion rings. Probably not the best thing to do, but it was my decision.
I went to bed because I was planning on attending church the next day. My mom and I remember the time because we were both sleeping. At 12:26 AM the party in my stomach got out of control. It felt like motion sickness. It got to the point where I said mom I have to get checked out. I’m one of those that use the hospital sparingly, so when I say I want to go. I’m not playing around.
My mom drives me to Lafayette General Southwest, probably the best decision we ever made. The waiting room was empty, so there was no wait time between getting there, checking in and seeing the triage nurse. You know that question, what’s your pain level 1-10 it was a ten no doubt about it.
The ER doctor comes in and introduces himself; His name went in one ear and out the other. I feel bad because I remember the triage nurse’s name was Scott. Scott took my vitals, and everything before the doctor came in, so we bonded a little before the action got started.
The doctor started asking me what kind of pain I am in, the best way to describe it was it felt like a cat was scratching my insides. My mom said she could see his face change after I explained the pain. It was like he had a light bulb moment. I’m not kidding when I say the first test he ordered was a CAT scan; next came the x-ray, I believe a blood sample, and then a urine test.
Time passes before the ER doctor comes back and says you have a kidney stone. My mom and I look at each other, and I mean, you’ve got to be kidding me? I’m in disbelief at this moment; there’s no way a kidney stone can make your stomach feel like it is inside out.
The doctor says, we usually would send you home with meds to pass the kidney stone. Considering you are going through motion sickness. I will get you admitted. By this time they were about to change shifts. That’s how long it took; I didn’t mind. I was in no hurry to leave with my stomach acting the way it was.
Plus, to be honest, I was receiving the best care possible, the emergency room staff was fantastic, I was kind of sad when they transferred me up to the 6th floor. Like I said I bonded with some of the people taking care of me. They even made sure my mom was comfortable, which is a significant plus in my book. The ER referred me to a urologist that was on call named Dr. Christopher Fotenot. I also had a hospitalist looking out for me. Dr. Romero
Talking to these doctors was a little funny to me because my pain was on the right, but my kidney stone was on the left. They were a little baffled by that, Dr. Fotenot asked me if my wires were crossed. Meaning if I hit my hand will I feel the pain somewhere else.
I couldn’t blame him because even I was a little confused. I guess I was in so much pain it was hard to tell where it originated.
I stayed in the hospital one night and then I went to the surgical center to get my kidney stone blasted, which is a noninvasive procedure. I was asleep during the procedure. According to the nurses and my mom. I am funny under anesthesia. I will tell you what’s not funny when everything starts wearing off Monday night into Tuesday morning. Yes, the kidney stone was blasted in pieces, but I still had to let it pass through my body.
While recovering from the kidney stone, I developed a cough that turned into bronchitis.
Long story short, I was down in the dumps because I could not recover fast enough it took me about two weeks, not only that my mom got sick bronchitis. I felt awful.
While in the hospital. I kept wondering why I got a kidney stone. My mom looked it up; the main reason is not drinking enough water. Another reason could be some of the foods I eat.
So basically I did this to myself by making poor choices. Honestly, I don’t like water. So I avoided it at all costs, my mom made it available to me, but I would sip it throughout the day. I loved anything but water, anything with flavor in it. I drank coffee in the morning Gatorade and little sips of water here and there.
Going through this process, I found out that drinking 64 ounces of water a day is best.
It breaks down like this.
8×8 is 64. 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water, or you can do like me 4×16 is 64 4 16 ounce cups of water.
Now I drink two flavored glasses of water and two natural glasses of water. The flavored waters help keep me interested in drinking water that and the hope of preventing another kidney stone.
Now, this is not set in stone; some people may need more water throughout the day depending on how active they are or if they are sick. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink especially in the heat; you could be dehydrated before you know it.
I pray that my experience helps someone avoid the pain of the kidney stone. Some people develop a kidney stone because of their family history.
Last but not least I would like to thank the Lafayette General Southwest staff ER, the 6th-floor staff the technicians who took the x-rays and CAT scans.
Dr. Romero
My urologist Dr. Christopher Fontenot, his surgical staff and office staff. Everyone involved in my care was top-notch, Dr. Fotenot is still keeping an eye on me. I will be seeing him again in June. He’s hoping some tests can help me avoid getting another kidney stone.
Blessed to be handicapped 