Quick Update

Well, things are going so much better these days!

Its amazing to me how much a physical ailment can affect one's quality of life. So many people live through medical treatments and make do. But perhaps we take for granted how hard it is on an individual to do so!

For about six weeks, I was dealing with that darned kidney stone... It sounds so small- it WAS small! Only 3mm as it turns out. I know this, because after four weeks of constant discomfort and moderate, but manageable pain,  I finally had that sucker removed. The hard way.

I've never had a surgery before. Until now. Oi! I THOUGHT that it would be a minor procedure, especially since this was a cystoscopy. I thought, we aren't really going into the abdomen... it can't be that bad... Well, yes, apparently it can be.

I ended up with a ureter that was so inflamed from the spikey stone that was lodge in there that it required a stent for proper healing. And between the procedure and the stent, I was in a lot of damn pain. It took about five days with the stent, and being in incredible pain, then another couple of weeks to recover from all of that. What they dont tell you going in is that recovery will take longer than you think. That with a stent, you constantly lose blood every single day and that you will be anemic and weak, even after the pain is gone.

What they dont tell you, and what you probably shouldnt look up on the internet, is that the stent is 14 inches of curly plastic that goes all the way to your KIDNEY. Or that your body will react very badly to such an invasive devise. It does. Trust me. I made them show it to me after removal. Yes, it was as freaking big as I suspected.

Nevertheless, I am on the other side of this ordeal now, and strangely grateful for the experience.

One, I am so happy to not be in pain! After a week of it, it just became normal to be in pain. Six weeks later, and I had thought it was just normal. What a delight to discover that its not, and that I can feel much better! Not being in pain is so wonderful!

Two, I got to connect with a dear friend I hadnt seen much, because she too had a similar (but more severe) issue. I really got to understand a smidge of what she has been going through and offer her some empathy and see her pov.

Three, I was forced into a week or so of rest- something I never allow myself. It was kind of neat!

And lastly, I got to discover that I can go through something miserable like this, and come out the other side relatively unscathed.

Its also interesting to me that my anxiety has completely gone away. I feel damn good. And so, next lesson: being in constant, ongoing, chronic pain causes anxiety. Huh.

I am, however, pissed. They took that damn stone for analysis. I wanted it for a centerpiece and/or shrine on my mantle.