I had a very interesting week from a health perspective. And I wouldn't say so in a good way. Let's translate "interesting" to "life lesson and educational." I had significant back pain in bed this past Sunday night. Monday morning it was feeling much better so after my first client, I took a run and immediately when I ended I realized something was not right. My right side groin and lower back were very achy and crampy. I stretched a bit, headed to the grocery store where I began to feel nauseous so decided to head home. I then proceeded to get the chills and had an unwavering need to squirm and fidget to get comfortable but to no avail. It was clear this wasn't muscular, so I texted a client that is an ER doc with my symptoms and she said it could be a kidney stone. "WHAT?!" I thought. . . this can't be!!

I proceeded to Google kidney stone symptoms and my face probably should have been right up there as the top hit. I had just about every symptom listed so my husband and I scooped up my stuff and headed to a walk-in health clinic. After preforming an x-ray, they told me that yes, in fact I had a small stone, gave me a prescription for Vicodin and sent me home, with the statement "If the pain is really bad, go to the emergency room."

Now I love Google as much as the next guy but, much to my husband's dismay, when I have a health problem, I search EVERY topic and swear up and down that I will suffer the worst of the consequences I see. However, when you read on every single site that the pain from these suckers is excruciating and worse than childbirth, you're pretty sure you're in for a doozy. But, since I was told it was small and that exercise and drinking a lot of water are key in its passing I wasn't too worried since I had pain medicine.

Let me digress. See, the exercise thing is no problem for me; check! But the water thing is embarrassingly lacking and always has been. I definitely have a horrible thirst mechanism, and sometimes after a busy day I even wonder if I have had any at all. Yes, very dumb. . . I have actually been called a camel by my running friends and used to think it was funny and even kind of cool that I didn't "require" a lot of water. Well, it has come to bite me in the butt hard!!! Stones can be caused by several factors but mine was very very likely cause by dehydration so yes, I own that.

After three days of canceling work, squirming around, doubled over in pain (on pain meds mind you), taking hot showers to find relief and constantly laying a heating pad I had had it; and went to the emergency room. Why hadn't this thing passed yet?! I had been pounding water for three full days. So, now I naturally began I had more wrong with me than just that; Oh not to mention I am running the Boston marathon in a week, and my entirely family is going, flight and accommodations paid for. No pressure there!

The emergency room experience was surprisingly pleasant. People, if you ever need to go to one, god forbid, visit IU Health North. . . very nice people and quick. They gave me an IV of pain meds and scooted me of to get a CT scan in a wheelchair; that felt weird for sure. That was my first experience with a CT machine and it was nothing short of creepy.

The worst part was AFTER the scan was over and waiting 25 minutes for the results. My mind was racing. . . What if they found cancer? What if I need a kidney transplant? It was probably a good thing my husband was in the waiting room 😄

When the doc headed back in he started with "Are you ready to hear your report card?" With a fake laugh I said yes. He started by saying "point out the kidney stone" slapped down literally an image of my insides and there clear as day was the little stubborn booger. And he said "And it's not small, 4mm in size (at 5mm they usually have to surgically remove it)." Apparently the pain from a stone lies primarily in its movement, that is why it is more like "attacks" rather than continuous. And once the stone enters the bladder the pain is all but gone, besides just a little achy. Well, mine was right about there thank the lord.

I suppose the only nice thing about the scan results was as my doc called me "a very boring patient". And, my blood work was spot on and organs functioning at high levels. So that was a relief! He prescribed me Flomax to dilate my ureter so that the stone would more easily drop into my bladder so I could pass it. As I sit here today, I have not, to my knowledge passed it, but pain is gone. . . ..

So lesson learned, many painful days and a lot of money spent later, I will no longer drink small amounts of water or believe that I just don't need as much as others. Nope, dead wrong there. So, when you read health advice it's probably wise to follow. I'm not invincible and the rules apply to just about everyone, few exceptions of course but by and large they do. I know this was a lot of information to make such an obvious point but I wanted to paint a picture of what I had to endure to learn this lesson once and for all.

Oh and lastly, today the immediate care people called me to give me my "results" of the x-ray. You know the same one where the doc told me I had a small stone? Well, the receptionist told me my results were negative. I said "What do you mean negative? About the kidney stone?" She put me on hold, and when she returned she said. . . and I quote. "You do not have a kidney stone so keep doing what you've been doing." I told her that I had in fact been to the ER the day before and that I do in fact have a large kidney stone. She then said "Oh, okay, well I hope you feel better. Have a nice day." REALLY?! This is not the first time these places have seriously misdiagnosed me so NEVER again. And paying that bill might just make me sick to my stomach. Beware, beware. . . .Hence another lesson learned. 😄