The picture you all have been waiting for.....

Here are three pictures of my kidney stone. Up close and personal it looked and felt just like, well, a stone. My doctor was so impressed with the size he suggested we stuff and mount it as a souvenir. The second two pictures are a little blurry. I apologize. Enjoy!

Elvis has left the building

This afternoon, I started feeling ill again, went upstairs to rest and pray the kidney colic was not returning. I had to use the restroom, and I passed my monster kidney stone. It was pretty big, and while it was painful to pass, it was not as bad as I expected. However, it made me feel even more nausea. I feel better knowing that I am not carrying that sucker around anymore, and that I have something for the doctor to analyze. Hopefully, it will give them some good information. I have some pictures of it. I was going to post them so people could see the size of this thing, but then thought it was too gross. Let me know if you want to see it, and if enough people are interested I'll post them sometime next week.

When left to our own devices.....

This is what Dalan and I do on a Saturday night when car accidents and kidney stones force us to stay in!

Kidney colic, and car crashes....oh my!

Dalan and I have a dark cloud hanging over our household. Stay far, far away from us!

I went from bad to better to far worse back to better as far as my kidney stones go. I had to go to the ER last night due to the immense, earth-shattering pain I was experiencing. They gave me some morphine, did a CT scan of my innards, and ran all sorts of tests on my blood and urine. The doctor asked me if there was a chance I was pregnant. I replied, I don't think so, but it could be a possibility. He responded with if you are doing the deed, than there is always a possibility, however, according to 5 young women we had in this week, you don't even need to be doing that. He, he, he. He determined that I was not pregnant, but did have a monster kidney stone. He referred me to a urologist. My parents came to get me from the ER, and took me to fill my prescription. I puked my guts out in the Target parking lot, and then about 5 more times throughout the night. It was not fun.

My urologist informed me today that puking like that is called kidney colic and once it starts, you can't stop it. He also informed that when given a choice most women would choose child birth any day over having kidney stones. Since, I am feeling so much better today there is a chance I could have passed my giant stone during my kidney colic while I was neglecting to strain my urine. I now need to continue to strain my urine until my follow up appointment on Tuesday. That will be fun during school.

Oh, in the ER, they also put me on Flomax, which is med for men with prostate problems. However, according to every doctor and pharmacist I have talked to, it is a miracle drug for the kidney stones.

Now, on to Dalan. After, my appointment Dalan took me home and then went to get me a malt from Iceberg. On his way there, he got rear ended/side swiped in the car while sitting at a light. The lady then went on to hit another car. Dalan is ok, the car is not. It had to be towed due to the fact that the back tire was pushed and messed up. The back door does not open anymore either. I had to go down to the accident to pick Dalan up, and bring some papers. All of Redwood Road was so backed up. In fact, Ali said they even mentioned the accident on the radio. Way to go Dalan to get a shout out.

As the cars were being towed, the police officers came to Dalan's truckwhere I was sitting looking for the woman who caused the accident. They could not find her anywhere. She had given all her info, but left before her car was towed or before anything was finalized. Her name is Jamie. I guess as Dalan was standing with the cops, they were saying things like, "Oh, I guess her new name could be going to jail Jamie." And, "I don't see a get out of jail card in here."

What a crazy week!

Seriously, so soda-free

Dear Diet Coke,

Let me start off by telling you I have loved our time together. It has meant a lot to me, and you will always have a special place in my heart, but I am breaking up with you.

Now, now, it is not YOU, it is ME. I am just in a new place in my life, in which my kidneys and bladder seem to have an adverse reaction to you. I just can't go on with this seemingly unhealthy relationship. I need to take some time, and figure out what is best for me. Maybe, I am just going through a selfish phase of life, and I don't want to put you through that.

You are probably wondering if I have found another? Well, for the sake of honesty, I will tell that today I did drink water- a lot of water. And, although water does not bubble and fizz like you, or give me the energy I crave in the morning. Water is healthier for me, and is stable. Water may not be as fun, but water doesn't make my kidneys hurt so bad that I cry and throw up. At this point in my life, I need to think of my future and pick the best choice for me.

I hope we can still be friends. Take care.

Love,
Jess

Guess what I got for Christmas?

KIDNEY STONES!!!!

I started to feel sick at work today with the same pain that haunted me in September. Called the doctor and they fit me in for an appointment the afternoon, but while waiting for my appointment and trying to teach fourth grade all at the same time, I ended up vomiting. Let me tell you, there is nothing as glorious as running out of the computer lab, puking your guts out, and then having to go back into the lab, put on a happy place and take 25 ten-year-olds out of their computer program. The doctor is pretty sure it is stones, not an infection. He said people with kidney infections are usually much sicker, and I asked about the throwing up. He stated that was probably just due to the immense amount of pain kidney stones cause. Great!

If I don't feel better in a few day, I have to go get a ultrasound on my kidneys. He said they also could do an X-ray, but would prefer to keep the radiation away from my reproductive organs. Both Yankee Stadium and I thanked him! He did get me a prescription in case it is an infection, since they won't get the results for a few days. And told me to drink a lot of water. My mother has ordered me off the soda and only on the water until next month. I think I am going to try. It is better than being pukey McPukerson at work!

Have a holly, jolly Christmas

This weekend Dalan and I decorated our house for Christmas. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of work, due to our Christmas stuff being stored in several different locations during our move. Dalan doesn't really enjoy the hype of Christmas, but still was very helpful and a lot of fun during the decorating. He even had to climb under the stairs to search out more Tupperware storage tubs. Apparently, he got stuck under there once before when I was at work while getting our winter stuff out, and Piper had to pull him out by feet! At least, that is his story and he is sticking to it. Here are some pictures of Dalan under the stairs, and the finished products.

Dalan in his man cave of storage.

The entertainment center.

The fireplace, with all of Piper's pictures with Santa.

The Tree!