Goodbye Stent!

Well, it's gone, that nasty stent.

I was scared to death for this appointment. I was scared it was going to hurt. My fears were unfounded. It did not hurt and I was very surprised that it took seconds. The doctor said take a deep breath and when you blow out, out comes the stent. It was fast and easy.

It was long, over a foot long, and dark green. It looked like some kind of electrical wire. I was so glad to have it gone.

Took a big pain pill when I got home and I'm glad I did as my kidney was talking to me through that medication.

The bad news: There is still a stone in my right kidney.

The worse news: My diet has to change drastically. That is being saved for another post. It's complicated, and it's overwhelming.


I'm to drink lots of water. He told me that rather than drinking X amount of water, the true test is how much urine you produce. Everyone should produce two quarts of urine a day. That said, no one measures their output. So, the thing to look for is clear urine, so clean that you can read a newspaper through it.

He wants me drinking lots of water and lemonade. I don't like lemonade, plus I don't want the calories or the sugar. I do, however, put lots of Real Lemon in my drinking water. That will have to do. Lemonade is gross to me, always has been.

My stone is mixed calcification, whatever that means. I have to go back in six weeks. I have to collect all my potty for a period of 24 hours and keep it in the fridge! (OH, Gross!!!) Then it gets tested. Then I see the doc again and will get further diet restrictions/advice. The doctor thinks that I may have had a kidney infection along the line somewhere, thus that mixed calcification. That's kind of scary.

So I am SOOOO happy to be rid of the stent. I can start exercising as I feel comfortable. In fact, I did walk one mile with Leslie tonight, but I took it very easy, didn't do knee lifts and barely lifted my feet off the ground. I want to heal.

However, while I'm happy, I am also freaking about about my diet. I'll follow what they gave me but I have questions. I think in six weeks, I will have a book of questions. It would be nice to see a dietitian/nutritionist because I am very concerned over heart health and some things I do for that, such as almonds daily, I am not allowed.

So while it was supposed to be a joyous day, I'm feeling a bit blue over the diet bit. I'll post more about it tomorrow when I've thought through it more.

It's done, though. Thankfully.