Ding Dong The Stone Is Gone
Yesterday Jack made another trip to the OR at Phoenix Children's and we can now say the kidney stone from hell is officially gone! Jack was in the OR an hour and the urologist did lithotripsy. Here is how lithotripsy works:
The person receiving the treatment either lies down in a water bath or on a cushion. The doctor employs an x-ray or ultrasound machine to locate the stone. The ultrasound machine sends out numerous high-energy shockwaves which pinpoint and shatter the kidney stones into a fine powder that can be passed out of the body through the urine with no pain or discomfort.
Jack wasn't in a water bath for the lithotripsy - but, he was in a water bath for the 3 hour procedure back in April where they destroyed the stone with a laser through the neph tube. We aren't quite done with our trips to PCH, however. Jack has to go back in four weeks for an x-ray and in six weeks to have the stent removed (which is another trip to the OR). We'll also be going back in two weeks to see the orthopedic doctor to follow-up on the broken shoulder. It's not really a good thing when the parking lot attendant at the hospital knows who you are - just sayin'!
The urologist said the stone was a total size of 6cm. To put that in perspective, 6cm = 2.36 inches. The diameter of a baseball is 2.8-3 inches. The kidney is about 3 inches wide. So, he basically had a kidney stone the size of a baseball filling up the entire width of his kidney. Now, that's just insane. I asked the urologist if it was big enough to make the record books. He said it was the biggest one he has ever dealt with (considering the urologist graduated medical school the same year Jack was born, he probably hasn't seen that many kidney stones, but, nevertheless - I don't think anyone can dispute that it was a huge stone).
I would venture to guess that not too many people have stones that get that big because the pain they experience never allows it to get that bad. Jack, on the other hand, has no way of telling us (1) he hurts; and (2) where it hurts. The poor kid has probably been in pain for years, but we didn't know it. Only when the pain became extreme and persistent did I have some idea that something was wrong. It just breaks my heart that he had to suffer so much before we finally did something to help him. *Sigh*
In any event, it is good to have this behind us and I'm just hoping to not see the inside of PCH as an inpatient ever again!
Jack waiting to go to the OR. They were two hours behind schedule. Jack didn't seem to mind. I, on the other hand, was climbing the walls.
3 comments:
OMG, Ann. Seriously. The thought of him being in pain for all that time KILLS me and he's not even my kid!!!! I ache for the two of you. His pain is hopefully gone, but yours will never be!!! It's always going to hurt when you think of it. Ugh. I'm thankful it's almost all behind you. Hang in there Jack and Mama!
Hugs and drinks,
xoxo
Ann I'm so glad that this it is over. That was one crazy big stone. You know I'm the Google queen, so I looked it up in case Jack was owed a Guiness World Record because I'd want him to have it. And it says that most doctors have never seen a kidney stone larger than a golf ball. So yes Jack's was far bigger than average, but there was a guy in 2009 who had one removed that was 17 cm in diameter! It was bigger than a newborn's head(actually looked like one). Does that make you feel better? I hope so. I'm just glad you found it when you did and it looks like he's now pain free. Hugs.
I'm so glad that the kidney stone is finally gone!!! I know it's hard when your kid cannot tell you that he is in pain, but I just can't even imagine that guessing game that you have been doing for so long. Thank God that Jack is Ok now, that really was a hughe stone. Very happy that it's all behind now. On that note, Happy Mother's Day!
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