03.06.2012 Not as Planned

Well surgery happened yesterday.

Unfortunately, when the Dr. came out to tell me all about it...it was not the outcome anyone wants to hear.

They could not get to the stone.

DeRell was devistated. I had on my brave face all day.

Bottom line, Dr. was able to put the Stent in below the stone. (this is important to stretch the walls of the Ureter so fluids can pass and the Kidney is not permanently damaged) However,due to his Ureter clinching he could not get his scope/camera/laser up the additional inches it needed to get to the stone that is imbedded in his uppper kidney. Mainly he said in healthy males it is common for the Ureter (tube that takes byproduct/urine from kidney to pee-pee) to contract or swell when there is a problem. So basically after his stone being in there so long that is what happened. For the Dr. to try to FORCE his instruments up any further he could have created problems or worse... permanent damage.

No one wants to have a catheter, or have to pee in a bag for the rest of their lives if there is some other way...so the Dr. decided to back up and call it a day. When he told me this i think i sunk in my chair about 6 inches. "Well cant you just cut him open and get it out the "hard way"? I asked. Basically the Dr. answer was 'Not unless he wanted a 12 inch scar running across his side to the front'. If there is ANY WAY to avoid that they typically do. So he said we will meet in his ofc. Weds and come up with a game plan. Also once he saw the final xray and was "in there" he thought it very possible it could be a Uric Acid stone. If that is the case, then it is the only kind of stone that can dissolve with medication. So he is going to analyze his last 4 samples to see if it is possibly that - and then we can medicate and hope it dissolves enough to pass on its own.

If not he has to go back in for surgery in about 2 weeks. Basically the maximum amount of time they want someone to have a stone lodged in their kidney (where his is located) is 4 - 6 weeks. That is why he had surgery at that 4 week mark. Now if we can't fix it in the next 2weeks he will need to have SOME KIND of surgery to successfully remove it otherwise he could have permanent damage to his Kidney.

Scary stuff, but hopeful that it will all be worked out in the next couple of weeks.

Also, I am so VERY THANKFUL we have medical insurance through his job. We went over 2 years without insurance (and just got it back last May) and something like this... if we were un-insured.... would be catasrophic. He has had so many CatScans, CT's, Xrays...and now possibly TWO surgeries. Yikes. We haven't even paid off our co-pay amount from his Colonoscopy from last year. I can tell you without a doubt we have met our family deductible already this year.

The moral of this story, is that not all things go according to plan. So we will continue to pray and hope for the best possible outcome.

As far as how DeRell is feeling....well lets just say for a guy that normally refuses to take pain meds - he took a 1/2 last night in hopes he could function. He has an Extrememl HIGH pain tolerance and this thing is kicking his butt! He has to drink LOADS of fluids....but it is SO painful in his Kidney and where they placed the stent when he has to urinate that he has been crying out in pain.

Not a fun thing.