Finally, some answers!

Okay, so nevermind about the whole 30-day blog challenge. Things are way too busy, and I haven't been around my computer for the past few days. Maybe in 2012. :)

I finally received a call from my doctor last Tuesday. Good news: the stone has PASSED! And I didn't even feel it. This was such a huge relief...until I was immediately reminded of the intense lower back pain.

The CT scan showed some possible lower back issues, most likely related to a slipped disc. Great...just what an avid runner wants to hear. So he suggested I take it easy and look into going to a chiropractor.

I've never had any alternative treatments (acupuncture, going to a chiropractor, etc.), but that's not to say I'm against it at all. Acupuncture is supposed to be a lifesaver for all kinds of joint pain as well as infertility. And I know tons of people who swear by their chiropractor to help them not only with alignment, but stomach issues, acid reflux, and more. Needless to say, I'm open to almost anything.

Last Friday, I made an appointment with a chiropractor my Mom and sister go to. After talking about various pains and my daily routine, he took a few X-rays. Finally...we have an answer! All my discs look great and there's no blockage. But right at the bottom of my spine, just before my tailbone, it curves to the left. It was seriously the freakiest thing to see it. "There's your pain," the doc said. Well, duh!

It's more like the "Thoracolumbar" (3rd) image above, but lower - closer to tailbone.

He adjusted my neck (so weird!) and back, both of which popped more than I ever knew they could. I felt better at first, but of course he said I'd be sore for the next few days. Understatement of the century.

Up until yesterday morning, I was in pretty intense pain and feeling extremely sore. Nothing was helping - not Ibuprofen, my heating pad, alcohol, not even muscle relaxers. But finally when I woke up on Sunday, the pain was gone. It was torture not to run for three days straight! I'm in Nashville this week for work, so I had the chance to run through Downtown yesterday morning. Heaven!! I am so in love with this city!

More to come about the fun times in Nashvegas...I LOVE my job! :)

Another month, another stone...

{NOTE: This is a highly personal post and might be TMI. Just letting you know.}

Seriously…we're back here again?! Last Wednesday, I went to my urologist who informed me of what I already knew...ANOTHER kidney stone. Awesome. But instead of going ahead and removing it or giving me a real plan of action, he just said, "let's wait until it passes and then run some tests." Or in my case, "let's wait 'til it gets stuck again and you end up in the ER for 8 hours on a Sunday."

This is now my third episode with stones. Yesterday I was so thankful to have started feeling better, as the intense pressure subsided a bit. Over the weekend, I had to go back on prescription pain meds, which was SO not fun. The nausea, extreme tiredness, and lack of motivation don't really make for a great few days (especially when you have a wedding and shower to attend).

Now, however, I'm starting to think it was just because the pain meds had left my body and I had a little more energy. As I was getting ready this morning, I all of a sudden felt incredibly lightheaded, and then came a huge rush of pain. I had to sit down on the tile floor and just breathe for a few minutes. After a glass of low acid OJ and two Tylenol Extra Strength, I started feeling a little better. Could've been a combination of low blood sugar, what's supposed to be a certain time of the month, and the stone moving around...or it could've been something else entirely. Whatever it is, you can imagine the frustration of having no answers.

And no (to those of you who I know will ask), I did not run this morning. There may be speculation of distance running playing a part in getting stones or not being able to conceive...but I am convinced - as are my doctors - that it doesn't play a role in either. Maybe I should cut back slightly on the races, but other than one completed 10-miler and two upcoming half marathons, my distance hasn't picked up at all. I'm still between 20-25 miles a week, which both my doctors strongly encourage.

Personally, I'm convinced it's the medicine I'm on to make me that's supposed to make me ovulate: Metformin. Not only is it a diabetic drug (which is obviously great for someone who's borderline hypoglycemic...yea, not so much), but there has been a lot of correlation between that and kidney issues. Not to mention the fact that I started the medication in late May of last year and had my first kidney episode in early October.

I was running long distances long before 2010. AND, not that I would ever be in this great of shape, but please tell me how doctors gave this woman the okay to run marathons (yes, plural) during pregnancy if running was so bad for you? Of course I know every person's body is different...but still. Anyway, I go back to my OB-GYN next week to get put on Clomid. Can't wait to see what side effects that brings on! ;)

I'm waiting to hear back from my urologist, but if I still feel like this come Monday, I'll go in for a CT scan and either have it removed by cystoscopy or hopefully get it broken up by laser treatment next week. Will keep you posted...

On a positive note, Brent has been AMAZING this past week dealing with me and my moodiness. So sweet, cooking for me every night, and just being there for me. And it's Halloween week!! The hubby and I don't have any set plans yet, but there are a few parties lined up for the weekend. We'll see what happens. All I know is, we're ready for 10/31 at the Wilson household - Buster included!

Continuing with the positivity, I got an iPhone yesterday...whoop!! I'm learning quickly, and I absolutely LOVE it!

Last but not least, I get to go to the 2011 CMA Awards!!! My company, Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals does the red carpet tent for it every year, and this year I get to go...at least, I'll be there for the red carpet. I'll be there with our crew to film the set up (we're creating a super fab time-lapse video to use for marketing) and red carpet on the day of the awards. Still holding out for a ticket, so we'll see! I also get to spend a few days with my fabulous new friend Whitney and her husband Michal. We met them while in Seaside, FL for our friends' wedding.

Lots to look forward to!!

The Power of a Kidney Stone

The phrase "it brought me to my knees" took on a whole new meaning for me last week.

For months, I was dealing with some major health issues...from unbearable pressure in my lower back to dealing with hypoglycemic symptoms to blood in the urine. After a few trips to the urologist and one to my OB-GYN, they found a couple small kidney stones. Of course that was after a lovely bill from a CT scan, cath test, and who knows how many other tests. Thankfully everyone was in agreement that my running had nothing to do with any of this. :) The urologist assured me that the blood was just from an infection and being that the stones were so "microscopic," I shouldn't even feel them pass. HE. WAS.WRONG.

The Saturday before last, I had the incredible honor of being invited to go wedding dress shopping with one of my closest friends! It was such a fun day (once we got there, at least). We were meeting at Kelly's at 6:45 that morning, as her appointment was at 9 and the place was about an hour and a half away. Around 6:15, I had my first attack of the day. After about 10 minutes, the pain went away, and I finished getting ready. I was a little nervous about it happening again, but went about my day anyway. About an hour into our drive to Low's Bridal Shop, another attack came on. This one was worse than the first...I started sweating profusely, and the pain became unbearable. I laid across the back seat of Kelly's Jeep, across her sister and Molly (thanks again, ladies!). Thankfully I passed out for a minute. A few minutes later, we stopped, and I was able to get out and use the restroom. I felt fine after that and didn't have another episode for the remained of the day.

Sunday was a different story. I ran 16 miles with Autumn that morning, and oddly enough, it was one of my best training runs to date. I felt great the whole time and was totally pain-free! We started super early, as we both needed enough time to get ready for church. Around 11am, just before we were about to leave, I started feeling really sick. Then came the back pressure. I tried laying down on the bed to see if stretching helped, but that only made it worse. Then it hit me...it was the most EXCRUCIATING pain I've EVER felt! It was like someone was beating my kidney with a steel hammer, while stabbing and yanking it out with a knife...all at the same time.

At first, Brent thought I was just being a wuss and needed the heating pad. I could barely speak, but managed to get out that I needed to go to the ER right away. He said I would be fine, just needed to lay still for a few minutes, and it would pass. He left to go to Walgreens to pick up some Tylenol Extra Strength and a heat wrap. In the 5 minutes he was gone, I called him twice, called my dad, and was about to dial 911. Never had I ever been in that much pain, and it wasn't letting up even the slightest bit. Finally, I convinced Brent it wasn't your average back pain (maybe it was the ridiculous shrieking that did the trick?!), and he drove me to the ER.

We got there around 12:15pm...four hours and 45 minutes of me screaming my head off and causing more ruckus than in all my 28 years of living, I was finally admitted into a room. It was 30-45 minutes of excruciating pain followed by 20 minutes of just numbing pain followed by another 30-45 minutes of excruciating pain followed by 20 minutes of numbing pain. It went on like that the entire time in the waiting room. About three hours in, I was at least put on fluids, as they needed me to have something in my stomach for when I was finally given pain meds...which were AWESOME, by the way! If you've never taken Dilaudid, take my word for it!! Not trying in any way to promote an addiction to pain killers, but for someone in the amount of pain I was in, this stuff works!

A few hours, another CT scan (confirming a 3-4mm stone), and three more injections of Dilaudid, and I was finally able to go home. I have to throw in that my amazing parents were up there with Brent and me the entire time. :)

The doctor told me I would pass it by the next day...umm, not so much. I had three episodes on Monday, two not-so-bad ones on Tuesday (even went into work for a few hours), and had the stone removed by cystoscopy on Wednesday. I went into work for a half day Thursday and was back to myself and totally pain-free by Friday. Madness, I tell you! Madness that cost us about $5,000...not awesome.

Through it all (aside from the first few minutes of not taking me seriously on Sunday), Brent was absolutely amazing. He never left my side, made me soup for every meal, carried me from the couch to the bed, brought me TCBY (my fave!), and showed me more love than I could've ever imagined. I am so thankful for him and feel so blessed to call him my husband.

Now that that's behind me, I'm just hoping to stay injury-free until marathon day!!