Happy Easter to those who celebrate it.

 First this:

Then a summary of my week.

Wednesday I finally realized the back pain that had been amping up was definitely left kidney (again). I asked Mom for visual confirmation of what I already knew was there and then politely requested that we make a visit to th ER. I felt bad because Mom was already tired and in pain from verboten back problem but it was a necessary visit whether either of us wanted it or not.

If you have me on Facebook you may have seen the play by play as Mom and I tag-teamed updates. Since many of you are not on my Facebook I will try to summarize. Wednesday evening we went over to a nearer ER than the one I went to last time. We expected a quick in and out sincecqe knew what the problem was and just needed confirmation. A CT scan confirmed at least one stone kicking about in left kidney in no hurry to escape. Urinalysis and bloodwork suggest I passed a small stone recently (within 24 hours) which would account for the inflamation and pain.

Also visible on the CT scan was an unexplained pocket of air in the abdomen. The doctors were concerned about this and had me do a contrast CT scan to try to find where the air was leaking from. They briefly mentioned possibly ending surgery immediately without further context. After contrast CT confirmed the air pocket but no leak, they told me they wanted to admit me to hospital and would discuss whether surgery was necessary. 12 hours without fluids or food later I spoke to the surgeon. He told me that surgery would entail cutting me from breastbone to pubic bone with no guarantee of finding anything, and that since CT did not show where the leak was he was disinclined to cut me open on the off chance he could find something and then hope so healed afterwards. He and the main doctor went back and forth about it for a few hours before he spoke to me.

They kept me a little longer because they didn't agree on whether I needed to stay for observation but finally Thursday afternoon I was released with antibiotics and some hydrocodone for when that stone breaks free.

I feel weak as a newborn kitten, partly from the 12 hour fast, partly from the radioactive contrast stuff ingested and via IV, and mainly because I couldn't sleep at all while there.