My Experience

One week after my kidney stone attack I went to the out-patient section at Cape Cod Hospital for the removal of the stone which had entered the ureter. Upon arrival I was directed to the locker room where my clothing was replaced with a hospital shirt and bathrobe which gave me some modicum of modesty. I was then taken to the preparation room where I met the attending nurses, surgeon and anesthesiologist. I have a fear of general anesthesia and chose a spinal block. First one nurse tried to place an IV into me, but she was not successful. Another nurse took over and got it on the second try. This was the only source of pain for me in this procedure. They gave me a sedative and I have no recollection of the procedure which was by inserting a tube into me via the urethra and blasting the kidney stone with a laser. Other than the pain from the insertion of the IV, the only discomfort I had was the numbness in the lower half of my body which lasted 3 hours after the procedure.