The removal of a 7-9mm kidney stone.

About two years I got an x-ray at my Chiropractor's office to check out my back.  After reviewing the films, we found a little spot in my kidney area about the size of a pencil eraser.  I didn't do anything about it until this fall.  After doing an endoscopy for other reasons, my doctor told me I had a kidney stone about 7mm in size, like a small raisin.  Isn't it funny how doctors describe size by comparing them to fruit or nuts?!  So I went to visit a urologist who told me I needed to get the sucker out!!
Today was the day.  I really didn't anticipate it being such a big deal, but um.... yeah, it was a big deal!!
Here is how it went:
No eating after midnight, no drinking past 10 am.  Dave picked me up at 11:30am, get to hospital, check in on first floor, to be directed to another check in on the 5th floor, to yet again go to another check in across the sky bridge.  Wait a moment, get checked in AGAIN in another office, wait some more.  Follow nurse to admitting room.  Meet 1st nurse, 2nd nurse, and 3rd nurse.  1st nurse questions me, and makes me get undressed into gowns and hair net.  2nd nurse is a resident, and so sweet.  She attempts my IV twice, but can't seem to get it all the way into the vein.  3nd nurse, who is nicknamed the "IV King" tries (his real name is Nolan and super funny!) and gets it after his second time.  I now have four lovely bruises, two on each arm.  Meanwhile, I talk to them about my life and what I do (as they keep asking me questions as they attempt to IV me) and of course Nolan tells me I need to write my own memoir (weird, second person to say this in a month!).  The entire time though I was thinking "quit asking me questions, and FOCUS on the vein!"
1st doctor introduces himself, um Hello! Dr. McDreamy!  I mean, even better than Dr. Derek Shepard.  He is lovely and his real name is Dr. Ackerman.  He is the anesthesiologist and the first thought was "Oh Great!  This guy is going to see me naked in the tub of water when they do the procedure!".  Apparently I didn't ask enough questions though and just assumed I was being put in a tub of water.  In reality, I was put onto a table with an oval cup in the middle, that was filled with like jelly like stuff.  Kind of like a water bed, and I was covered at all times, phew!!!
2nd doctor comes in, she is my doctor, Kathleen Koboshi.  She is super cool.  Love her!
Dr. McDreamy takes me into the operating room and puts me on the cool water bed type table.  He then says "Nicholle, have you ever drank alcohol before?"  All of the sudden, I felt I was being put on the spot, like alcohol was the reason i was there.  "um, EVER? yes I have had a beer or two in my lifetime!"  He says, "Oooh good, because I am about to put something in your IV that will make you feel like you had two cocktails!" 
What a relief!  I tell him to get to it!
Before I could even have another thought, I felt drunk.  He tells me to get on my right side up close to the side of the bed.  This is awkward because if I actually get onto my right side then my bare ass is going to be exposed.  If it was some lady, no problem, but we are talking about HOT DOC right now!  I do as he says and I can hear him say things like "No worries, I will keep you covered.... ok, I'm putting my hand on your thigh, you will feel a small poke and stinging and then numb."  I felt the pain and then my legs went to sleep. Pins and needles all over.  Crazy feeling.  A nurse starts to rub my feet, which feels like pins and needles so I couldn't really feel anything at all, but I liked her anyway.  She was the like the grandma of the nurses so caring and passionate.
Then I look over and see another doctor.  His name is Mark.  He has the coolest job.  He looks at the x-ray of my kidney stone while lasering them out.  So cool, like an arcade game... with guns that shoot waves to break up the stone!  This is how he described it anyway.
Dr. McDreamy then tells me, "Nicholle, say goodnight!" and I was out.
The next thing I remember is waking up.  Anesthesia is not my friend.  I wake up always crying. So here I am, bawling my eyes out, and feeling like I'm going to vomit and in some serious pain.  Nolan comes up and tells all the people around me "It's OK, let her cry, she warned us this would happen!"
After 15 minutes or longer, I am given hot tea and graham crackers.  I try to use the bathroom as well, and can't seem to go.  This is because of something they gave me....it's like my bladder hadn't woken up yet.
When I finally do go, it's mostly blood :(  Which scared the hell out of me, as I apparently didn't hear them tell me that part.  When I did go, I only went a little, but felt like I had so much more to pee out and they weren't going to let me go home until I peed all the way. They checked my bladder and there was still a lot in there... so much they said if I didn't go they were going to catheter me.  If anyone knows what happened to me when I had my appendix taken out, knows that I HATE catheters (i mean, really!? who loves them?!)
Then this lady nurse, who I hadn't met yet taught me this amazing trick, and sure enough I went pee!! HALLELUJAH!!! HALLELUJAH!!!  (The trick was to pour hot water on your bladder!)
Dave came to pick me up, got my Rx before he did and I was wheel chaired to the main entrance/exit and on my way.  I felt so nauseas still and just wanting to get home.  Dave was great!! THANK YOU DAVE!!  He got me home, got my food (that I had made early that day) and made sure I was A-OK!  :)  He even brought up my mail!
Last night I was achy and dizzy but today I am already peeing clear and feeling much better.  I am being lazy today and just resting as I can still feel the pain.
I hope that my body doesn't continue to create these kidney stones, because they are one big pain in the back ... literally!
The end.