This "Frustration" post is about me. I'm frustrated. I've never thought of myself as a sickly person. In fact, I'd actually go so far as to say that I'm healthier than 90% of the American public. I admit I'm not a vegan or on a raw diet or even close to being the healthiest person in the world, but I eat well... I rarely, if ever, go to fast food restaurants or eat things like donuts... if I eat pizza its gluten-free and vegetarian! I only drink occasionally, I've never smoked cigarettes or used tobacco products, I exercise, I take my vitamins and supplements, I even go to acupuncture. I have a solid spiritual foundation and excellent interpersonal relationships including many friends and a fantastic, wonderful, all I could ever ask for husband, and a great job. I'm also well read and love to learn new things... all of which are supposed to equal a happy, healthy life, right?
That said, I feel like I'm always dealing with something. Asthma as a child, then scalp psoriasis in my teens, then the colossal ulcerative colitis started in my 20s, and now kidney stones! Really?! I have this 3mm stone that the doctors keep telling me is going to pass on its own, and NOTHING YET. I gotta say, I'm really SICK AND TIRED of peeing through a strainer!
Today I decided I needed more knowledge about all of this, so I went onto the American Kidney Fund's website and did a little research. This is what I found:
Who gets kidney stones?
Anyone can form a kidney stone, but you may be more likely to have one if you:
- Are male (NOT ME)
- Are Caucasian (ME)
- Are very overweight (NOT ME)
- Have had kidney infections (NOT ME)
- Have a family member with kidney stones (ME- My Dad)
- Have had kidney stones before (NOT ME)
- Eat a lot of animal protein (such as meat and eggs) (NOT ME)
- Do not drink enough liquids (NOT ME)
I found this:
People with ulcerative colitis have a higher than normal risk for kidney stones.
How can I prevent future kidney stones?
If you have had kidney stones before, you are more likely to have kidney stones again. To help keep stones from forming, try to:
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day (yesterday I drank twelve 16oz glasses of water and I drink at least a 32 oz bottle of water at work each day plus more at home... I think I'm good here)
- Eat less salt (sodium), meat and eggs (I do like salt, but I don't eat much meat or eggs)
- Find out what type of stone you have
- Ask your doctor for a urine test
- Talk to your doctor about your medicines and other tests for kidney stones
The furnace repairman came by the house today and I told him about my stone. He said he gets them all the time and to take shots of Apple Cider Vinegar throughout the day. I tried it once so far. Why not, right?! Nothing yet, but here's hoping! If anyone has any other suggestions as to what else I should do to get this stone to move more quickly through my system, please drop me a line! I'm all ears.
What I'd really like to know though, is there a "Reset" button on our bodies somewhere that no one has told me about? Like when my internet just stops functioning correctly, and all we have to do is unplug it for 10 seconds and then plug it back in and, Viola! It works! I'd like to push my "Reset" button now please! Can someone tell me where it is, PLEASE?
I can hardly remember the days pre-colitis when I could "hold it" if I had to or when I didn't know where every bathroom was the minute I walked into a place or when I still got embarrassed about evening using a public toilet to poo- it was so much more dainty and feminine of me. Those were the days... I miss those days... I was such a trooper back then... I was up for anything and everything...
God, I wish I hadn't taken them for granted like I know I did.
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