Hello All,
Here is the update on what I know and what I don't know.
First, the CT scan showed I had a large kidney stone in my left kidney. It is 2.3 by 1.8 cm.
Second, my cystoscopy revealed a couple of places in my bladder where the Doctor wants to take a biopsy. She did not take a biopsy today.
Also, apparently my urethra is unusually shaped and tight. The doctor had quite a bit of difficulty getting the scope in. Not painful, just comical. I had three people down there trying to get the scope in. We all cheered when success was achieved. (You have to have a sense of humor about life.)
So, a couple of doctors are going to discus what the best way is to address the kidney stone, but my doctor seemed to think it will most likely be surgery through my back to get it out. We set an appointment for that procedure for Jan 20. The alternative would be to try to break it up and bring the pieces out my urethra, but it seemed like that may involve several general anesthesia treatments, one to insert a sleeve in my ureter, then wait 10 days for that to expand in size, a second anesthesia to go in and break up the stone and remove some of the pieces, wait a few more days, a third anesthesia to go back and check that all the pieces were removed and remove the sleeve. Three general anesthesia's in a month has it's own risks. So going in through the back just once may be the better choice.
On Jan 20, when I go under general anesthesia they will take the bladder biopsy samples before they start working on the kidney stone issue.
On Jan 11 I will have an office visit with the surgeon and an appointment with the anesthesiologist.
So, another month of wait and try not to worry. I am going to try to just put it all out of my mind until after New Year's. I'll see how successful that effort is.
Enjoy the holidays.
Laura