It's Probably Not a Good Sign

when your doctor tells you that you have a black cloud hanging over you, is it?

Unfortunately, that's exactly what Vern's doctor told him about this whole kidney boulder situation. The stone is not only so large that his kidney has expanded around it, but it is also seriously impacted in his kidney. They just cannot seem to get a large enough access into the kidney without risk of other serious complications.

He's had a couple more procedures and is getting a series of larger nephrostomy tubes put into his kidney so that the doctor can eventually get a scope into his kidney and use that to manipulate his tools to remove the stone in large pieces. He's so full of drains, tubes, and holes that he looks like a salt shaker.

He's scheduled for more surgery next week and then again following week and will be an inpatient at least part of that time. At this point, I'm not sure whether to run a "Help Wanted" sign for the doctor or a "Most Wanted" sign for the stone.