Round and Round We Go

Lately our life has been like riding a merry go round. To nowhere. Just a repeat of the same things over and over again.

It was a week of doctor visits, trips to the hospital, blood tests, and the ever increasing list of daily drugs.

Today we return to the hospital for yet another surgery. The surgery that they were actually supposed to complete on March 21. The surgery they were supposed to complete five surgeries ago.

But, here we are two and a half months later and ready to start the sixth surgery to remove what should have been, under normal circumstances, a simple procedure.

But it hasn't been. It has stumped even the best specialist in town. It has held up against the repeated efforts of the special radiologist called in to assist. It hasn't shattered under shock wave and it hasn't budged no matter how much pushing, poking, and prodding.

However, today is a new day. The safety wire is finally in place and hopefully has been secure for the past two weeks. Today is the day that they will finally start to remove the stone piece by piece.

At best, we are hoping for removal of 60% of the stone today. I don't even want to think about what the "at worst" might be. To try to remove any more than that could result in tearing Vern's kidney, which would be a far worse complication than anything so far so they have to proceed slowly and carefully.

Vern will be staying in the hospital for a few days and this is only the first of a series of surgeries to remove this stone.

But for now, we'll just hope that they can get this party started so that we can get off this merry go round. We are both sick of it.