kidney stones

It was 1988 and I had this weird pain on the right side of my lower back. Hoping it was just gas, I waited for it to pass. Pass it did not, and four excruciating hours later I was in the Emergency Room of the local hospital in the process of passing my first kidney stone.

A year later to the date, I had another strange kind of cramp on the other side of my back, and somehow knew it was not gas, but hope upon hope, hoped I was wrong. About five hours later I was taken to the Emergency Room and told that my second kidney stone wanted be born and I was in kidney stone labor.

I remembered (something you never forget), that in my pain and agony, the doctors and nurses, tried a bunch of pain relievers,( to at least have me stop climbing from the walls, and) and make the kidney stone arrival as bearable as ever. After a few useless shots of what seemed to be aspirin, I was given Demerol and told I would feel better. Two hours of Demerol, and not a degree less pain, and me screeching, a nurse came in and said she would give me Morphine.

I had never had Morphine, nor the reason in my life to try it, and was sure it would not work, just as the promised relief from Demerol hadn't worked. But hallelujah, the minute the warm burning sensation oozed through my veins, I could feel some relief.

It seems for the next eight years I was becoming a kidney stone mommy, giving birth to a proud, belligerent brood of sharp, jagged pups around mid October. I now knew the difference between gas like pains and full blown (if I had a gun I would shoot myself in the head) pain of kidney stones.

And I now knew then that ONLY one drug could and would help ease this discomfort sooner than later. I would go to the hospital and depending on who saw me in the Emergency Room, I would get the run around of a pain reliever for headaches followed by maybe some Demerol, and FINALLY as I jumped from wall to wall MORPHINE. I used to call this period of Demerol/Morphine, my Demi-Moore pain time.

It seemed that if I was lucky enough to get an emergency Room Nurse or Doctor who had ever experienced or had a loved one who experienced kidney stones, he/she, would not wait for the Demi part of Demi Moore, but immediately go for the Moore, knowing Moore was better for less pain. If someone attending to my kidney stone pain had experienced first hand my pain, they would not beat around the bush, but act quickly, and wisely.

I have found in most cases when someone in charge, someone with the power, the authority, the responsibility to make change understands the people he/she is directed to make change for... will do the right thing.

When I think of all the hoopla and shenanigans from our ELECTED OFFICIAL who pontificate about "free market practices", regarding any reform towards Health Care. Or ELECTED OFFICIALS who drag their feet on making health care universal, while they easily receive government funded health care themselves. Or ELECTED OFFICIALS who say we must study this or that, it is too soon to jump into it. I pitch a fit and realize those in CHARGE, those with RESPONSIBILITY and in POWER have never experienced not having health care at all.

Like the Emergency Room staff who never knew the insidious, nerve rattling, gnawing pain of kidney stones, our ELECTED OFFICIALS who have the "Cadillac" of health care, just don't seem to understand waiting, dying, decisions of food or rent instead of doctors, and anguishing about how bad it is to finally go to the doctors, won't act fast or at all. They don't get it, because they have never had to get it!

Perhaps if, during this awful summer and now hideous fall of debating who should have the right to health care, or who should not pay outrageous fees, or whose preexisting condition is real or not, IF our ELECTED OFFICIALS had to fend for themselves regarding health care, maybe we would resolve what seems to me a very human issue quickly and correctly.

The Doctors and Nurses who had kidney stones, would say as they plowed me with MORPHINE, no need to be in pain, Mister Buncher, it will be a long night and if we can do with less stress then we will. Imagine if our ELECTED OFFICIALS said, we know how difficult it is to be poor, or work for a wage but still not be able to afford insurance, or its enough you suffer from some disease that is painful and stressful, but we can and will provide you with some relief?

It should not be necessary to experience the things your constituents are facing. It should be necessary not to say, I know I have been there. It should not be necessary to ignore the pain and suffering of others because you are not in PAIN or you are not SUFFERING.

But with the selfish, self serving antics of those we ELECT, it seems the only thing to do is wish them the same bad luck.

I hope those who deny and delay Health Care Reform sit well with their consciences this Thanksgiving Holiday. Cause if they do they must be made of anything but heart, compassion, and care.