Peter (not his real name), was playing golf one day when he felt severe pain and discomfort in his abdomen. Luckily, his wife Florence (not her real name) who was by his side, instinctively knew something was wrong.

She immediately called her son Gavin (not his real name) who is a doctor and described Peter’s symptoms. Gavin rushed home and whisked his dad off for a complete physical check-up. At 61, Peter’s test results revealed both a fatty liver and kidney stones.

Gavin assured his dad that the surgery he was scheduled for, would be minimally invasive and require no incisions.

He also explained to his dad that once anaesthetised, a small lighted instrument called a ureteroscope would be placed into his urethra and bladder to access his ureter and kidney. Then, a laser would be used to break up the kidney stones.

The surgeon would then remove the pieces with a tiny basket, and the smaller pieces would then be passed later during urination.

Gavin also explained to Peter that the surgeon would then insert a tube called a stent between the kidney and urethra, to promote healing and let the small stone fragments pass more easily.

The stent would allow Peter’s kidney to drain during the healing process.

Noticing the horrified look on his dad’s face, Gavin calmly reassured his father that the stent would be removed one week after surgery, and that the surgery generally took less than one hour.

Peter then consulted with his surgeon, who gave him specific instructions on what to do with his existing medication and diet prior to his procedure. The surgeon assured him that his laser kidney stone treatment would be performed on an outpatient basis, so Peter could return home the same day.

On the morning of the procedure, Peter was administered general anaesthesia to make sure he was properly sedated. At the same time, the precise and powerful lasers made it easier for the surgeon to control and fragment the stones as planned. This helped reduce the duration of Peter’s surgery.

After surgery, Peter experienced some slight but bearable discomfort.

However, the doctor prescribed some medication which included antibiotics to prevent infection, including painkillers and medication to treat bladder spasms as well. Peter was also advised to drink plenty of water to encourage any small stones to pass through his kidney.

He was allowed to resume his normal activities within two days, as he felt more comfortable by then.

Even so, the doctor advised him to refrain from any intense activities until after his stent was removed. His pain medication also restricted him from driving, as it caused drowsiness.

With that, Peter spent most of his time resting at home, waiting patiently when he could return to the fairway once again.

As scheduled, Peter went back to see his surgeon one week after his surgery to have his stent removed. This time around, he was fully conscious during the procedure, which only took 15 minutes to complete.

After the procedure, Peter was allowed to go home and his doctor recommended ways to prevent future kidney stones from recurring. The doctor also suggested that he perform more exercise and adopt a healthier diet.

Peter is now sharing his experience, saying that kidney stones are a chronic problem, and it is possible for them to recur in the future.

Now that he knows the symptoms, he urges others to follow their urologist’s advice and not hesitate to make an appointment if any symptoms of kidney stones do crop up.

TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life after that. Feel free to email [email protected] to share your story.

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