From: National Kidney Foundation: 
Each year, more than half a million people in the United States, go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems.  It is thought that one in ten people, will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives.  The number of people in the country has been increasing over the past 30 years. 

In the late 1970's, less than 4% of the population had had kidney stones, and by the year 1990, more than 5%...and the rates continues to increase. 

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It was just after lunch on a typical day at work, when I noticed some irritating pain on my right side...just below the rib cage and just above the hip!  It felt like a needle going into my side!  At first, I didn't think much about it! 

But, the pain had staying power and intensified and was now quite noticeable and was getting my attention rather quickly!  About 15 minutes later, I still had the pain, and I kept working, although it was getting harder and harder to pay attention to what I was doing, etc.

About 30 minutes later, the pain was still there, and had intensified...and now, all I can think of is the pain...that was really starting to annoy me!  It felt like someone driving an ice pick into my side! 

About 40 minutes into the ordeal, and as the pain intensified, I told my boss what the problem was, and that I was going to have to lie down!  At this point, I couldn't stay on my feet anymore! 

My boss quickly went to one of the lockers we had in the lab, and got a blanket and a pillow, and came over and spread the blacket on the floor.  I laid down, still holding my right side!  He could see the agony and the sweat coming down my face!  After I laid down on the floor, my immediate boss, went to get my overall boss, and to let him know what was happening. 

As my bosses came running into the lab, and one of them asked me where the pain was...and I showed him and he said, "Looks like you're passing a kidney stone."   My boss said that he had seen several people pass kidney stones, and it takes it out of them rather quickly!  I never had any experience with a kidney stone, until this happened to me! 

While I was laying on the floor, one of my bosses, went to call 911 to get an ambulance over right away!  Many people in the company had gathered around, and there were a couple of dozen people now looking at me down on the floor! 

When this incident happened to me in 1988, I knew nothing about kidney stones...much less passing a stone!  As I lie on the floor, I was sweating like a pig and somebody brought me a towel.  By this time, I must have had much agony on my face, as I saw all those concerned faces above me looking down, etc.  The pain on the right side continued to pierce me! 

There was a hospital located about 5 minutes from where I worked, and it wouldn't take long to get there.  The ambulance people arrived a few minutes later, and I was placed on a strecher and wheeled out of the building.  As this terrible event unfolded, I got a quick course on kidney stones as I travelled to the hospital. 

My boss told me that he had known several people who had passed a stone, and some were the size of a marble or a golf ball.  I couldn't imagine the pain involved in something like that! 

All of this happened in about 40 minutes, and the pain was excruciating!  But, as fast as it came on...it was gone, and I was a sweatty mess but feeling better.  This was after I arrived at the hospital a few minutes later. 

From: Web MD:
Kidney stones form in the kidney.  If they stay in the kidney, they typically cause no pain.  But, when they travel out of the body through the tubes of the urinary tract...then movment may cause the following;

- No symtoms if the stone is small enough. 

- Sudden, severe pain that gets worse in waves.  Stones may cause intense pain in the back, side, abdomen, groin or genetals.  People who have passed a kidney stone, often describe the pain as "the worst pain I have ever had." 

- Feeling sick to the stomach (nausea and vomiting)

- Blood in the urine; (hematuria), which can occur either with stones that stay in the kidney or those that travel through the ureters. 

- Frequent and painful urination, which may occur while the stone is in the urethra, painful urination may occur when a uninary tract infection is also present. 

The emergency room doctor, told me that the best way to prevent kidney stones from happening, is to drink plenty of fluids.  This incident happened to me in 1988, and since that time, I have been drinking plenty of fluids, and I have never had another occurance of that dreadful day!  (knock on wood) 

In 2009, I think that it could happen to me again, so I still drink plenty of fluids to this day...excuse me...but I have to go...

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