When Your Body Speaks, Make Sure to Listen
I have a little story to tell. I have had some interesting medical issues over the last few years. I ignored my body trying to warn me until it was almost too late about 5 years ago. Turned out it was Bladder Cancer but luck was on my side and because Mayo Clinic is on my insurance I was cured. It cost me my bladder but that hasn't slowed me down much.
I learned to start listening a little better after that and in 2016 I started feeling poorly and had pain in my lower back and kidney area. We were close to Mayo at the time so we headed to the ER at Mayo. Within an hour of arrival I was in septic shock and the infection was causing my blood pressure to crash. A Kidney Stone was the culprit. It had to be surgically removed and the healing process ended up taking a month.
I recovered and over time have continued to plug along working as a heavy equipment operator. Camp, fish, travel and in 2018 bought my first Harley, a TriGlide. On may 10th this year I passed a 9mm kidney stone. I had symptoms that almost sent me to the ER but figured I was home free when the stone passed. I left for Eureka Springs on May 16th as planned and had a great trip.
The morning of June 3rd I was once again in terrible pain. The main problem at this point is we live better than two hours from Mayo. I woke my wife and told her I was calling an ambulance for transport because I knew where this situation was heading and it wouldn't be wise to try to drive ourselves. Our company has a contract for EMS so it was a free ride anyway.
The nearest hospital is over an hour and sure enough about 20 miles out I went into a condition called Rigors. It is a rigor mortis like state where your muscles contract and you shake. Shortly came the onset of septic shock but because this hospital didn't recognize exactly what they were dealing with and didn't listen to my wife the whole episode was much worse. I ended up going through Cardiac and Respiratory arrest as well as loss of blood pressure and spent 36 hours on life support in the Cardiac ICU. The culprit this time was a 1.1 centimeter stone.
I have now been grounded for almost a month. No Harley riding. It will be another month off of work and then who knows how long to regain all the strength and stamina lost through this episode. I am lucky to be alive still.
My advise to all is listen to your body. Not all the aches and pains are from age or to much activity. People don't realize it but something as simple as a kidney stone can kill you quicker than you would believe. Had I not acted there would be a very nice 2015 TriGlide up for sale right now.
Wish you all well,
Kurt
p.s. I should be riding again in a week. I need some wind therapy.
