This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

A Sudden Change in Plans

What could possibly happen to change an already overwhelming busy schedule? Two words: kidney stone.

When it looks like the schedule could not be any more crowded, along comes October. October is the month when the World Series is played, high school, college and professional football has started. Hunting season is open. Car racing is running wide open on several levels. An announcement has been made that lingerie football is coming to the metro area. Fall festivals are being held from North to South Georgia, and everywhere in between all of the small hamlets and villages of our state, attracting people for weekend arts, crafts and every other type of festival that can be imagined. Add to the schedule job fairs, church events, Halloween and various fundraisers to support groups going into other parts of the country assisting the poor and needy, and the calendar just could not be any fuller.

There are only 31 days in this month with every day filled to the brim with each of the above listed, time-consuming, calendar-filling activities. Oh wait, this is an election year, so now, double everything that has already been said about having a full calendar. There is, now, no time for sleep. There is no time for family. Put everything into high gear and keep moving in order to make all of the appointments and expected events to which one is committed.

What could possibly happen to change an already overwhelming busy schedule? In fact, for me, there is no way I can add any other events, items or meetings to this month’s agenda. The drama unfolded, however, with a major hit Oct. 5. For any who have ever experienced what I am going through I need not explain, all I need to do is say two words; “kidney stone.” This is not my first round with kidney stones. I will not bore you, I promise, with stories from all the years since I was 20, when I had my first stone. As best we can keep track, the Oct. 5 visit from the deep dark world of pain and misery, this attack comes to around 50 in these 48 years since the first one.

Find out what's happening in Barrowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If there is anything that can bring a sudden change to a person’s life, it is a kidney stone. For any person ever having a kidney stone, they have heard all the home remedies (that do not work) assuring that they will never have another one. After having so many of these miserable invaders from the deepest pit of the netherworld, one never becomes ready to experience the next one even with the best of remedies promising relief that never comes. This time, I have had two surgeries to crush this rascal, only to still have it hanging in there. From where I stand, though unwelcomed and unwanted, kidney stones show up when they choose and leave when they decide it is time to move on. No two stones are alike but I am assured that this to shall pass.

Do you have a remedy for kidney stones? Share it with us in the comments. 

Find out what's happening in Barrowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Follow Ray Newman on Twitter — @RayNewmanSr.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Barrow