All I’ve heard for years is how American’s don’t get enough calcium in our diets, but apparently that’s not true!
Over the past few days, I’ve become an expert 
at yet another topic - kidney stones! Praise the Lord, He allowed my one big stone and about 15 to 20 coffee ground size flakes pass over the course of 4 hours this afternoon!!
I had hoped since I had gotten some relief at the hospital, that it might’ve passed there, but when I was woke up around 1:30 to sweats, turned chills, turned cramps, etc… it wasn’t looking too good.
DH had gone out last night to get me some Tylenol - since the dr. on call wasn’t wanting to call me in anything for pain and suggested 2 extra strength every 6 hours. It did help pretty well, but needed more at 3 AM. I guess I was awake for only another 30 minutes, then sweet sleep for 4 1/2 hours - the most I’ve had in FOREVER!!
I laid around most of the morning, feeling nauseous and cramping if I moved the wrong way. It seemed strange that if I could find that ‘one’ position, and not move, it was bearable. I wasn’t going to argue, I just got there and tried to stay there - in between LOTS of water and potty breaks.
Around 11, I was convicted about how I’ve asked others to pray, and subconsciously known God was in control - but yet had NOT stopped and prayed out loud over this. So, I did - I gave the Lord my kidneys, my body - and asked Him to heal me. Then I fell asleep. I woke up to a major contraction, and laid still for a while - wanting to time any following ones.
When I got up to go potty (again), I couldn’t believe my eyes, but THERE was my ‘baby’ (ha ha) and lots of tiny little babies. It didn’t even hurt coming out - I hadn’t felt a thing! Maybe it’s just the process of coming out that hurts, and not actually the ‘moment’ itself?
Anyway, DH thinks the thing is huge - it’s about 2 mm thick by 5 mm long. I was surprised that even the little ’sugar crystal’ or ‘coffee ground’ size ones made my bladder feel as inflammed as they did for the next 4 hours. Inflammed, but nothing near impossible to handle!
So, in my research online (to see if this was indeed the stone), I came across pics plus info on calcium. In my mind, stones were from caffeine and greasy foods. But most info today says dehydration and calcium buildup. Other trigger foods that hit me hard - sweet potatoes, spinach, strawberries, then of course - milk and cheese.
My diet last week? Craving strawberry/ various fruits slushies CONSTANTLY, sweet potatoes the night before the attack, and a preg. craving for milkshakes - so 2 milkshakes from Arby’s. Then take out my morning glass of water that I had started trading for my OJ cravings.
Between being dehydrated and eating all these - no wonder! Oh yeah, another MAJOR note that most probably never consider - prenatals. Then name of mine? Cal-Nate. (Cal - calcium….) uh huh…
Prenatals have extra calcium, at least many do. But how often do drs. ever check blood levels in pregnant women? I was shocked upon my research how COMMON it is for pregnant women to get kidney stones!
But it’s really no wonder, we up our milk/ cheese intake generally, add prenatals, I wouldn’t have ever thought of sweet potatoes/ strawberries/ and spinach being harmful!!
I believe another thing I read online today said that stones are also more likely when a person if Vitamin A and D deficient. My prenatal clearly states it has no Vitamin A. This is all very strange and intriguing to me… and my confidence in the medical world lowered yet again.
My advice to pregnant moms - avoid prenatals w/ extra calcium unless you know you need it - and then ask drs. to keep tabs by doing regular bloodwork. Drink more water than you can imagine! I knew I was getting dehydrated somewhat, but didn’t go above and beyond to drink more water.
If you can see color when you potty - you aren’t drinking enough! Everything should be clear.
And for all the stories comparing to labor - it’s hard to say. Labor is shorter, but the pain isn’t just on one side - it’s both. I think the pain gets more intense in labor too… but it’s hard to say now that it’s over, I might’ve thought differently while having the attack on Thursday.
I just didn’t know what was going on, and was afraid my stomach was about to explode. I was pretty sure it wasn’t the baby, but didn’t know what was so wrong.
For anyone wondering - symptoms - twinging back pain, back spasms, front lower abdominal pain, nasuea, vomiting, uncontrollable shaking - at least these were mine. If you have any combination of these, don’t debate for an hour like I did - just get to the hospital and get some meds!
Thank you all for prayers and concerns! I’m still tired and sore, contracting some, but we’re going to be okay. I’ve got more praying to do now about the baby - that the mag overdose would’ve have hurt anything there. Other than that, I feel at peace with everything else over these past few days.
I have some more ladies wanting to share with us, and so we’ll pick back up on regular posts in a couple of days. Just another day or two of recouping!
“Little Mommy”
