# After a long, rocky relationship, it's time for a split **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699 "2009-08-07T22:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/1 "2009-08-07T22:11:28Z")
We’ve been together for 47 years, but things started to get rocky over 30 years ago. Since that first terrible episode, which landed me in the ER, it’s been steadily downhill. And it’s time to give up and call it quits. Yes, folks, I’m talking about my right kidney. It’s been trouble for 32 years now. But now, now it’s worse than ever before. My urologist has talked to me before about the idea that it would have to go eventually. The time has come. Almost a month ago, I went to the urologist’s office with what I _knew_ was a kidney infection. They tested, and yep, I was infected. They started me on Keflex, an antibiotic. Three days later, I wasn’t feeling any better, so they switched me to Levaquin, an even more potent antibiotic. Levaquin is usually prescribed in 5-day courses, but over the years, I’ve become so desensitized to most antibiotics that they gave me a 14-day course. When they got the culture back, the results said that the infections _should have_ responded to the Keflex, and certainly should respond to the Levaquin. And yet, at the very end of the Levaquin regimen, I was back in the office, with sharp, stabbing pains in the vicinity of my right kidney. The only reason I didn’t end up in the ER the previous night was that I had some Percocet still hanging around from my previous go-around, and got through the night on that. The CNP at the practice, Audra, tested me. Even after 14 days of Levaquin, I was still infected. She sent me for some blood work and CT scans with contrast. She was talking about putting me on three days of Gentomycin, an IV antibiotic. But the next day she called with the news: first the good news, my blood work showed that my general kidney function is still good, meaning my left kidney is still doing just what it’s supposed to do. My right kidney, however, is further atrophied; it is estimated to be functioning at about 12%. There is a large stone in the right kidney. My doctor theorizes that the reason the infection is not responding to treatment is that the infection is _inside_ the stone, hiding there, just waiting for me to finish up a course, then, bam! Back into my body again, making me feel like crap. In short, there’s no way to fix this infection without getting that damned stone out, and the stone has gotten so large, while the kidney has steadily atrophied, that the only reasonable thing to do is take the whole kidney out. So, within the next month or so, I’ll be bidding my right kidney farewell, and I can’t say I’ll be sorry to see it go. My hubby worries about this, in terms of “what happens if your left kidney goes bad?” but I figure we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/2 "2009-08-07T22:30:33Z")
Sorry to hear that your kidney is beating you up. I hope the divorce goes smoothly. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/3 "2009-08-07T22:40:15Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Sorry to hear that your kidney is beating you up. I hope the divorce goes smoothly. Well, FWIW, I get to keep “the house”. 😛 The kidney, well, instead of “taking him to the cleaner”, it’ll likely just go to the incinerator! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/4 "2009-08-07T22:40:43Z")
Wow, no fun! Sending out a wish to the universe that all goes smoothly! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/5 "2009-08-07T22:56:59Z")
I figure you’ll be better off. Mom was much happier after they removed her gall bladder- and you don’t have a back up for that. I recommend you follow the example of Samuel Pepys- keep the stone in a jar of preservative and toast it every year on the anniversary of the surgery. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/6 "2009-08-07T23:05:44Z")
oh yes, do see if they will allow you to keep the stone. you could will it to the mutter museum! when sdmb-ers will be able to visit it. best of luck in the separation. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/7 "2009-08-07T23:09:53Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > oh yes, do see if they will allow you to keep the stone. I imagine they will. Mom still has her gall stone in a test tube. I asked the nurse about it and she said it was fairly common for patients to keep their stones. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/8 "2009-08-07T23:15:19Z")
I assume you get custody of the adrenals? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/9 "2009-08-07T23:25:34Z")
Do they let you keep the organs they take out? I was mad when I had my appendix taken out when I was a kid and they didn’t let me keep it in a jar. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/10 "2009-08-07T23:39:54Z")
I don’t think they let you keep the squishy bits, only the stones. Although when I had my hysterectomy, the doctor came to the waiting room with pictures of “the angry little red thing” to show my relatives. So you could probably ask for a polaroid, if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/11 "2009-08-08T01:26:28Z")
For all of you recommending I ask to keep the stone, no thanks! In the past 32 years, I’ve passed dozens of 'em and had dozens more removed by means of medical procedures. They no longer fascinate me. ☹ I must admit, I _was_ fascinated by my first one, because when I first got sick, I was _sure_ I was dying (I couldn’t believe anything could hurt that bad and _not_ kill you!), and then when I passed it, I was absolutely amazed that anything that _tiny_ (the size of a matchhead) could cause such agony! **DocCathode** , like your mother, I’m much happier without my gall bladder (had it out 20 years ago). However, it’s quite possible to live a long healthy life without a gall bladder. Not so, with no kidney! IOW, I’m darned glad I _do_ have a back-up! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/12 "2009-08-08T01:38:47Z")
On Tuesday night, I introduced a friend to _The Venture Bros_. In the very first episode, Dr. Thaddeus Venture proves his Fatherhood material. Mid-episode, he wakes up in a bath of ice, with the urban legend kidney note attached. His first words “Not again!”. Then he makes a note of the scars on one side, then the scars on the other side, showing that yes, he’s had both kidneys taken this way. Researching the issue, he finds he needs to get a kidney from a genetic match donor. Lucky for him, he has two sons. He has to decide which one to take one from. Cut scene after the credits, both sons wake up, one of them thinking “hey wait a minute, I had rock!” (rock, paper, scissors for who would donate) Pan back to Dr. Venture, who raises his arms and says _“Two kidneys! I feel friggin’ great!”_ As I recall, **norinew** , you DO have more than one child. Right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/13 "2009-08-08T01:54:07Z")
I hope all goes well and you get to feeling better real soon, **Norine.** ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/14 "2009-08-08T01:57:36Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > As I recall, norinew, you DO have more than one child. Right? Yep, I’ve got three of 'em (though the youngest is only nine, so I may have to wait a few years for one of hers. . .). I also have four sisters. Three of them have a history of kidney stones. I’m _really_ nice to the one with the “good” kidneys! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/15 "2009-08-08T01:58:37Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > I hope all goes well and you get to feeling better real soon, **Norine.** Thanks! I’ll try to keep you posted. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/16 "2009-08-08T02:20:04Z")
Good luck **norinew**! And welcome to the club (I never had a right kidney). Will you have to go on a renal diet or can you keep eating the just the same? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/17 "2009-08-08T03:20:34Z")
Good luck, **norinew**! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/18 "2009-08-08T13:52:36Z")
**CaveMike** , as long as my kidney function blood tests stay good, I can continue eating a normal diet. Obviously, if my levels change too much, we’ll have to make some changes. **BiblioCat** , thanks for the good wishes! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/19 "2009-08-08T15:37:29Z")
**Norine** , I hope your surgery makes you feel better, and that all goes well! ---
**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699/20 "2009-08-08T19:39:52Z")
Good luck!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-a-long-rocky-relationship-its-time-for-a-split/505699.md?page=2)