Removing a nickel sized kidney stone

I told someone it "was gone" and he asked if I "passed it" - "yea, I passed an oval stone as big around as a nickel."

It wasn't a bad procedure - one "day surgery" with conscious sedation (I think) to insert a tube into the kidney then they wake you up to make sure no bleeding or other issues. I don't remember waking up, but my son said I said "this hurts like hell" and they loaded me up with drugs. I was then fully anesthetized and intubated and went up to the operating room where the surgeon removed the stone through the tube. She did a good job. I got out the next day and thought I'd go to work the day after - LOL no way.

I write this as a warning that if you are having some odd issues (I had terrible right testicular pain, followed by no pain but a lot of blood in the urine - each episode lasted a few hours but resolved itself) you might want to have your kidneys checked to be sure there is not a large stone lurking.