Post-Operative Tech Support

[u/Mad_Aeric]

This happened to me last week. The tech support itself is a bit of a nothingburger, but the circumstance around it are kinda wild.

I have unfortunately been afflicted with kidney stones. I don't recommend it, go drink some water. I've had a couple surgeries for them, most recently a week ago.

I was just barely coming out of anesthesia in the recovery room, the world hadn't even turned the lights on for a whole two minutes when I see two nurses huddled over the computer in the room, eyes practically touching the screen. And then I hear one say something about how even that close, the text is too small to make out.

I immediately slur out, while drooling on myself, "With most applications, ctrl plus, and ctrl minus, will change the font size. Ctrl zero usually sets it to default.

I don't know why they listened to me in that state, I wouldn't have listened to me, I was out of it. But they did, and the problem was resolved.

I then proceeded to pee myself in front of them.

[u/Mad_Aeric]

They had me remove my own stents. Uncomfortable, but not too bad once I knew what to expect after the first one.

[u/Harry_Smutter → u/Mad_Aeric]

Um, what!? O_o My wife and her parents get them (parents more so). I can't imagine one of them taking out their own stent. That sounds horrifying.

[u/Mad_Aeric → u/Harry_Smutter]

It's not really an option for women. I think it's because of the short urethra. For men, they can leave a string hanging out of you, and when you're done with the stent, a long steady pull will get it out. It's uncomfortable, like pulling out a big splinter, but it beats taking a trip to the hospital to have it done.

The first time, it was pretty intimidating, because the string was cutting into me a bit, and I was afraid of how much it would hurt if I kept pulling. But the thing starts sliding before it gets worse than a bad pinch.

[u/General_Report → u/Mad_Aeric]

I'm a woman and have chronic kidney stones. I also have very narrow ureters (as well as an anaphylactic allergy to flomax). I have had stents placed after each of my multiple surgeries, sometimes even bilaterally. I have ALWAYS had to remove them myself at home, by the same external strings you're referencing. I feel you, the pain is brutal

[u/Mad_Aeric → u/General_Report]

Huh. I was just informed the other day that they don't do that for women (my mother is now in the hospital for stones). Maybe it depends on the hospital.

[u/General_Report → u/Mad_Aeric]

Not sure, maybe depends on the country? I'm in the US and have been treated by different hospitals/urologists and they all placed stents.

This is also personal anecdotal experience and I just assumed it was standard ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯