"THE STONES"

Like many people my age -- 62 going on 33 -- I was a big fan of the Beatles. Unlike some others, I also liked the Rolling Stones. I still like the music of both.

I aways shared the Jeff Spicoli's desire to "... jam with the Stones". Not that I could play any instruments or carry a tune.

I attended a Rolling Stones concert in Memphis years ago. I went with "Wemus" & Larry & about 50,000 other folks to watch/hear/"hang out" with Mick & the boys at the football stadium. We had a great time.

The word "stones" has another meaning for me -- KIDNEY STONES. I've been producing them since about the mid-1980's on a semi-regular basis. I found out this past week I'm currently holding on to several, & they are making their presence known.

Through out my 33 years of life, I've had my share of hospital visits, along with minor & major operations. I've spent a few days there due to "stones".

Still, I'm not one to run to the doctor for every little ache & pain. I do have my annual & regular visits with several doctors for "maintenance", but the majority of the kidney stones have "passed" without any help.

The first Urologist I ever went to warned me the pain of passing a stone was "... like a woman having a baby". My response was quickly -- "What man knows what that feels like ??"

I seem to be able to pass kidney stones on my own as I have a good tolerance for pain. Heck, I was married four years !!

Still, every so often, I do start to go into labor. The pain gets to be too much; there is not a position -- standing, siting, laying down -- which is comfortable & I start passing blood. Time to call on the professionals.

I like the Urologist I go to in Little Rock -- Dr. Gail Reed Jones. I've been seeing her annually for about six years. I'll be seeing her again Monday, when I'm scheduled for some dye-injection x-rays. I'm pretty sure she's going to put me in the hospital this time & "remove" my Calcium Oxalate buddies.

If it was later in the year, I might be able to shake the stones loose by cutting the grass. I've told Dr. Jones in the past, riding on my mower for several hours, cutting four acres of grass, will usually help me "pass" a stone in a day or two. It's all the bouncing around & twisting & turning on the mower which ... "gets things moving".

WILLIE & THE STONES

I had the mower out today & drove it around a bit. I do that every few weeks in the Winter, to keep it running & in good order. It's just not enough riding time right now to get ME in good order.

Instead of using the John Deere, it looks as if these non-rolling stones will let my doctor do the job of removal.