[BigV]

I've gone a few rounds with kidney stones. My God. I felt I was going to die, and I feared I would not.

I did eventually live through the agony, and a couple of times I found the stone as it passed. It looked like a little broken crumb of a seashell, half the size of a kernel of popcorn. A jagged, malicious, bloodthirsty, evil seashell, but still. There was *no* way to comfort myself. No position, no hot bath, no rubbing, no cursing--nada. Witness the miracle of modern pharmaceuticals.

If I'm ever in that predicament again, and it's certainly possible, bring on the drugs. I'll drink whatever they recommend, til I burst, until I spend all my time over the toilet. Fine. But just keep the meds coming, for pity's sake. I wouldn't wish them on a snake.