Oh, totally. Also, thanks to "House", I halfway expected to see Al's urologic tract.

Also also, I pray I never get kidney stones. Ow.

I read something somewhere the other day about how Neal Stephenson, who wrote an agonizing section of the Baroque Cycle on death from and the removal of kidney stones, mentioned in a speech that the changes in modern diets has reduced the incidence of kidney stones from a common to a mostly rare event.

I read something somewhere the other day about how Neal Stephenson, who wrote an agonizing section of the Baroque Cycle on death from and the removal of kidney stones, mentioned in a speech that the changes in modern diets has reduced the incidence of kidney stones from a common to a mostly rare event.

And yet? I know people (younger than my 40 years) who've had them. And they pretty much say that they are the most painful thing they've experienced in their life. As an appendicitis survivor, I'm skeptical (hellacious gastro-intestinal pain coupled with vomiting is about as big a lose-lose as I can figure) but would prefer not to do the Pepsi challenge on that one.

I hear you on that. I think the point is that instead of saying "half my friends have died from them," we can say "I know some people who've had them."

I think the point is that instead of saying "half my friends have died from them," we can say "I know some people who've had them."

True that. If they're small enough, they just let them pass (painful as that may be). If they are threateningly large, they can break them up sonically. Why letting the small ones pass instead of breaking them up is prefered is beyond me, unless it's an insurance cost thing in these hellacious HMO times.

That's when I'd break out the VISA and engage in a little impulse buying. Having had urinary tract surgery (the first instance of which was unanesthetized), taking a pass on persistent pain of that sort would trump fiscal responsibility or waiting for the insurance company's say-so.

Matt, it took a minute for me to breathe again after I read that. Damn, bunk, I'm sorry.

Eh, it was 33 years ago. But Connie's talk about her DH's pain scale conversation with his doctor made me think about how I'd rate various examples from my past. I'm not sure whether the above or getting my first tooth knocked out via an iron rebar to the jaw would be the blue ribbon winner.

Also very painful. Not as likely to make me cross my legs and clench, though. McShane played the pain very well, I thought. Most actors don't look very real being pained...Hugh Laurie is awesome at it, incidentally.

Also very painful. Not as likely to make me cross my legs and clench, though. McShane played the pain very well, I thought. Most actors don't look very real being pained...Hugh Laurie is awesome at it, incidentally.

Of course, the fact that he was realistically made up to look like he'd been in a knock down drag out that took him over the balcony of the Gem helped a lot. His bloody eye has been grossing the everloving fuck out of me the last few episodes (about to watch 2.6 at this point).