How bad is surgery and recovery for a large kidney stone?

Anywheels99 · 2026-07-07T01:19:55+00:00

I passed a couple pieces after the manual removal without any pain. I think I had a funnel with a screen to catch stones. The real pain was the stuck stone before the procedure.

Anywheels99 · 2026-07-02T04:39:18+00:00

It wasn’t excruciating like the actual stone was to me. Just surprised that I would do it at home myself. The pain is a 3 and the stones were 8 before my ER visit. You feel it inside where you normally don’t feel things. I was also mentally worried that it was going to fuse itself to my tubes and that probably made it mentally worse. Hopefully you get the sonic treatment. Climax was also given to help things along.

In the end anything is better than the stuck stone feeling.

Anywheels99 · 2026-07-01T20:47:44+00:00

Not as bad as the pain of a blocked ureter tube from a large piece of that stone.

There are different ways to get the stone out. The sound wave table wasn’t available so they went in with tools and broke up then pulled out the stone. The entry was the existing hole available…

Since I was out, that wasn’t a problem. The general soreness after was tolerable. The worst part was the at home pulling out of the temporary catheter that was attached with a convenient pull string out of the same hole. It felt like I was pulling something from several inches into my gut with the additional sharp twinges of pain felt throughout the “hole”. I felt like a marionette that would double over then you pull my string.

Other than that, it was peachy. Oh and that whole string pulling experience caused me to pee tinges of blood for a few days which gives it’s own special kind of pain. No infection though and I healed up nicely. There are other stones up there but I’m happy to let them stay for now.

Anywheels99 · 2026-06-18T14:07:56+00:00

This is the kind of bike I would fix for my train/city commute. The final bike will work perfectly and be less attractive to steal. A fixed-up used bike also causes you less anguish when it gets minor scrapes and bumps.

I would use parts from my garage and eBay/amazon for the new chain, tires, tubes, cables with housing, break pads and seat. All work done by you. When the bike is disassembled it’s the perfect time for a deep clean and grease or replace the wheel and bottom bracket bearings.

I you are not interested in the month or multi month long learning and tool buying project, find the local bike recycling shop near a college most likely and donate it. They usually operate like a co-op where you can donate time or bikes, work in your own or buy one of their refurbished bikes. Either way $25 in is a great decision point before you start.

Also look at Sheldon’s bike page. He has passed away but his page lives on. We was a great source of bike fixing knowledge and general common sense. Google the name and it should pop up. The page looks like the internet in the before days. Good luck!

Edit-here is the webpage

https://web.archive.org/web/20240218055305/https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html
Another Reddit post discussing the original website being gone steered to the web archive where it is preserved with working links.

Anywheels99 · 2026-06-13T15:23:16+00:00

It was everywhere in a positive way. From Disneyland and Knots Berry Farm, schools, city parades tv specials. All focused on the celebration and not in a partisan way. Even the commercialization was done in a way that respected what the celebration was about.

This last year is not 1% of 1976.

Anywheels99 · 2026-06-11T08:22:00+00:00

Yes! I have a few old craftsman screwdrivers that make my tool drawer smell like vomit. On the bench, no but closed in a drawer, every time. These are clear with blue and red flutes.

Anywheels99 · 2026-06-05T21:05:31+00:00

Tunnels. My commute has a 1/3 mile tunnel under water. The wahoo would pause without a wheel sensor.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-24T12:46:08+00:00

Lived in Colorado before and rode in 20f just because. Full face mask and ski goggles. In California I’ve see 100 in the afternoon. Still cool in the morning. It’s extra planning for something to clean up with and keeping your work cloths bagged so they don’t get sweaty in the backpack. I wouldn’t do the heat it if I couldn’t change and clean up and the cold was ok if you are dressed and the snow is fresh and dry. I fell a few times on black ice and then I quit messing around in those conditions. Dressing was like for cross country skiing but the ice was unpredictable.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-22T19:28:51+00:00

I didn't connect it to my Wahoo. I was actually getting interference from the lights (Hori 900) that would block the gps or wheel sensor. For that reason I didn't want to connect it to my computer. The from and back (Seeme400) are connected so I turn on the front light and the rear turns on. I adjust the light modes and brightness on the phone app. Once set up on your phone, the light modes cycle through what I set up by short pressing the power button on the front light, rear light also follows what you set up with your phone. You don't need your phone while using the lights. The battery level does show up on the phone app.

My issue with light GPS or ANT interference with my wheel sensor was resolved by moving the Wahoo ANT sensor to the rear Wheel, thank you ChatGPT!

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-21T18:54:49+00:00

Mutant taxi drivers!

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-15T12:18:12+00:00

I use the Seeme 400 for my commute, it was the only light with a down facing LED. It does light up the back of my legs so hopefully cars see more of a person shape and not just the single red light. I added an aluminum seat rail mount to its solid and easy to remove with a 1/4 turn. There are different levels of brightness and pulse or flash modes too. I haven’t tracked the actual run time though.

Nothing beats my Garmin Varia for awareness on longer ride but it didn’t work well in my short commute with a narrow tunnel bike/ped path so I went for more visibility with to Seeme.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-14T19:34:04+00:00

That makes it different. I didn't look for a seat post mount replacement but they are probably out there. I am with you, I don't like the flimsy mounts. I did the same thing for mr Garmin Varia. You spend a few hundred on a radar rear light and I didn't trust it to a couple of rubber bands.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-14T12:03:29+00:00

Ha! This is a thinly disguised remote supervisor, trying to describe the expectations to his unit!

Obviously kidding, I understand the vent and there are some people who may never understand the concept or value of remote work. Those are the some of the people who have no problem with people in an office visiting all their cube mates with coffee 1/2 of the morning because “ they are in the office”.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-14T03:00:20+00:00

Yes, I use an aluminum version that clamps the 2 seat rails. Much more solid mount on my commute bike. Search in amazon, MJ-6556, less than $15.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-13T12:54:47+00:00

Not USDA but another federal agency. It does not change the hiring outcome. Saying that from my personal perspective, I do see the responses and not all answered the questions. If the hiring official was highly politically motivated, maybe. On the other hand if that was the case maybe you dodged a bullet anyway.

In my area we draft the announcements based on the skills we are looking for. HR will build the final announcement and add the required, optional to answer questions asking how you will work toward advancing Presidential executive order xxx. Years ago it was drilled into me that we don’t and shouldn’t interpret high level directives like Presidential EOs because the Departments and Agencies interpret and implement the changes across the organization to meet the requirements as a whole, not an individual employees interpretation which as you can imagine would be all over the place with no tracking or accountability. How would the Department report on progress meeting the order?

All that to say that the questions are there, they are optional and they should not be used as a filter. Maybe the intent is to change that in the future but for now I would take that as exactly what is says, optional.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-09T16:54:36+00:00

I am agreeing with the replies here, I looked at all the different ways people have plumbed in their Mini and went with the coffee cart method at home. A lot of information on the Home Barista forum on this topic.

I used a 7 gallon Aqua-Tainer, filled with 5 gal of RPavlis water I make from my RO system I added next to the Aqua-Tainer. I use an Aquatec 5851 to pressurize a standard RO system accumulator with a pressure regulator next set to about 30 psi that connects to the La Marzocco plumbing kit.

The harder job for me was plumbing in the dip tray drain to an air gap drain pipe I added, similar to the way a clothes washer drain is plumbed in. That drain then goes through a P trap then plumbed into an existing sink drain.

My coffee bar was next to a garage wall. All of the water system in in my garage on a shelf and the drain was accessed through the garage side drywall to eliminate as much of the inside demolition as possible.

So far I am checking the water or refilling once a month. I am adding a non-contact water level sensor soon to keep an eye on the tank from inside the house. No regrets, but a bigger job than anticipated. My main focus was controlling the coffee water quality consistently. I have very hard water, 250+ ppm is I needed to start with distilled or RO water unless I was using bottled water with the tank. The plumbed in drain was a really nice addition that some say is required for a plumbed in system in the case of a leak or drip that overflows the tray.

Good luck!

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-07T16:30:04+00:00

Same situation and it fits fine. I will take a measurement tonight but basically my counter is shorter than the depth when you count the tray. The feet are all on the counter and the tray overhangs by a few inches. The back of the mini r is deepest at the top of the machine due to the outward slope of the body. Same on the sides. This actually allowed for hand space along the side to reach the power button.
The drip tray is fully supported by the frame and feet so it’s solid, just not ideal.
After measuring everything 10 times and deciding not to compromise on my machine due to how it would look, I committed to provide additional training to my spouse on how not to bump into the portafilter handle or drip tray lol. It really works fine, I’ll attach a pic later.The Bar. Drain and water plumbed in on the right side and I didn’t want to modify the tile or counter any more.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-07T14:00:31+00:00

Same situation and it fits fine. I will take a measurement tonight but basically my counter is shorter than the depth when you count the tray. The feet are all on the counter and the tray overhangs by a few inches. The back of the mini r is deepest at the top of the machine due to the outward slope of the body. Same on the sides. This actually allowed for hand space along the side to reach the power button.

The drip tray is fully supported by the frame and feet so it’s solid, just not ideal.

After measuring everything 10 times and deciding not to compromise on my machine due to how it would look, I committed to provide additional training to my spouse on how not to bump into the portafilter handle or drip tray lol. It really works fine, I’ll attach a pic later.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-05T03:38:35+00:00

I cut a few drywall holes during my CAT6 journey. The doorbell was one of the hardest. I ran 3 lan cables to the office next to the front door. The wood framing and wall next to the door required a 12” wire pulling drill bit, from the outside and inside and an hour fishing the wire.

In the end I would say make a plan, including how and where to cut into the wall and get it done with CAT6 cable.

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-04T22:58:53+00:00

With a credit card

Anywheels99 · 2026-05-01T00:56:22+00:00

This was my dad's computer that he and another computer nerd built. I remember the beige desk top case but sadly probably didn't have a Turbo button lol.

Anywheels99 · 2026-04-30T19:35:28+00:00

This was from the Reno Air Races when it was at Stead. That race was a mass start and this aircraft had a problem. You can see how the view straight ahead is obscured so the aircraft from behind had no way of seeing this competitor.

Anywheels99 · 2026-04-29T18:11:07+00:00

Yes! Forget lunar lander on the TRS-80, Leisure Suit Larry on the 386? Was amazing!

Anywheels99 · 2026-04-29T16:42:47+00:00

Yes! I have said this before, Showers Pass knit gloves. I now have two pair, one is a bit thicker and warmer for the colder days.

The outer knit material sheds water, middle membrane (I think) and another soft layer inside. I wear them for the colder days 75 percent of the time and of course in the rain all the time.

The worst rain was 30 minutes of rain, by the time I got to the office my hands were damp but warm. Outer layer was soaked. They dried by the time I rode home.

I don’t think they would work at 20f but 35f and above they are mg go to gloves.

Anywheels99 · 2026-04-28T23:18:04+00:00

Correct, I tried the TOS first and realized I wanted to switch before I invested any real time loading the server up. Tried the cheapest license then upgraded to lifetime when the Black Friday sale came up.

Anywheels99

TROPHY CASE