For several nights in a row I had felt a slight pain in my stomach while I was preaching. I didn’t think much of it—chalked it up to be something I ate or perhaps the early symptoms of the flu. It was Saturday night, and I was exhausted from driving just over a thousand miles to a church where I would be privileged to speak all day on Sunday. I went to bed around ten and fell asleep instantly. Ten minutes later I was awakened by a sharp pain in my stomach! “It had to be those chicken McNuggets I had eaten at McDonalds for lunch,” I reasoned. I tossed and turned for the next hour and a half but the pain only grew worse. Barely able to stand, I got dressed and awakened my son-in-law with whom I was staying.

As we made our way to the hospital, my eyes were closed while I winced in pain. I knew we were going faster than the speed limit since I noticed several red lights blur past us. Once inside the emergency room the nurses hooked me to some intravenous medicines and pain killers, and I began to feel some relief. The hospital was busier than usual that night, but finally around four in the morning, a doctor ordered a CAT scan to determine the problem. A few moments later, he informed me that I was passing a kidney stone. I have some good friends that have had this experience, and I had heard that it was like having a baby. My mind began to imagine this giant orange-sized rock that needed to pass through my system. Suddenly, I hurt all over again.

The doctor ordered a heavy dose of morphine and shared with me that the stone was in a good position and should pass soon. I could get dressed, go home, and wait. I said, “Doc, how big is this thing?” “Oh,” he said, “It’s not very impressive…about the size of a grain of sand.” A grain of sand! I was dying over a grain of sand? How could something so small cause so much agony? If this was like having a baby it was a record midget! Read more »