Haley’s Story
Haley Midkiff drinks a lot of water these days, and it’s not because she is especially thirsty. No, this active 17-year-old is simply determined to prevent a repeat of what happened during her sophomore year of high school.
School and marching band were in full swing that year when, one night in October, Haley’s lower back began to hurt—a lot. “It felt like there was a knife into my back, and no matter what I did I couldn’t get comfortable,” says Haley.
Her mother, Becca Midkiff, suspected that a kidney stone was to blame, partly because of a strong family history but also because Haley had passed a kidney stone before, in seventh grade. She took Haley to an emergency department near their California, Ky., home, where a doctor confirmed her suspicions. He prescribed pain medication and told Haley to drink plenty of water, explaining that doing so could help flush the stone out of her system.
When the intense pain continued through the night and into the next morning, Becca drove Haley to Cincinnati Children’s, and Haley was admitted to the hospital. The medical team’s initial plan was to wait for the stone to pass naturally and use medication to minimize Haley’s sometimes excruciating pain. “The nurses were so nice and caring, and as busy as the doctors were they took time to explain what was going on,” she says. “I always knew what was coming next. For instance, they would say that if the stone didn’t pass by a certain day, they’d try X, Y or Z. And if that didn’t work in a certain period of time, they’d try something else.”
Finally, relief!
After two days in the hospital with no success, Haley’s doctor—pediatric urologist William DeFoor, MD, MPH—recommended placing a temporary stent in the ureter where the stone was stuck. This tiny plastic tube would allow urine to drain more easily into the bladder, lessen the pain and, he hoped, help the stone to pass as well.
After placing the stent, Dr. DeFoor sent Haley home, and she returned several days later for a scheduled stent removal. It was during that procedure that the large kidney stone finally dislodged from the ureter.
Now pain free, Haley returned to her normal activities, which include kickboxing as well as playing clarinet. As part of her ongoing care, she followed up with Dr. DeFoor at the Cincinnati Children’s Stone Center, where she also met with a registered dietitian to learn about dietary changes that could prevent future stones.
Haley followed the dietary recommendations closely, but in August 2015 began to experience an all-too-familiar pain in her lower back. This time, the stone was in one of her kidneys, and Dr. DeFoor recommended lithotripsy. This procedure uses ultrasound shock waves to break the stone into small particles that can pass through the ureters easily.
Lithotripsy was a success, but Haley had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. This led to two additional days of excruciating pain and vomiting. “That was my low point,” Haley said. “But the whole staff did everything they could to make a really negative experience as positive as possible. The nurses and aides always made sure I had what I needed and encouraged me to be actively involved in my care. I felt like they were on my side the whole time.”
Preventing recurrence
Haley’s kidney stones are gone, but they are anything but forgotten. “I’m really motivated to take good care of myself now,” she says. “In addition to drinking a lot of water every day, I avoid salt, which could lead to more kidney stones.”
The experience has motivated Haley in another important way as well. She is thinking about going to medical school after college, and training to become a pediatric anesthesiologist—the branch of medicine dedicated to providing relief and comfort for children who are experiencing pain.
Could Your Child Have a Kidney Stone?
If left untreated, kidney stones can cause a urinary tract infection or kidney damage. Seek medical care if your child experiences:
- Severe lower back pain
- Lower back pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting, or fever and chills
- Blood in the urine