

| This contains entries to Take up Your Cross, Space Blog, Blog City PF and BC of Friends | 
| "January 17, 2020"   ![BCOF Image  [#1997652]
Image for BCOF members to put in their blogs Image for BCOF members to put in their blogs](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1487169141/item_id/1997652.png) ![BCOF Image  [#1997652]
Image for BCOF members to put in their blogs Image for BCOF members to put in their blogs](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1487169141/item_id/1997652.png) Prompt: "Top ten foods you could eat for the rest of your life." Before I begin, I want everyone to know that I have not been shirking on my blog this week. I was in the hospital for emergency surgery. I woke up Sunday and went to church as I normally do. By noon my abdomen was hurting so badly it nearly doubled me. I went to the ER at the VA and they said I had a kidney stone that was blocking the main duct in my kidney. I also had stage three kidney failure. I guess I have had kidney failure for three years and was unaware of it. Anyway the stone was causing urine to back up in my right kidney, causing infection and swelling. I was also severely dehydrated from drinking too much Mountain Dew. The caffeine and phosphoric acid in the soda caused the dehydration and the stone. One of my top ten foods would have been Mountain Dew but no longer. I guess my top ten foods would be chocolate soft serve, vanilla soft serve, mixed soft serve, strawberry ice cream, lasagna, goulash, pepperoni rolls, steak (medium rare) roast beef, and Chinese food. Did I mention ICE CREAM? I love ice cream! ![Blog City image small  [#1971183]
Blog City image small Blog City image small](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1400031974/item_id/1971183.jpg) Prompt:"Free writing: Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about anything that comes to mind. I didn't set a timer because I type much too slowly for that. My speed is about 25 words per minute with corrections. So I am very slow at typing. I have neurological conditions that slow me. However I do want to tell you about my week. I went to church Sunday like I always do. While at church I got sick to my stomach. I had severe abdominal and back pain. I came home and it got worse. I called an ambulance and the medic immediately said "kidney stones". I thought he was wrong because I've had them before and felt differently. The hospital confirmed it was indeed a stone but this one was still in the kidney. It had blocked the duct leading into the ureter and was causing my kidney to swell. They rushed me to another hospital where I went to emergency surgery and they removed a 6.2mm stone and placed a stint into my kidney. The stint will be removed in ten days. During the meantime I am still passing blood due to bleeding through my kidney. I have to take it easy for a week and of course they stopped all blood thinners. Now it is a matter of healing. I warn all of my readers not to drink Mountain Dew in excess like I did. The acid causes kidney stones and the caffeine dehydrates, which also causes stones. ![2016 Quill nominee  [#2098718]
Signature for nominees of the 10th annual Quill Awards Signature for nominees of the 10th annual Quill Awards](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1475813851/item_id/2098718.jpg) ![2017 Quills nominee image  [#2118746]
Sig for nominees Sig for nominees](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1492323433/item_id/2118746.jpg) ![2018 signature image for Quill nominees  [#2147967]
A signature image for use by anyone nominated for a Quill in 2018 A signature image for use by anyone nominated for a Quill in 2018](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1517702853/item_id/2147967.jpg) ![2018 Quills Finalist  [#2187503]
Signature for finalists in 2018 Quill Awards Signature for finalists in 2018 Quill Awards](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1554600841/item_id/2187503.jpg) ![2019 Quill Awards nominee  [#2187984]
Signature for nominees of the 2019 Quill Awards Signature for nominees of the 2019 Quill Awards](https://www.writing.com/main/images/action/display/ver/1555065313/item_id/2187984.jpg) |