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I am a soda/pop/coke addict. Whatever you call it from where you are from, I love soda! Well I did love soda. You see I was addicted to Dr.Pepper and didn't really drink anything else because hey, the Dr.Pepper tasted soooo gooood!

The only problem with being addicted to Dr.Pepper other than drinking empty calories and soda is horrible for your teeth....I get kidney stones! I have had kidney stones twice in my life and that is more than I ever wanted to have them. I have a stone in my appendix right now but so far so good and it is not bothering anything. I had my first stone in January of 2005 and it was pure HELL. I was in the hospital from Monday until Thursday in a drug coma. Well I wasn't really in a coma, I just don't remember anything because I was so drugged up. I peed the stone on Sunday morning and life went back to normal.

The second time I had kidney stones was a little bit different. During the end of my pregnancy with Kobe my back hurt so bad that I spent most of the day and night in the bath tub trying to make my back stop hurting. I peed blood a week before I had Kobe and the Drs. didn't do anything about it, they sent me home and told me that I wasn't in labor so they weren't worried. Kobe was born and still my back was hurting and no one was doing anything for me. The Drs. and nurses all told me that it is normal to have back pain from spinal taps and c-sections. Ok but how long does that pain last and is it in the same area as my kidneys???

Well over 3 months after I had Kobe I finally had such a bad attack that Dewayne took me to the emergency room only to find out I had a cluster of stones on the left side and a few stones on the right side. There was one stone on the right side though that was so big that there was no way I would be able to pass it on my own.

I went to see my family Dr and told her that I had went to the ER and was told I had a bunch of stones. She told me that she would get me a referral to see the Urologist. She then told me that since kidney stones are not considered an emergency because people get them everyday, she could not give me a rush referral to get me into see the Urologist. I cried when she said that (I was in a lot of pain that day) and she raised her shoulders as if there was nothing she could do for me and I went home. This was December 16 of 2007.

I went into the ER again in December and was shot up full of drugs and sent on my way home after being told to make an appointment to see my Urologist. Problem was, I had already made the appointment and it wasn't until January 29, 2008....more than a month away. I woke up on January 6th to my 4 month old son crying and I was so sick that I had a hard time getting out of the bed. I remember walking over to Kobe's cradle and I was so dizzy that it was hard to stay standing.

I went back to sleep after taking care of the baby and Dewayne reached over to put his hand around me and told me I was burning up. I took some meds and went back to sleep. About 2 hours later my sister came into my room and when she touched me to wake me up, I was on fire!! She ran for the thermometer and when she checked my temperature it was 104.9, that was 2 hours after taking a pain reliever/fever reducer??? My sister took me to the ER and I was admitted as soon as my ct scan revealed that the kidney stone on my right side had blocked everything from my kidneys down. I was given antibiotics for two day and then on January 8, 2008, more than five months after the pain started I finally had the kidney stones removed.

The Dr told me that I had to give up caffeine and to always make sure I am hydrated. I quit drinking Dr.Pepper that same day and have never had one since. I switched to Sprite instead. Why did I give up one evil soda for another?? Because I love the carbonation and the taste and everything else there is to love about soda!!!

Well on July 18, 2008 I drank my last soda! I have given up all soda and haven't looked back since. I drank lemonade, juice, water and was doing great. Until Dewayne introduced me to Arizona Lemon Tea....why Dewayne, WHY???? I got hooked on these darn things earlier this year and have been drinking them like they are Dr.Peppers :o) caffeine and all!!! Well yesterday I decided it is time to get a hold of myself and stop with these drinks that are no good for me and start drinking my recommended 64 oz of water a day instead. I drank about 6 cups yesterday and today I am going to get to 8 cups of water. I am on my 7th so far and it is a little after 9 pm. I got this :o) Only problem is, I can't stop peeing!!!

Don't forget about my first ever giveaway that's going on right here!