Three weeks ago I went to the urgent care center because of difficulty urinating, low back pain and a bad smell in my urine. It smelled like rotten eggs and strong sulpher (like matches). Turns out I had a urinary tract infection. I wasn't hydrating enough and I knew it. I was working a lot of hours because of the annual audit and health care accreditation and wasn't taking care of my health. Furthermore, I wasn't going to the bathroom when I needed to because of being so busy. The doctor said that contributed to my infection. Weight-loss surgery can contribute to UTIs because of the hydration problem. It turns out I had crystals in my urine also. These are indicative of kidney stones. I now have an appointment with a urologist and have to schedule an ultrasound to check for kidney stones. So remember to HYDRATE! I know it sounds silly, but I now have a kitchen timer at my desk to remember to drink and go to the bathroom.

Yeah, I just had to have surgery to have my kidney stones removed.

Sometimes I am just not thirsty and it's so hard to force myself to drink. Now that I've had surgery because of it, I know just how important it is, and I am doing better.