and a happy birthday to you, too...

the kidney stone is out to ruin my life, I can sense it. It's like the thorn in my flesh, except, um, it's a stone in my kidney. Anyway, I went to the doc today, my BFF the urologist, and we did a little x-ray of mr. or mrs. stone. Finally today we saw him for the first time, because he didn't show up on the ultrasound, and the first x-ray was done when the stent was in so we couldn't see through the stent. But, sure enough, there he was in all his happy glory, just chillin out there in my ureter. Or my utethra. I'm still not exactly sure, but I think it's one of those.

So, doc says to me that since I can't stay in Hong Kong indefinetely, his recommended course of action would be to take the stone out at the soonest possbile time. I suggest Monday. He grimaces. "Monday is just cutting it a little too close," he says. He knows we leave on Wednesday. "I suggest tomorrow."

I groan. "Truly?" I ask him. By this point, we are friends so I can unashamedly ask questions like these now. "Yeah, what's wrong with tomorrow?"

"Nothing," I reply, "Except that it's my birthday! And my husband was going to take us out to Stanley (this cool little beach/market/al fresco dining area in hong kong) to celebrate and shop." I never get to go shopping. I was so excited. Plus, emma was excited to see the beach. And it was my birthday.

But, it was decided. Saturday would be too expensive (since it's an adventist hospital, I guess there are extra charges for making the docs come in on saturday?) and monday was to close to our departure date. So tomorrow around noon I'm going in to have a showdown with the stone. Actually, mr. urologist and mr. stone will be having the showdown, and I sure I hope the one I'm betting on comes out on top!

So, birthday celebrations will have to wait until perhaps saturday, but I will be finally glad to see the stone and know it is out of my body forever. Maybe I will have a few choice words to say to the stone, but maybe I'll keep them to myself. But maybe not. It might look a little odd to others if I'm caught talking to a kidney stone sitting in a specimen tray. We'll have to wait and see, I guess.

I happen to be very fortunate to have a very special birthday week. There are some incredible people who share my birthday week -

16th - my fab mom, who is partying in vegas right now with the other members of my family. Actually, there's no partying going on, just a whole lot of shopping. My mom said they hadn't even put one coin in a slot machine. Now there's willpower! :) Anyway, to my ever-increasingly beautiful mom, happy birthday!

17th - kim woo, one of oldest friends, or at least one of my oldest friends that I'm still in touch with. Tenth grade started off our friendship, and thankfully, thousands of miles have yet to separate it. I actually always sort of forget which day her birthday is on because I got it wrong the very first year of our freindship and I've been messed up ever since. So to kim, who's also hanging out in asialand (albeit in a much hotter and more remote place than I) happy birthday.

18th - the lovely and sophisticated Starbucks addict Mrs. Wind. I am so embarrased that the day slipped by without a personal birthday message, but here's a very public happy birthday to my asia friend and sister who has walked through so very much with me. Happy Birthday, Rach!

19th - the spunky and adorable katie, my youngest - and craziest - sister. It's a good thing she was with my parents on her birthday, because who knows what crazy thing she might try! haha! Though I've heard some sneaky tales of her and a Pathfinder...something about garbage cans...but that shall stay off the record. Katie, I'm starting to think that samantha is more like you than I thought - she's already a little sneakster!

20th - me, of course, who I shall here and now wish a happy birthday, and also my friend Erica, who I feel honored to share her birthday. In fact, we were planning on perhaps sharing our visit to stanley together (since she has two daughters the same age as emma and samantha) but instead we shared an early birthday dinner at TGI Fridays tonight. So, Erica, here's hoping we'll make many more asia birthday memories! :)

And one other bonus about my birthday week is that almost every year, the British open is right in the middle of it. And this year is no exception. As I was walking out of that bastion of Americanism, TGIFridays, I caught a quick glimpse of a sweatered-up Tiger Woods stalking the leaderboard at 3 under. Though I'm officially past my teenage tiger woods obsession, I'm always happy when he wins. Especially now that's he's had a baby he seems a little more human. Anyway, maybe I'll get to watch some British Open coverage while I await my visit with mr. kidney stone tomorrow afternoon.

Well, there you have it, all my birthday greetings and the update on the stone. I seem to have successfully wrangled my way out of staying overnight, so if in fact I do make it home tomorrow afternoon, I'll try to send out a little message.