Trudy’s story

Trudy O'Neill has short bowel syndrome which leads to changes in metabolism making her form kidney stones very frequently. Her bowel was removed thirteen years ago because of a blood clot and she is on permanent anticoagulation making any form of surgery difficult for her. Because of her condition, she has been attending regular outpatient appointments and has been staying on the ward regularly at Barts Hospital for the last ten years - this is where she receives regular care and attention by the stone team to help her pass or remove kidney stones.

Trudy has had almost every type of treatment to help her remove the stones. She has had lithotripsy, a non invasive treatment which involves using ultrasonic shock-waves. Many shock waves are centred onto the stone where they create a combined shock wave strong enough to break the stone. This fragments the stone into tiny pieces which pass out with the urine without causing her too much pain.

Trudy has also had a flexible ureteroscopy, which allows the urologists to check her kidneys, provide the right assessment regarding stone formation, and treat smaller stones with ultra thin laser-fibers, before deciding on further treatment approaches.

Trudy has also had a stent, which is a small tube between the bladder and the inside of the kidney which will provide temporary relief of a blocked kidney. Treatment with a stent has helped Trudy save her failing right kidney which became blocked and seriously infected by a stone.

Trudy comments: “To be honest, I don’t think I am ever stone free and I pass them regularly but I know that for large and very painful stones, the team at Barts and The London will do everything they can to help me, I have really come to trust them. Sometimes it is very hard for me to explain to people that I can’t have a kidney transplant - basically because my body is absorbing too much calcium which is beating up my kidneys forming stones – it is not my kidneys failing me.”

Despite her debilitating condition Trudy travels the world with husband Pat, and will be visiting Egypt for a two-week cruise on the Nile later this year. She loves to shop until she drops and enjoys her dog taking her for a walk.

Currently, Trudy requires fewer stays in hospital, which used to be up to 8 times a year, and she puts this down to the excellent care she has received. Her consultant comments: “We offer Trudy just about every treatment approach that we have available to help her alleviate the pain caused by frequent kidney stones. Despite multiple operations she bounces back and recovers with remarkable strength and amazing good humour. She is an incredibly brave person.”