My name is Jim Fox. I live in Harrisburg, N.C.  

I suffered with chronic kidney stones since 1997. I was diagnosed with a type
of “horseshoe” kidney that didn't flush out properly. This anatomic problem caused the kidney to create many stones, big and small.

The constant pain from frequent kidney stones trying to pass as well as the number of frequent urinary tract infections were absolutely ruining my life.

I couldn't do anything without first taking pain pills to ease the pain, and I was always on antibiotics to fight the reoccurring infections caused by the stones that would not pass.

I was getting to the point that I was building up immunity to pain pills and antibiotics. I was in a bad place in my life. I had to go to the Emergency Room often, as stones would get hung in my urinary tract and did not pass. The pain was simply unbearable.   

I had many shock wave lithotripsy procedures in Charlotte and I also had a few different procedures whereby scopes and lasers and other instruments were inserted into my bladder and kidney tube  to try and remove the stones. Then I would have to go back and have stents inserted and removed.

All of these procedures were painful and unsuccessful. I had many dye studies and drank gallons of horrible contrast over the years. I was truly getting ready to do something drastic like ask to have the left half of my horshoe kidney removed or just take a handful of pain pills.

Then, Dr. Glenn Preminger took over my case. He was able to perform a laparoscopic type of kidney surgery, looking right into my kidney with a telescope and once and for all removing all the stones that had hurt me for so many years.

It has been well over a year and I have had no more kidney pain. I almost don't know how to act. I can't Thank Dr. Glenn Preminger enough. I am truly thankful that he had the skill and knowledge to relieve me from 11 years of constant pain and an almost sure addiction to pain pills.