[gw] At 1:30 in the night I woke up and had to take a pee. When I crawled back into my sleeping bag I felt a pain in the right side above the pelvis. First I thought it was a muscle cramp.
The pain was getting stronger by the minute and I could not lie or stand in any position to make it more bearable.
I knew I had to do something. So I took my bag, my GPS and my emergency beacon and started to walk away from the tent.
My tent was in a remote area and I thought my only chance to find help would be at the big electricity power plant.
I had to cross a field to reach a small road which took me to the entrance of the power plant.
It was more than a kilometer, and I had to stop many times because of the pain.
Finally, I reached the entrance and I could somehow make the night guard to call an ambulance. He offered me a chair and while waiting the pain was getting very intense. So I ended up on the floor and finally after a long time (20 mins) the ambulance came.
They got me into the ambulance and after 3 tries they managed to find a vein and give me an infusion. I don´t know what they gave me but it was for sure no pain-killer. The only concern of the ambulance crew was if and how I can pay the bill.
After 20 mins we reached the hospital and I was brought to a doctor. He did not think it was a cramp. He gave me something for the pain and I was put on a wheelchair and pushed to another doctor for a sonography. They found out pretty fast that I had a kidney colic.
Finally the pain-killer kicked in and the pain slowly eased off.
I was put in a nice room with 2 beds and I was able to get some sleep. By now it was past 6 am.
After about 8 am or 9 am I had to change the bed and go to a 4 bed-room with already 3 beds occupied. I guess the nice room was reserved for some kind of private insured person.
A doctor came who could speak fairly good German and explained me the situation. I had some “sand” in the ureter. He said, after another infusion I could leave the hospital in the afternoon.
After all the papers were done, it was past 1 pm and finally I was allowed to go. I went to a drugstore to by the pills the doctor prescribed me.
I felt pretty good and made a small sightseeing tour through Melmik.
Then I found a taxi to take me back to the power station. From there I had to find my tent. I had to walk across high wet grass, so my trousers were soaking wet afterwords.
But I did not care, because my tent and everything else was still there.
I slept 2 hours and when I woke up I felt the pain again.
I decided to get my bike out of my canoe, pack some valuable stuff and ride back to Melmik to look for an hotel.
I found only a camping ground, but they had also some rooms to let.
After a warm shower and a warm bed the pain started to come back in the evening.
I went to the reception and they ordered a taxi to take me back to the hospital.
At the hospital I gave them the papers I got from the doctor, so they new immediately what to do. After two infusions it was better again and I could go back to my room.
I was back at midnight and had a good sleep.