Read the entry immediately below. I am in a quandry right now. I'm scared, I'm angry, I'm nervous, I'm crestfallen, I'm arrogant. My decision is not developing easily, and I know that whatever option I ultimately choose will make me feel bad in some way. By myself, I can only hear my biased side of the argument. That's why I'm looking for any thoughts you may have--- whether you know me or not--- concerning my ski trip to Canada.

My doctor tells me that a hefty chunk of kidney stone remains to be passed. He cannot tell me when it will pass, but the rock is still very high up the passage way. It could pass in a few days, it could pass in a few months. Passing a stone can be as/more painful than giving birth (words from my radiologist, who delivered a baby and passed a stone in the same month and thought the stone was more painful). Because of the possibility of passing this stone, my doctor cannot approve of my going skiing this Saturday (the trip is one week, March 8-15) and actually disapproves.

Of course a doctor cannot in any ethical matter advise a patient to pertake on an activity that could worsen the condition he is treating. Even though I probably would not pass the stone during the trip, it is of course a risk to go on this trip nonetheless. Of course there are other things to take into consideration.

Here are some things to consider when thinking, "Anthony should not go on this trip."
1. If I pass the stone during my stay in Canada, I would experience great pain and primarily be bedridden for my stay.
2. If I pass my stone while on an airplane, the altitude could make the pain even greater, and I would be trapped up in the air without any chance to see a doctor.
3. My doctor is a specialist, and his opinion is based on solid fact and experience.
4. Passing a stone can never be anticipated. The pain boils over swiftly over about ten minutes. I would not be adequately prepared for an attack during the trip.

But you must also, to be cliche, put yourself in my shoes:
1. Odds are that I would not pass my stone during the trip.
2. Having just gone through passing a stone, I have plenty of prescribed pain killing medication and heat straps that would essentially treat me the same as a stay in the hospital. Also, I know my body and would be able to make myself as comfortable as humanly possible (which is not very).
3. I have yearned to go skiing since I was young. I have never gone. I have only seen snow three times. I have never been to Canada This was to finally be my time to see the snow and glide (and tumble) down a mountain in a new world.
4. I am close to graduating college, and the opportunities to pack up and organize a trip like this are dwindling. In fact, if I don't go on this trip now, I cannot see myself being in the position to go skiing again until I am settled down and married. There will be no time when I am in grad school, less time when I am just jumping into my profession.
5. If I do not go, I will be alone in my college town, probably not passing my stone. If the risk would be too great to be on a plane for four hours, what about being in a car alone for the five hour trip home?
6. I spent a great deal of money on this trip (we'll just say it's in the $1000 ballpark). My trip is non-refundable. I will be economically strapped for the rest of the semester, and I could get nothing out of it.

What would you do in my situation? What should I do?