I worked as a nurse on a ward that dealt with all sorts of urology. That said, my direct info is 20 years old. At that time, lithotripsy involved sitting in a tub of water (something about transmitting the pulses) and general anesthesia (you absolutely CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO MOVE). From googling around, I see they're using a mini waterbed now, and maybe not so much anesthesia. In any event, passing gravel takes time and is likely to be painful (imagine a marble, now take a hammer to it - the pieces are sharp). The whole process was miserable for a few days, but usually worked well. Open or even scoped surgery for large stones is much, much worse, and kidney damage from infection or blockage can last the rest of your life. It's important to figure out what kind of stones they are and take whatever steps you can to prevent them from re-forming. Mostly, that involves drinking lots of water, all year round (you may see sweat in the summer, but in winter the dew point can be in the single numbers around here, and the air is drier than in most deserts.)