Sharon Conoley had been feeling anxious since she received a diagnosis of a large kidney stone in a solitary kidney. But once she made the decision to drive the 400 miles to seek care at Mayo Clinic in Florida, her worries gave way to a sense of peace and comfort.

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Sharon Conoley and her husband have always been an active couple. Their shared love of running brought them together in college. And over the years, they’ve kept pace with each other in running and in life.

When they traded running for long-distance hiking, they began enjoying many hikes on the Appalachian Trail together — until, one day, Sharon started experiencing pain in her lower back.

She made an appointment with her chiropractor to investigate the discomfort. An X-ray revealed an unexpected culprit: a large kidney stone.

"Sharon, this is one for the textbooks," her chiropractor told her.

A follow-up visit with her primary care physician and an ultrasound confirmed the presence of the stone.

A close friend who is a nephrologist advised Sharon to see a kidney stone specialist.

Sharon initially sought care in her home state of North Carolina in January 2024. The stone specialist she consulted with seemed surprised by the size and location of the stone, especially given that Sharon had only one kidney.

It soon became clear that the size and location of Sharon's kidney stone would prove to pose more complications than she wanted.

Concerns about risky procedure

The local doctor indicated the best approach for Sharon's case was a percutaneous nephrolithotomy — a minimally invasive procedure to remove kidney stones through a small incision in the side of the body. The specialist explained the procedure and the risks involved, which included a high risk of bleeding during the surgery and up to 10 days following the procedure. Sharon would also face the possibility of a blood transfusion and the risk of losing her only kidney.

Sharon came away from the visit with many concerns. She had always focused on healthy lifestyle choices — including a vegetarian diet and daily exercise — and did not understand why this was happening. All lab results indicated that she had excellent kidney function, but the stone was large and posed a danger.

Sharon shared her concerns with a neighbor, who recommended that she seek a second opinion at Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic employs the most competent, patient-centered staff members of any institution I have visited.

Sharon Conoley

He said, "I have a niece who works at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She’s the most wonderful patient advocate and the kindest person you will ever meet."

Within 48 hours, that niece — Sara Lee, a communications manager — connected Sharon with staff at Mayo Clinic in Florida to begin the process of becoming a new patient.

Traveling for a second opinion

Mayo Clinic's Nephrology Department contacted Sharon, listened to her concerns, and helped her begin her treatment journey. She says she felt at peace in her earliest interactions with Mayo staff and decided to make an appointment and travel 400 miles to Jacksonville to see firsthand what Mayo Clinic was all about. 

Every facet of her visit impressed her, from the cleanliness of the facilities and grounds to the caring and accommodating nature of every person she met.

"Mayo Clinic employs the most competent, patient-centered staff members of any institution I have visited," says Sharon, who managed senior living communities for 30 years.

She specifically recalls an interaction with a Mayo Clinic's Food Services director she met during her initial visit to the on-site café. Sharon was impressed by his credentials and experience in food service management. She also appreciated that he took the time to discuss the menu and answer her questions about a renal diet, even offering a brochure with nutritional specifics.

After her in-person visit, Sharon met virtually with Raymond Pak, M.D., chair of the Department of Urology, to discuss the steps required for removing the kidney stone.

They were determined to provide comfort and minimize the risk of neck issues occurring during the procedure. They were unbelievable.

Sharon Conoley

Despite feeling like she would be in good hands at Mayo Clinic, Sharon backed out of the procedure many times.

"With excellent kidney function, why should I subject my kidney to surgery to remove this large stone and risk losing the only kidney that I have?" she would ask herself.

Yet Sharon knew that the stakes were high if the kidney stone moved and resulted in a blockage. She could risk losing the kidney and subsequently require a kidney transplant. She trusted the Mayo team and knew that there was only one choice.

Reflecting on empathetic, personalized care

In May, Sharon had surgery to remove the kidney stone.

She remembers how the medical team demonstrated care and compassion toward her from the moment she arrived.

On her pre-op day, she met Leigh Midkiff, a physician assistant, who provided the reassurance Sharon needed to proceed with the procedure.

"I could hear in her voice how important this surgery was to both her and my surgeon," Sharon says. "She acknowledged that I had only one kidney and the importance of completing the surgery with absolute precision. She put me completely at peace with everything."

On the day of surgery, the Interventional Radiology team took extra time to personalize Sharon's care.

"I shared with the team that, after many years of running, I developed mild degenerative disc changes in my neck," she says. "When I mentioned this, the team immediately began creating a cervical device out of foam for my neck. They placed the device, then made modifications, placed it again, and modified it again. This process continued, adding at least 10–15 minutes to my time in Interventional Radiology. The team could have said, 'We need to get this show on the road,' but they were determined to provide comfort and minimize the risk of neck issues occurring during the procedure. They were unbelievable."

She was met with the same extraordinary level of care when she proceeded to the operating room.

Sensing Sharon's apprehension about anesthesia, the anesthesiologist asked her what he could do to make her less fearful.

"He offered at least four different approaches to anesthesia. He said, 'There are many ways we can do this, so let me know what you're most comfortable with,'" Sharon says. "He introduced and demonstrated each approach to anesthesia. This personalized care added 5–10 minutes of accommodation. I will never forget the kindness and empathy of this person. It meant so much to me."

You can hire employees and teach them a new job, but you cannot teach them to care. Mayo Clinic has accomplished all these things in such an amazing way.

Sharon Conoley

Finally, in recovery, she had the most meaningful surprise of all.

Weeks before the procedure, Sharon had lunch with her former employees and mentioned her upcoming surgery — including her fears and anxieties.

One of Sharon's former colleagues offered to reach out to a friend, Susan McMillen, who is a nurse at Mayo to see if she might be able to check on Sharon during her hospitalization.

"I said that would be nice, but I wasn’t sure what, if anything, would come of that conversation," Sharon says.

She soon learned differently.

"This nurse had changed her schedule so that she could care for me," Sharon says. "It was the sweetest thing. She was so kind and patient. Each time she left my room, she would reassure me that she was nearby."

Those simple gestures moved Sharon to tears.

McMillen was touched to hear Sharon had such positive things to say about her care at Mayo. She says her approach to nursing is to treat her patients how she would like herself or her loved ones to be treated if they were in the hospital bed.

"It is meaningful to hear such kind words from any patient, but when it comes from someone entrusted to my care via a friend's recommendation, that is even more special," McMillen says. "Sometimes in nursing, a thank you doesn't come along often, but it is gratifying when it does."

Returning to the trails

Five days after her surgery, Sharon returned to Mayo Clinic for the removal of her nephrostomy tube, a thin, flexible tube that drains urine from the kidney through an opening in the lower back.

Afterward, she began her journey home.

Now, nearly three months later, Sharon says she is feeling wonderful. She is back into gardening. She has started hiking again on the Appalachian Trail and plans to start trail running soon. Next year, she and her husband plan to tackle a few trails in the Greek Islands.

Sharon says she is grateful to Mayo Clinic and "a team of prayer warriors" for making it possible for her to continue having these adventures.

"It gives me such confidence knowing that a medical institution is out there setting the bar so high and consistently delivering exceptional care," Sharon says. "I have never experienced a place that can prioritize the patient's needs, as well as Mayo Clinic. My sentiment remains: You can hire employees and teach them a new job, but you cannot teach them to care. Mayo Clinic has accomplished all these things in such an amazing way."