I really don’t want a stent put back in

Hey! I’ve been dealing with kidney stones since I was 16. I’m 42 now, and I’ve never actually passed one. Back when I was 17 they put a stent in me and it was the worst pain of my entire life. I remember feeling awful, just constant agony around the clock. It only stayed in 10 days and they took it out right in the office. I can still picture it like it happened yesterday. Cut to last month and I got woken up by that familiar stone pain. I headed to the ER and it turned out I had a 5mm stone that was blocking things. They moved me over to another hospital and kept me for 4 days. Day one the urologist came in and told me I’d need surgery because of how big the stone was. I explained my hesitation and asked if it was safe for me to try passing it on my own. The dr said at that size it was roughly a 50/50 shot that it would come out without any medical intervention. I told him I wanted to try. Every morning they came in and pushed the stent on me, and every morning I told them what scared me about it. I also don’t have much support at home, and my son is disabled, so I knew I wouldn’t be able to be there for him as much as I need to be while dealing with a stent. I know I sound whiny and I’m sorry. It honestly was one of the worst experiences of my life. They sent me home from the hospital and told me to strain my urine. The pain eased up for about 2 weeks, then I started getting what felt like UTI pain plus soreness in my lower belly and groin. I went to my follow up with the urologist on 05/14. He said the pain I was describing sounded like the stone was stuck at the UVJ. He said if it didn’t pass by 06/04 he wanted to do the laser lithotripsy and leave a stent in for 3 days. Well, as far as I know I still haven’t passed it. I’ll go days without pain and then that uti feeling creeps back. They tested my urine at the office and there was no infection. All of that just to ask — has anyone managed to pass a stone this size without getting a stent put in? If you did, how long did it take, and was there anything you did to help it along? Also, like I said, I’ve never passed one, so what does that even feel like? The dr said what I’m feeling, the urgency and burning, if that means it’s getting close to the bladder. I’m scared and could use some reassurance here. Thanks for putting up with my whiny rant, fellow stoners.