| In October 2000, I had surgery to correct some problems I was having with my right foot. (See Surgery in Seattle.) During that surgery, the doctors inserted three large and four small screws to help hold things together until the bones fused. One of those screws were inserted from the
heel of my foot, and this screw they did not tighten all the way. The result was that the screw stuck out of the bone about half an inch, so that the head of the screw was just below the skin of my heel. When I tried walking, that screw caused pain. So, after the bones were sufficiently solid, the doctor said that the screw needed to come out. This little surgical procedure was the worst time of my adult life. Since there is no way to numb a bone, the best the
doctor could do was to numb the skin prior to making the incision. That was fine, but as soon as he started to move the screw, I went through the roof because of the pain. It was not a pleasant thing, and I certainly hope that I never have to experience that kind of pain again. Ever. |
