orthopedic pin migration

[Guest guest]

HI all,

I got my self in quite a fix here (No pun intenedeed) Ever since myt

sub-talar joint fusion failed...the symptoms got the worst in Dec while doing

PT.

Anyway I had a little hard spot that I assumed to be piece of pin since when

they

took the pin out it broke in half. Half came out and half stayed in the bone

but my ortho then said it wouldn't be a problem. Okay last night I put partial

weight on my ankle (I have an air cast and crutches and collapsed to the

ground in pain,. The only thing I can compare it to was when I broke the neck of

my

humorous) Anyway at the time I felt definite bone movement. And now I can

feel about three inches of the pin running up the side of calf. I am in

excruciating pain. MY question is has anyone ever dealt with this before. I'm

taking

high doses of morphine and the pain is not resolved enough to allow me to sleep.

Ordinarily Craig would take me to the ER today to get it checked but he has

to fly to Hartford to sign contracts for hius new job ! Yes! (After waiting

this long for a good job...we need it and the medical insurance!)I also have to

find a way to get my Medigap continued to NC from RI which is a matter of

getting the papers and getting down there. CBS Wants to do it all by mail but

it's

taking to long anyway. NO matter what tomorrow (Wed) we will have to get to

the ER but I was wondering what kind of damage a way ward pin do in the tissues.

Could it cause a clot or nerve damage. Is it safe to wait another 24 hours.

MY biggest problem is I have no one to drive me to the hospital. last week we

went to out local hospital and they said this is way over their heads and I

needed to go to the university of North carolina Chapel Hill Hopsitlas. We did

that and were told we could be seen until my films arrived from prior hopsitals

which did last night. So the only problem is that the hospitla is a good hour

plus from our house. CRaig is willing to take me there as soon as he gets

back. This is why when we move I want to move into Boston Proper. That way if

something like this happened I could just call a cab and the dogwalker if I was

admitted. HAs this ever happened to anyone> I am quite concerned on how long to

wait with things because in RI they told me I had chronic osteomyelitis which

could loead to amputation and in NC they are saying it is just a non fusion.

Either one is a mess but what worries me is when I see my CT scans and see

holes scattered throughout the bones . It looks weel not right. Well any

insight

or ideas people can give me good or bad. I would appreciate it. I don't want

to have osteomyelitis with mycobaqcterium fortuitum but I just want to know

one way opr the other. Thanks for listening guys. I honestly would be no where

without you aqll as friends (See when I get back to Boston I can go back to

talking normally)

Oh, and YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA UConn. Let's watch the woman do it tonight.