To screw or not to screw that is the que stion

“Last October I broke both sides of my right ankle. It's in pretty good shape now and I'm trying to decide if I want to get the screws removed or not. I know I've got to get one of them out because it is rubbing something and causing some pain up my leg, the Dr. said he likes to have a couple of threads stick through the bone to get a good hold on the bone for healing (it's sticking through about 3/16"). I know that one is comming out. It seams to me that to leave them in it would make the joint stronger, but I've heard that my ankle will get cold in the winter time, my question is should I keep the remaining screws in the ankle or have them removed? If anyone else has faced this decision let me know what you did. (When I broke it I ask if anyone else had broken an ankle and lived to hike again and alot of people that had had it happen to them told me to do exactly what the Dr. told me to do and I wouldn't even know it had happened in six months, they were right.”

“Bigfoot, yea it's been awhile since i've been here. My dad had been in the hospital for the last four months and i stayed every other night with him. He passed away about two weeks ago. I'm gonna miss him. I thought that I was prepared for it since he had been sick for such a long time but i wasn't. Damn I hate reality. How you been?”

“The fact that you would ask for this group for a medical opinion indicates that you have a screw loose.

Try posting this question in an orthopedic newsgroup.”

“NASTYYYYY!!!!!!!

dude, my professional advice is:

get a bottle of jim beam and a pair of needle nosed pliers....”

“See what I mean?”

“Give me the Jim Beam! I need it after dealing with the mental image of your quandry at such an early hour!”

“trlhikr, I`m sorry to hear about your dad, I know that has got to hurt you.

As far as the screws go, I still have a truck load of `em in me, but I`m going to have to have some of mine taken out too. Mine have also backed out a bit and are causing me added pain. I wish you luck in what ever you do.

I`ll be talking to you!”

“i have a plate and six screws in my left ankle...the option was...take em out if they start poking thru the skin...so far not....it does smart some if you hit or get hit on the plate/screws.., but it doesnt happen often... ...i have not noticed that they get cold in winter....i dont like to think about having more surgery to remove them...then i gotta take healing time....so, i will leave them in until they cause me a problem.”

“I thought I was the only walking junk pile here, but I see that isn`t so.

My left leg has a steel pin running from my knee to my ankle, two plates and nine screws and countless bone graphs. The right leg has a steel pin about a foot long or better from the ankle up and more plates and about six screws and many more bone graphs than the left one has.

I`m supposed to be having more surgery done all along, but I haven`t gone back and let `em cut on me, or rebreak my bones any more. It`ll be three years for me on 9/9/01 and I`m just now getting to where I can get around and do much, but I am going to have to go back in, but I`ll do `er kicking and screaming all the way.

The pain is one thing and that`s a given and I can live with that, but I just don`t think I can stand to wake up one more time tied down to a bed.

Knowing what I know now and how long it has taken me to get back up on my feet again, it`ll be hard for me to walk in there just to be rolled out again in a wheelchair.”

“OHMIGAWD!
What have you poor souls been doing to yourselves?

I'm so glad to hear that you all have at least been able to walk some...still.

I count my lucky stars that so far I have managed to avoid serious injury, and have good knee joints.

Living in a ski resort, I know far too many people (and some of them idiots) who liked to get "big air", and race, and crash...
They didn't come by their injuries honestly; accidents, cars wrecks..

They took their bodies outside and challenged 'em to see how high they could bounce.
GAD! What a waste.

And now, between the ages of 25 and 45, they have the trashed bodies of 90 year old train wreck victims.

Sorry to hear about all the screws and plates and pins and stuff.

That must get you depressed as all hell at times.

Good luck on recovery.
Big Foot..

We're going to have to come kidnap you and take you someplace easy to play.”

“Thanks Mel, but I have TT to come to and play even if I can`t get off very far. I get to go with all of you on your trips and I feel like I was there and got to see it too, even if it was through your eyes and just the way you got to see it. The pictures each of you take help lots and the pretty words each of you paint with goes a long way in getting me out for a bit.

Thanks for That!”

“Geez, I thought this would be from Tarpo....
or Cheeko, or Grincho
Good lick with the feets!
Feets don't fail me now!”

“i got "slid into" in a softball game...but....i came back with a vengeance!....mostly i have forgotten about the hardware.....doesnt even set off the metal detectors...heh”

“I got crushed in an accident and was more dead than alive. I just never did know when to quit.”

“I'm thinking serious about just removing the one screw that's bothering me and leave the others to help hold the bones together (gotta be stronger than taking them out). I'm glad to hear from i-am-om and know that maybe hiking this fall won't be much of a problem. Other than the one screw i really can't tell it ever happened. The Doctor's can say everything will be ok all day long but it helps to hear it from someone that i'm not paying.”

“Oh....
Poor Footie..

You poor dear thing.
I'm so sorry you can only hike and enjoy the outdoors vicariously.
I wish there were more we could do for you.

You are a poet, and it seems so true that poets are touched by misfortune.

I hope you can eventually experience some reasonable physical healing.

How about we dedicate the 2001 Llama Rama to you?

If we ever get those damn t-shirts made, we'll make you an honorary member, and send you a free one.
Auntie M

What size do you wear?”

“Rad, you drink the beam and I'll remove the screw. BTW where is my cordless drill anyway?”

“Thank You so much Mel and I would love a shirt XXX, I`m a big boy!LOL But, I`ll pay for it if you ever get `em done. I`m getting a whole lot better, but I still got a ways to go and I do Thank You for thinking of me.”

“trlhikr, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I expected my dad to go, but when it happened, it stunned me just the same.

As for your ankle, I don't blame you for wanting to double check on what he says to you. Good luck.”

“no, pete, not the sawz-all!”