So this is dumb/funny and semi serious all at the same time.
I was sitting on the Futon, looked over my shoulder at our 18 month old and realized she had decided to walk across the room and was heading for the dog food. I jumped up from the futon and went to run and grab her. WHACK slammed my foot into the futon frame which is a 3" round steel pipe frame. I hit dead center of my toes. However like any time you stub your toe in a hurry you shake it off and keep going. I grabbed her brought her back to the living room and this time put her in her play pen. Then sat back down to look at my foot. I was expecting to see a bent toe nail or something. What I was not expecting to see was my middle toe trying to reach under my 2nd to the left toe and have intercourse with my pinky toe.
After getting them all flat again, it still had a serious desire to go to the left. I called the medical hotline (British Columbia Nurses Line) they did their over the phone interview and decided I should seek medical attention for a possible dislocation. So Lisa ran me up to the ER, they X-Rayed it and found it had a nasty diagonal break, across my middle toe.
So they crammed 2 needles of freezing stuff into my foot between my toes and froze the heck out of it then taped it up.
Fast Forward about 3 days, we needed to take our kids into the doctor for vaccinations and talked to my family doctor about the break he looked at the X-Rays and has decided its something called a spiral fracture and wants to send me out for surgery on it. He wants me to get a pin put in it, as he does not feet it will ever heal correctly without being pinned straight.
Now I am no good with medical advice from doctors. They said tape it up for 2 weeks, I lasted about 48hrs before I removed the tape. It was driving me nuts under my sock and as the toe would swell up, it felt like someone was squeezing it constantly. Between having 2 young kids and 2 dogs, and my own clumsiness it seems like 3 or 4 times a day it gets stepped on, or whacked into something around the garage. About the only fun thing is when we go shopping now, I take one of those electric scooters and go ripping around the stores.
Now here is my question, has anyone ever had a pin put in for a broken toe or even finger than can comment on what and how they did it. Do you feel it was worth it.
------------------ 857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics For Sale $4000, Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.
It is definitely worth it, imo - if done properly, you will regain pretty much full mobility, and your gait will be unaffected. if you end up with a crooked toe, it can put your gait off balance and then you'll (possibly) deal with years and years of other issues stemming from this one toe incident. knee issues, hip issues, spine issues, leg and back muscle issues, etc.
It's only a minor procedure. would probably just use a local anesthetic...
Because you are a BAD patient, (removing the tape after 2 days) I recommend a pin/screw so it heals straight and properly... you don't have to rely on the brace/splint/ to keep it straight.
Years ago, I had a spiral fracture in my leg, but I got lucky, and didn't need any pins or plates or whatnot.
My mallet finger healed because I kept it splinted the full 8 weeks (1 second not splinted, and it undoes ALL the healing)
I know a few folks who had pins put in and a year later, they were good as new. Even six months, they were good as new.
1 vote for "do it" and then heal and then keep the screw as a souvenir
[This message has been edited by TheDigitalAlchemist (edited 06-23-2014).]
I have lost count of the broken and re-broken fingers and toes i've had.....they heal in time. Sometimes even sorta-straight (seriously, some of my fingers go off on 45-degree angles at one point or another. Apart from the one missing a tip, they still pretty much work the way the factory designed.)
It is definitely worth it, imo - if done properly, you will regain pretty much full mobility, and your gait will be unaffected. if you end up with a crooked toe, it can put your gait off balance and then you'll (possibly) deal with years and years of other issues stemming from this one toe incident. knee issues, hip issues, spine issues, leg and back muscle issues, etc.
It's only a minor procedure. would probably just use a local anesthetic...
Because you are a BAD patient, (removing the tape after 2 days) I recommend a pin/screw so it heals straight and properly... you don't have to rely on the brace/splint/ to keep it straight.
Years ago, I had a spiral fracture in my leg, but I got lucky, and didn't need any pins or plates or whatnot.
My mallet finger healed because I kept it splinted the full 8 weeks (1 second not splinted, and it undoes ALL the healing)
I know a few folks who had pins put in and a year later, they were good as new. Even six months, they were good as new.
1 vote for "do it" and then heal and then keep the screw as a souvenir
You mentioned back spine issues. I am dealing with one of those, however totally unrelated to my toe. Got a thread from a few years ago on here about it, my C5-C6-C7 vertebra in my back are all compressed together. Had a Bone Scan done trying to find the source of a back injury from a few years ago. Been medicated for years over it. The scan was kinda funny, I was positively glowing when they were done.
As to me being a bad patient, I just hate being tied down. When I had knee surgery, they cut me open like a tuna can, removed my kneecap, stitched my ACL and MCL together, fixed my kneecap and put me back together, I was supposed to stay off of it for 4-6 weeks. By day 4 I was so nuts with boredom, I hobbled my way to my 88GT and went for a drive. Made it 5 miles from the house before the wife even realized I was gone. Took holy hell from her when I got back. (right knee so only needed it for gas as I can left foot brake)
Honestly had no idea a bad toe could affect gate later in life, so that is something to seriously take into consideration. The Orthopedic surgeon has the final say on all this and I will go along with his suggestions then. If you guys feel that the pin is the way to go, and he feels I should have one, I'll let them do it. Thankfully being in Canada right now, there is no cost or money to take into consideration.
Thought this one was too funny not to post
quote
Originally posted by jaskispyder:
Get it fixed properly and let the kid eat dog food
Oh I am sure she probably has tried it, and I just didn't see it, but I don't want it to become a regular thing. ------------------ 857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics For Sale $4000, Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.
[This message has been edited by Capt Fiero (edited 06-23-2014).]
that was from Melanie, between the horses stepping on our toes and her last year kicking at a cat in the house who tried to trip her and missing the cat and kicking the fridge we brake at lease 2 or 3 or 4 a year between us.
Tape the dam things up drink some beer and get back to work.
What a wuss, that's from me.
Dam I thought you Canadian's were tough, hell I have 6 herniated discs the surgeons won't touch and all my personal doctors and pain doctors will do is stick needles in my spine and give me pain pills. to many to messed up to do at one time and they told me the recovery times could be months. just get some vicodin or Percocet and enjoy the high.
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 06-23-2014).]
About the only fun thing is when we go shopping now, I take one of those electric scooters and go ripping around the stores.
I missed that part, you were using a scooty come on man, even after my heart surgery I only used a scootie once, and that was the day I came home after quadruple bypass surgery. And only because I had already been walking around the hospital for over an hour to prove I could go home. WTF come on down here I'll show you what hurting is, take 2 vicodin and a couple of beers and call me in the morning.
I missed that part, you were using a scooty come on man, even after my heart surgery I only used a scootie once, and that was the day I came home after quadruple bypass surgery. And only because I had already been walking around the hospital for over an hour to prove I could go home. WTF come on down here I'll show you what hurting is, take 2 vicodin and a couple of beers and call me in the morning.
Steve
I don't think my doctor knows what Vicodin or Percocet is. LOL. He won't prescribe anything stronger than Tramadol and Lyrica. (similar to T3's and Gabapentin) He's got me taking 600mg of Lyrica and 200mg of Tramadol per day along with Diclofenac 150mg and Atomoxetene 120mg a day.
As to beer, I don't drink the stuff and pretty much quit drinking wine or hard liquor all together, maybe once a month I'll have 1 or 2 drinks when out for dinner, and that's usually a White Zine or Double Vodka and Cranberry.
My doctor does not or won't prescribe any narcotic medication. When I had my knee surgery the only way to get anything stronger than a T3 was to go to the Hospital.
We are really thinking about changing family doctors all together just to get a 2nd opinion on a few different things.
Now as to all your comments about just sucking it up, that is exactly what I am doing, screw the tape and go, spent hours outside working on my car in the garage in bare feet. I take the scooters just because its easy and a hell of a lot more fun than walking around these giant super stores with the wife. The wife likes to browse at everything in the store, I like to get in and get out. Some zipping around gives me something to do, and I just use the toe as an excuse to use the scooters.
So if getting this surgery on the toe will make life easier on me later on down the road why the hell shouldn't I....
When it comes to health stuff I think you are one of the most screwed up people on here, (I mean that physically not mentally) which means I should take your advice and run the other way if I want to get fixed up correctly. Either that or you just have some really screwed up doctors that don't want to help you for some gawd awful reason enjoy torturing you for no reason. Unfortunately I do come from the same way of thinking as you, get a cut in the garage, grab some electrical tape and wrap it up so you don't bleed all over your tools, I have more gash's on me that I can shake a stick at as I usually don't slow down. I hate to slow down, and the one thing that is really making me think twice about this hole pin/screw in the toe is the recovery time. Right now, its broken, I can tape it up and probably a month from now, it will be healed up enough it won't be swollen and sore. If I go for the surgery which I know won't happen for another month, it will be a month after that, or 2 that I will be finally recovering. I had planned to take this summer and learn to ride my Goldwing. I can't remember off the top of my head, is the shifter on the right, it might make it really interesting trying to toe shift with a busted up, pinned toe. I am sure it can be done but dang. Makes me really think twice, ah who the hell am I kidding, I am going to get on the bike regardless, just don't know which way will be more enjoyable.
Friday night one of my brothers did almost the same thing except he laid it almost 90 degrees across his 4th toe. Caught it on the leg of the sofa. I took him to emergency and they were going to give him a shot to set it but he wouldn't let them. They got hold of it and pulled and moved it back in place. Even the doctor doing it shuddered when he was done. He and the ER nurses thought he was crazy because he was laughing his azzoff the whole time. That's the way he handles pain or stress. They just taped it to his other toes and gave him a strap-on padded sandal to wear and a 5 day prescription of pain killers.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 06-24-2014).]
Friday night one of my brothers did almost the same thing except he laid it almost 90 degrees across his 4th toe. Caught it on the leg of the sofa. I took him to emergency and they were going to give him a shot to set it but he wouldn't let them. They got hold of it and pulled and moved it back in place. Even the doctor doing it shuddered when he was done. He and the ER nurses thought he was crazy because he was laughing his azzoff the whole time. That's the way he handles pain or stress. They just taped it to his other toes and gave him a strap-on padded sandal to wear and a 5 day prescription of pain killers.
He's got more balls than I do Charlie, I take the pain killer shots, but then the last time a horse stepped on my foot I didn't even bother going to the ER, I knew what happened and what they were going to do so I just had Melanie do it here at home. I did tell Sara, the horse who stepped on my foot if she ever did it again I was going to hit her with my 50 lb sledge hammer, right between the eyes.
And don't tape the toes so tight next time and ice it dumby. that will keep the swelling down and if the swelling doesn't happen the tape won't be so painful. If the wife wants to shop, let her go by herself, I never go with mine, I can't stand roaming around a store, hell as it is I use a shopping cart as a walker when I go to the store. personally I would be more worried about dropping a socket or hammer on my foot if I went up to the shop with sandals on, hell I don't even own sandals.
Take a tramadol and 2 beers put your feet up and ice that toe. If you really need the scootie I got one I supped up it goes twice as fast and has a real car horn in it for when I really hurt and am pissed at people who use the ones at the store that really don't need one, like you ! I actually go looking for fat people in the store on them, just to run into them. Almost got me band from China Mart once, screw them its my scootie !
Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 06-23-2014).]
I wouldn't screw around. I'd have it fixed. I think I fractured the same toe as you on my left foot, and never had it looked at. I think I'm going to have to have it re-broken and set properly as there are mornings I can barely walk. I like to hike and backpack and martial arts. Having a bunged up toe makes those things less enjoyable. Unless you just sit on a couch and do nothing, ever, you could be setting yourself up for some serious discomfort later on down the road.
Friday night one of my brothers did almost the same thing except he laid it almost 90 degrees across his 4th toe. Caught it on the leg of the sofa. I took him to emergency and they were going to give him a shot to set it but he wouldn't let them. They got hold of it and pulled and moved it back in place. Even the doctor doing it shuddered when he was done. He and the ER nurses thought he was crazy because he was laughing his azzoff the whole time. That's the way he handles pain or stress. They just taped it to his other toes and gave him a strap-on padded sandal to wear and a 5 day prescription of pain killers.
You can do some amazing things on adrenaline. I had some equipment fall on my hand and as I reflexively pulled my hand back, it peeled my middle finger like a banana. I knew my finger had been smashed. Yeah, it hurt, but I wanted I didn't realize how bad it was until someone made me stop and I realized I was losing a ton of blood. I had so much adrenaline going I could hardly sit down. I guess my fight or flight instinct were arguing which I needed to do.
quote
Originally posted by Capt Fiero: Do you feel it was worth it.
Do you want to be able to walk normally? If not, don't worry about it.
[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 06-23-2014).]
He's got more balls than I do Charlie, I take the pain killer shots,
tramadol is a narcotic by the way,
I think they gave him a prescription for Nordac? Anyway, he didn't get it filled until this morning. He's been painting my house and the next morning and every day since, he's been out here climbing up and down the ladder with that padded sandal on his right foot. Sunday morning, he even took a walk up to a nearby store. About a mile.
Capt Fiero, be a wuss like the rest of us. You're in good company. Get that thing fixed. Take care of it. Take the pain meds. Have the wife or kids chauffeur you around for a while. Ride the scootie. Hell, I would if it happend to me.
Since there's no cost to you, there really is no reason not to get it done. Benefits outweigh issues. Your gait as you get older should always be considered.
I have terrible pain every day from all the bones I didn't get fixed right cause I thought I was a bad ass. (Edit to add: I was a bad ass. A big dumb bad ass)LOL
Just get it fixed.
[This message has been edited by pokeyfiero (edited 06-24-2014).]
Five surgeries on my feet. 1-2 pins inserted every surgery. They put the pin in. The bones heal correctly and a few weeks later that take a pliers and pull the pin out.
From experience..... You have an 18 month old. If you have a pin inserted, you'll have a good 2 inches of wire hanging out. PICK UP ALL TOYS OFF THE FLOOR! I tried to avoid a toy and the foot brushed up against the the couch. The pin snagged in the couch. I fell. Screamed in pain. Luckily, my son wasn't near me until they got me calmed down. I would have been less one son and still in prison for murder.
Screws in the toes. A different story. I have 3 screws in the foot/toes. I can feel them 15-18 years later.
Five surgeries on my feet. 1-2 pins inserted every surgery. They put the pin in. The bones heal correctly and a few weeks later that take a pliers and pull the pin out.
From experience..... You have an 18 month old. If you have a pin inserted, you'll have a good 2 inches of wire hanging out. PICK UP ALL TOYS OFF THE FLOOR! I tried to avoid a toy and the foot brushed up against the the couch. The pin snagged in the couch. I fell. Screamed in pain. Luckily, my son wasn't near me until they got me calmed down. I would have been less one son and still in prison for murder.
Screws in the toes. A different story. I have 3 screws in the foot/toes. I can feel them 15-18 years later.
You're just a walking hardware store there Ace. Steve
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 06-25-2014).]
Since there's no cost to you, there really is no reason not to get it done. Benefits outweigh issues. Your gait as you get older should always be considered.
Actually, Niel does have a point....between al-bundy-level football (hey, it did get me the cheerleaders in hi skool :P , infantry service, aviation, and horses I have spent the best part of 25 years beating the living crap out of my body, getting up, and doing it again....and now that I am near the 50 club I have arthritis in hands and feet so badly that they just cramp up and twist into claws (VERY painfully) on their own, hips that just loose all strength with no warning, and knees that will hyper-extend just for stepping the wrong way (ever done that? I'd rather screw a porcupine)
Its the result of ignoring my damage as it happened and "toughing it out" and not being a girl about a boo-boo......ya get away with it for a while, but they DO add up over time.
Well I broke this bad boy going on a month ago have seen 2 doctors about it and about to see a 3rd, I think by the time they finally get there plan figured out, they will have to re-break it to fix it. Its already healed up enough that I don't need tape. The problem is my middle toe is permanently sticking up at people now. It sits about a 1/4 inch off the ground when I am flat footed standing. My next doctors appointment to see the 3rd doc is on the 24th of this month. Hey is Canadian Medical, its free, so get in line behind the rest of the country if you need anything done that won't kill you in the next 2 mins.
------------------ 857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics For Sale $4000, Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.
I've been lucky and have yet to break a bone but being young and indestructible my most horrific injuries where treated in a bar at the end of the night with super glue.
While holding a dock plate I had a 50mph gust slam one side of a double door on my hand crushing it. It had a raised latch on it that destroyed the knuckle on my pointer finger. The driver I was loading stared at it for a second before saying "are you ok"? I looked inside my finger seeing bone and connective bits, grabbed it tightly holding it together and said "I'll be right back". I had the pregnant girl in the office bandage it up and got back to loading the truck. That night the leaky bandage was messing with my pool game so I finally gave in and got the bar tender to glue it up. I've never had a injury take so long to heal, it had to have been close to 6 months before it had full mobility again.
[This message has been edited by jmbishop (edited 07-18-2014).]
I recommend a pin/screw so it heals straight and properly... you don't have to rely on the brace/splint/ to keep it straight.
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He's got more balls than I do Charlie, I take the pain killer shots, but then the last time a horse stepped on my foot I didn't even bother going to the ER, I knew what happened and what they were going to do so I just had Melanie do it here at home. I did tell Sara, the horse who stepped on my foot if she ever did it again I was going to hit her with my 50 lb sledge hammer, right between the eyes.
