Cow Bone Lodged In Foot

Yes, that's an X-Ray taken today of my beautiful foot.  In between the second and third toe there is a small piece of cow bone that was lodged about a half an inch in.  If you double click on the picture it will load larger ...

How? I am glad you asked ...

About three weeks ago I was hopping into bed and instead of a pleasant entry into my comfy bed I was pierced in the foot by a smoked cow bone - a chewing toy for Hoosier the Dog that was purchased earlier at Cosco.

Well, after some home surgery, I was fairly sure I removed the piece from my foot.  It still smarted for a couple of days but the overall pain subsided.  Next, a large callus formed on the bottom of my foot.  Not cool, but in shoes I was fine and eventually sandals were cool again too.

Since I was in Fort Wayne for the past week and a half I wasn't too concerned as there were other things on my mind and it really didn't hurt.  In fact, when I got back to Arizona I worked out twice.  While in Indiana, I even went running - although it was slightly painful.

So, I figured if it's been three weeks I should see if the son-of-a-bitch was still lodged in there.  After all, there is not use in going through life with a cow bone lodged in your foot!  

This morning I went to the Urgent Care/Medical Spa/Chiropractic Clinic.  Yes, it's all three.  I was pretty impressed slash a little worried.  I mean if you can walk-in without an appointment, get the gash taken care of from your fall off the ladder, then go have your achy back looked at an x-rayed and then go get a photo-facial - there may be some issues with having my foot looked at.

Nonetheless, I went there and they took an X-Ray.  Low and behold, there was a piece of cow bone in my foot.  The young (and I mean he may have been my age or a year younger) doctor proceeded to stick a needle in my foot to numb it.   Not once, not twice, not thrice - but FOUR TIMES!  Why?  Because after the first two times he didn't do it well enough and I was feeling some pain.  So, because sticking a needle in the bottom of your foot is not the most pleasant experience and I moved - I got stuck two more times.  Fun.  Don't worry, the story gets better.

After about twenty minutes of 'digging' for the cow bone, the doctor finally gave up.  He said he had already gone in 'about a quarter of an inch and I'd be uncomfortable going in any further not being a specialist.  I am going to have to refer you to a Podiatrist.'  Great.  Lucky for me, they had an appointment at 1:15.

From the Urgent Care I went and had lunch.  I had a nice slice of pepperoni pizza from a new place in Fulton Ranch that I read about in the local newspaper (think Aboite And About).  I also had a small wedge salad (I love wedge salads) and a tall beer.  I mean, if you know you are going to have another doctor stick your foot with a needle and slice you open, you might as well enjoy a beer in between doctor's offices!

After picking up my antibiotic prescription from Walgreen's (which of course is on a corner at a decent intersection) I proceeded on to the Podiatrist who resided in Val Vista Spectrum - not too far from where we would like to purchase a house!

The Podiatrist went ahead and looked the X-Rays and said he'd give it a try.  Yes, you guessed it - another needle was stuck in my foot.  "It will be a slightly painful stick in your foot and then just some pressure."  Yeah, fuck you Dr. Podiatrist.  It was more like a chain saw with knives attached coming at my foot.

After the first needle, the doctor 'shaved some dead skin' aka 'the callus' from my foot.  As he did this he noticed I was still jerking around so he said, 'I hate to do this but I need to numb it more so you aren't feeling this.'  So, this is "Needle in the Foot #6" for the day!  He then proceeds on starts slicing my foot open.  As he gets deeper he notices I am twitching and then says, "Wow, your body must eat this stuff for dinner!  You have a high tolerance for drugs."  Then I get needle #7 which was little pain but numbed up the better half of my foot.  He said he put as much in that needle as he had in the others.  My foot now felt happy.

About ten minutes later he finally says, "It's your lucky day!  I got it!"  In his tweezers was a centimeter long piece of bone that was over a half inch in my foot just clearing any tendons or important muscle.  He said I was lucky that it didn't go any deeper.

So, that was my exciting news for the day!