These photos were taken in my surgeon's office on March 21, 2000. A few minutes later I was on my back on the table and he was cranking away with a hand-drill. The pins were screwed right down into the bone. This procedure does not involve anesthesia. It hurt like hell.

Much as I would have liked to keep them, the pins were hideously uncomfortable and a constant risk of infection. They restricted my movements a lot, more or less their intended purpose.

You kids getting tattoos and piercings and mutilating your bodies, quit being so impatient. Live fast and reckless and soon you'll have a lot of interesting scars and who knows, maybe even little threaded stainless steel bolts sticking out of you.

Click on the small images for full-size images.