I read a few posts that described the pin / K-wire removal process as excruciating or 'the most painful thing I have felt in my life'. This did not sound very encouraging but I was skeptical. Today I came across this video which shows a guy pulling out his own pins (with supervision by the Doctor). If it is done with gentle constant pulling, I guess it should not be painful at all. Read more below for the video.
"This is me removing my own pins after an open reduction of a perilunate fracture and dislocation. If like me you were trying to find out how these pins are removed and more importantly how painful it is you can relax, it does not hurt at all. If you've seen other videos where they just give one big tug I think that technique may hurt. My doctor took out the first one and he showed me that the gentle and constant pulling while twisting the pin slightly makes the removal painless."
We will see, tomorrow I meet with the surgeon before I leave Canada. I hope we can take the hard cast off and pull the pins out so I can travel back to the USA without this smelly cast. Plus I would like to actually be able to sweat without spending 15 minutes with the hair dryer. It would be nice to submerge myself in water again. It has been a long summer.