Durban - A 10-year-old Bonela boy who had a pen-sized metal rod stuck in his foot for eight hours before it was safely removed, is recovering in hospital.
Haylen Bahgoo had been playing with his brother in their granny’s front yard when he jumped from a wall on to a verge 2m below, to fetch a toy he had dropped.
He landed in a vegetable garden which had a protruding metal rod. Initially, reports were that he had been running to escape a dog.
Haylen, who attends Collegevale Primary School in Overport, lives with his granny, Ragini Vainikainen, in Calgary Grove, Bonela.
On Thursday, at 3.15pm, he jumped from the wall on to the ground to fetch his spinning top.
Vainikainen had gone to a nearby shop when the incident happened.
“His screams, and his brother’s screams for help, alerted neighbours. The metal rod went through the side of his right foot. He was in immense pain,” she said.
Chris Botha, Netcare 911 spokesman, said: “An advanced life support paramedic had to sedate Haylen before rescue officers used the Jaws of Life to cut the rod.”
Paramedics then took Haylen to hospital so that surgeons could remove the rod.
Vainikainen said the rod was used in her vegetable garden to support the plants.
Haylen is recovering in King Edward VIII Hospital and is expected to be discharged by Wednesday.
“On Thursday, at midnight, the rod was removed. He is receiving antibiotics through an IV drip. He did not require stitches,” Vainikainen said.
The remaining piece of metal rod was hammered into the ground. Vainikainen praised paramedics, neighbours and doctors for their help. The family asked that no pictures be taken of the boy.
Daily News