When Prax Sanchez coughed after returning home from his doctor’s office last week, it wasn’t because of an everyday, ordinary tickle in his throat. It was because of a 1-inch nail that had been stuck in his sinus cavity for years.
Sanchez, a 72-year-old grandfather from Old Colorado City, Colorado, had gone to his doctor’s office to get an MRI because of ear problems he’d been having. The electromagnetic effect of the procedure caused Sanchez so much pain the MRI had to be stopped before completion. His doctor told Sanchez the metal in his head was causing enough interference to prevent the MRI from working properly.
Metal in his head was news to Sanchez, though, who didn’t know what metal his doctor was talking about. A CT scan performed the year before confirmed the existence of a toothpick-like piece of metal lodged in his sinus cavity. Sanchez has no recollection of when or how the metal got there but he has done plenty of carpentry work during his life.
It got there somehow, though, because when he coughed, the metal dropped from the sinus cavity into his throat, where he was able to fish it out. With nail in hand, he returned to his doctor’s office to show the doctor he’d retrieved the mystery metal.
Sanchez’ doctor thinks he inhaled it without being aware of doing so. Once in his head, the doctor suspects tissue grew around it, locking it in place, where it might have stayed, undetected, forever if the MRI hadn’t worked it loose. Once shaken loose during the procedure, all it took was one good cough to expel it completely.
Although his doctor asked to keep the medical oddity, Sanchez has other plans. He’s going to frame it and keep it himself.
