A South African man was awarded $6,112 by a court after living with a surgical needle in his stomach for nine years.

According to the Independent Online, Jacob Makeke, 48 was hospitalized after being kicked in the stomach by a cow while working as a farm laborer in 1996. Following a necessary abdominal surgery, Makeke continued to experience pain and vomiting and was treated as an outpatient until finally, in 2005, with pain so bad he couldn't work well, he went to the Groblersdal Hospital where an x-ray picked up the needle that was left behind in the 1996 surgery.

Doctors removed the 2 cm needle without incident, as it was reportedly in the superficial layers of the stomach.

The hospital responsible for leaving behind the needle, Philadelphia Hospital, was also ordered to pay Makeke's hospital fees.

Makeke told reporters he feels better, but still has some abdominal pain.