Dad has been home for a couple of weeks now and recovering very well. Of course he’s bored out of his mind and looks forward to getting out as often as he can for short amounts of time. 
He’s had a lot of pain though and had an MRI to find out why. The results showed that he’s got an annular tear which is a tear in the outer wall of a spinal disc causing the inflammatory mediator phospholipase (gel like fluid in the disc) to leak into the epidural space. He’s also got a bulging spinal disc and a pinched nerve causing sciatic pain. He went to his primary care doctor today and found out his incision on his belly is also infected so he had to open him up, clean it out and pack him with gauze which he will have to unpack himself in a few days. He’s still on pain pills, now on antibiotics for the infection and will start heavy duty steroids soon to try to minimize the nerve pain from his back injury (from the surgery) until they can come up with a permanent treatment option.
Even with his setbacks, he is doing fantastic. He is up and around, goes for short walks, runs errands or goes to lunch with friends, hangs out with mom and spends quite a bit of time on the computer.
You can post comments on this blog just as you could on my other blog for dad to read so feel free to comment here for him to read.
Thanks for your prayers and well wishes. Please keep them coming as he continues to heal and finds a treatment plan for this spinal stuff.
Much Love,
Kari & the Pitardi’s
I just want to say thank you to everybody who has prayed for me. Thank you very much!
All my friends who have stopped by and taken me out to lunch. Thank you! To my Wife Pam who has probably aged 10 years over this I can’t say enough shes a definate Keeper!! Kidding aside she is my life and a wonderful wife and an awsome nurse a special thanks to you! To my daughters, Son in law and future Son in law Thank you! My bosses for screening me from work very borring but a nice break. Thanks Matt and Doug! Especially to the Lord our God for guiding me through all of this I am blessed. Thank you all
I have followed your progress through Kari’s World Race web site. I am so glad to “hear” that you are doing so well. I have never had the pleasure of meeting you but I have added my prayers to those bunches and bunches of people that love and care so much for you. You certainly have a wonderful daughter and I am sure you played a large part in that. May God continue to bless you and your family.