Chad #2

I talked to Chad's dad today. He said that the doctors in Iowa City have ruled out meningitis finally. They have figured out that the subdermal hemotoma in his vertebrae was caused by it being crushed somehow. He ruptured an artery in his vertebrae and it is bleeding into his spinal fluid. The blood apparently travels up the spinal cord and into his head, causing the severe headaches. When they check his blood, no infection shows up. But, when they test his spinal fluid, it is full of infection.

Originally they were going to try to get the infection under control, but they have now decided that the headaches will continue if they don't stop the bleeding. So, they are going to try to fix the crushed vertebrae.

The neurologist will visit him today and from there, they will determine when the surgery will occur.