Carl Pavano’s shoveling accident was nearly fatal

Pavano, 37, said he jammed his midsection on a shovel handle and didn’t realize he had lacerated his spleen until four days later. By the time he finally had surgery to remove the spleen, on Jan. 19, doctors first had to remove 6 1/2 liters of blood from his chest cavity.

He said he lost 35 pounds in three weeks. At least he can laugh about it now. At 230 pounds, he’s as trim as he was as a rookie, he said, but too weak to lift his kids, ages 3 and 4.

Read: StarTribune.com