Illinois man unaware he had 3.5 inch nail lodged in brain for 36 hours

An Illinois man was completely unaware that he accidentally shot a 3.5 inch nail into the center of his brain, and carried on as normal for almost two days before going to the hospital.

Dante Autullo, from Orland Park, Ill., shot himself in the head with a nail gun Tuesday morning but as he only suffered a small cut, he assumed the nail had missed and went out to plow some snow, the Naperville Sun reported.

But after work Wednesday, the 32 year old felt nauseous after a nap and went to the Palos Community Hospital, Orland Park, for a checkup.

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An X-ray revealed the nail had lodged itself sideways in the center of his brain, just millimeters away from the section of the brain that controls motor functions.

Autullo's mom, Jerri said doctors were shocked because he was "walking and talking" despite having the nail in his brain for 36 hours.

The X-ray image was so shocking that most of the family's friends thought it was a hoax when Dante Autullo posted it on his Facebook wall.

"I hoped that it wasn't going to be as bad as it looked," Jerri Autullo said.

The father of four was taken to Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Ill., where he had surgery to remove the nail Thursday morning.

The surgery was successful and Autullo, who had part of his skull removed and replaced with a titanium plate, appeared to be recovering well.

"It's a miracle," Autullo's fiancée Gail Glaenzer told the newspaper. "Un-freaking-believable."

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