Meet Ian

2/7/11 This delightful (even when he is on heavy pain meds) young 15 year old from Texas, will undergo surgery here in Memphis tomorrow morning at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital. The surgical team will remove some tumors from his brain. Ian has TS (tuberous sclerosis), a very rare disease that causes non-malignant tumors to grow in the brain and on other organs such as the kidneys, heart eyes, lungs and skin. A side effect of the TS is epilepsy and Ian has a very rare form of this seizure disorder. He had his first seizure five years ago. However, the more serious disease of TS was not diagnosed until approximately 2 ½ yrs later.

He had his first surgery this past Tuesday (2/1) and is doing remarkably well---with much of the swelling subsiding. He can now open his left eye again. Even in the midst of all of that, he had a way of capturing my heart. He let me know right away that he was going to be rooting for the Packers in the Super Bowl---guess who became my team of choice!! His southern Louisiana roots were clearly showing when, in somewhat of a slurred voice, he declared Memphis wings to be rather on the “wimpy” side. Naturally I had to introduce him to some serious “hot” wings from D’Bo’s---even promising to bring him some of D’bo’s “suicide” variety once he’d fully recouped. I wouldn’t want to send that new head of his into a tail spin trying to “digest” those things----though he assures me he will be up to the challenge.

The way that I was introduced to Ian was such a God thing---something I don’t take lightly. So, I will be praying for him as he begins his “BIGGIE” operation in the morning around 7:30 a.m. Prayers for---wisdom and skill for the doctors, exact location of the 2 large and possibly the third tumor that need to be removed, diminished pain following the surgery and extra measures of mercy and grace for Ian and his mom and dad, Jody and Wally, his brother Wes, his grandma (affectionately called fam-maw by him as a youngster) and his aunt Dawn plus a host of others whom I have yet to meet.

May all the Wrights "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12)

Now you’ve met Ian---allow God to move in your heart on his behalf.