hospital

By Angie Long

It’s good news for little Ian Blake Oswald, who underwent surgery January 22 at the Saint Joseph Hospital and Medical Center in Arizona.

It appears the little boy will be released from the hospital on this Friday and will fly home with his mother Diane on Saturday.

Ian Blake underwent removal of two large brain tumors, known as hypothalamic hamartomas, which were causing the now 20-month-old child to experience 100 or more debilitating seizures on a daily basis.

More good news: Ian has had zero seizures since his operation and can often be found up and walking around, says his dad, Tony Oswald, who is back in Alabama.

&uot;When I called out there today, he was playing peek-a-boo with the nurses and laughing and giggling, which is just great,&uot; his dad said via a telephone interview Tuesday morning.

The bad news is, his hospital stay has far exceeded the length his doctors had originally forecast.

&uot;He was actually released from the hospital last Monday, but he kept running a fever and had to be readmitted…it’s been two steps forward and three back lately,&uot; explained his dad in a Monday interview at the newspaper office.

Tests were done to determine the cause of the bacterial infection causing Ian’s fever, with the line running into his chest identified as the source of the problem.

The line was removed on February 19 and Ian was put on antibiotics, which are administered by IV rather than orally.

&uot;He has to stay on the antibiotics at least seven days so the earliest he could be released is this Friday, and they are saying it should definitely be Friday,&uot; Oswald explained.

Each day has been a &uot;wait and see&uot; situation for the Oswalds. &uot;Originally, he was supposed to be in the hospital for maybe six or eight days…and we’re in the sixth week now,&uot; his dad says.

Long hospital stays cause expenses to mount up quickly, and several fundraisers are planned to help the Oswalds out with the mounting bills.

A fundraiser for Ian Blake was recently held at Applebee’s in Montgomery. Another fundraiser is planned at Badcock Furniture on March 5. The City of Montgomery is working on a tennis tournament and the City of Prattville is planning a softball tournament as additional fundraisers for the little boy.

Donations to the Ian Blake Oswald Fund can be made to any Whitney Bank location or at a Sterling Bank in Montgomery or Prattville.

&uot;We appreciate everything that has been done for us so far and ask people to continue to pray and support us as they can. Any monies we take in above and beyond what we need to pay the bills will be donated to a foundation for children with brain tumors,&uot; explained Oswald.

Is he eager for his son to return home? &uot;Oh, yeah – I am so anxious to see him again. I miss the little guy,&uot; said his dad.