September 7.  A Wednesday.  A day I’m looking forward to and a day I wish would never come.  A day that is taking weeks to plan for.  A day that will affect our lives for weeks/months/years to come.

My grandson, Kiran, was born with a congenital heart defect.  His is a critical, complicated diagnosis.  We have known he would be facing open heart surgery since before he was even born.  Now that day is almost here.  September 7.

I am so grateful to my friends and co-workers who have rallied around us.  So many of you are faithfully praying daily for Kiran as well as praying for those of us who love him.  I’m touched by how many of you regularly ask me about how he is doing, how Holly and Arif are doing, and even how Denny and I are doing.  It is hard…so hard.  I wish with every fiber of my being that September 7 did not have to happen.  But it does…

Please join me in praying for September 7.  Pray that Kiran will remain healthy before the surgery.  Pray that our planning and our travels go smoothly and timely.  Pray that Holly and Arif will be on the top of the waiting list at the Ronald McDonald House, or that other appropriate, inexpensive housing is found.  Pray for Dr. Frank Hanley and his surgical team, and the staff of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University.  Pray for wisdom, for clarity of mind, for steadiness of hands.  Pray for the stamina they need for what we know is a 12-14 hour surgery with no respite.  Pray that the team are able to successfully reroute the misdirected/malformed blood vessels to restore the normal flow from lungs to heart, so they then can repair his heart in this same surgery so there doesn’t have to be another one.  Pray for the nurses and the staff in the PCICU that will minister to Kiran after the surgery.  Pray that they will be observant and diligent in his care.  Pray that Kiran will recover quickly with no complications.

Pray for peace and comfort for Holly and Arif, Denny and me.  We need to feel God’s presence and we need you to pray for us when we won’t even have the words.  Please send us texts, emails, facebook messages on September 7.  I know we will appreciate the distractions as we wait for what will seem an eternity.  If you donated for a Keen on Kiran wristband, please wear it on that day and send us pictures…and thank you again for supporting him in that way.

If I could, I would give him my heart…but he already has it.

Philippians 4:6-7 “The Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Thank You for your prayers, care, and love – we are blessed.

Giving God the Glory,

Jeri aka Nana J