John Austin Tatum ’09 I t ’ s often b een s a id that the measure of a man is best revealed in how he handles adversity. So often, anger and self-pity can cause one to remain imprisoned by his circumstances. We are both amazed and inspired when we see someone whose behavior, attitude and actions demonstrate the best of the human spirit—a real-life hero who shares his story of medical devastation and recovery with a thankful heart and a positive attitude. John Austin Tatum was a 19-year-old college student living in Midland, Texas. During his sophomore year, he was playing baseball with friends and his vision began to blur. The symptoms persisted, and he was quickly referred to an ophthalmologist and then to a neurologist. The neurologist found pressure behind his eyes, a condition known as hydrocephalus. A CT Scan was performed and John was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. While waiting in the Intensive Care Unit, he developed
“I can do anything that anyone else can, but I might have to go about it differently.”
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an aneurysm. Surgery was performed to remove the aneurysm and the fluid behind his eyes. Three months after the first surgery, on Christmas Day in 2005, doctors operated again to remove the tumor. After a successful surgery, he returned to Abilene for a couple of months and went to the West Texas Rehabilitation Center (WTRC) daily to treat for the paralysis on his left side caused by the aneurysm. In addition, his rehab helped to build his strength so he would be able to endure the six weeks of radiation. He lived in an apartment in Dallas and made the daily trek to UT Southwestern for his treatments. His parents, Deonna Galbraith and Larry Tatum, alternated travel from Abilene to Dallas to be with him during those treatments and in the days following when he became extremely ill from the radiation. Through the emotional turmoil that was his constant companion during those days, John faced his fears openly and honesty. “I wasn’t really afraid of the tumor. The paralysis scared me more because I just wanted to be able to live a normal life.” Yet even in the midst of his fear and uncertainty, one emotion he didn’t experience was anger—“In my ‘alone’ time before my surgery, I got to know God. I guess you really don’t know God is all you need until God is all you’ve got. I made a decision not to be bitter and to do everything I could to get past my situation.” With God’s help and his family’s support, he began to actively affect his own recovery. John attacked his rehabilitation process with gusto. While in Dallas for his radiation treatments, he used a pedometer and set walking goals for himself. Initially he was only able to walk a few steps with the assistance of his physical therapists. He worked hard and built up to 2500 steps and then to 5000 steps. Upon returning to Abilene, he lived with his mom and step-father and went
