Rowan's Story: June 2014

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Enchanted Rock...Rowan's "Climb for a Cause"!

Well, here they are...the pictures from Rowan's recent hike to the top of Enchanted Rock.

He climbed in honor of Kidd Kraddick this time, wearing A Kidd Kraddick in the morning t-shirt, complete with Kidd's sign-off and signature.

For those of you who don't know, Enchanted Rock's Summit Trail is 425 feet straight up to the top.

Rowan had only been out of the hospital a couple days when he made this climb,

so he had a little trouble breathing and had to stop a few times...

but in the end, he made it, and we got some amazing pictures!

Rowan is my hero, for sticking it out, giving it his all, and overcoming...just like he always does!

We took some of the best photos from the day
and created photo cards in memory of Kidd Kraddick.

Here is one example:

If you would like one of the photo cards personally autographed by Rowan and mailed to you,

please mail in your donation to the address below:

Rowan Windham

420 River Chase Drive

New Braunfels, Texas 78132

*Make sure your checks are made out to "Kidd's Kids" with Rowan's name in the memo section.

*Make sure to include a return address so Rowan can mail you back your signed photo card

and he will add your check to his total donation, which he will mail in to Kidd's Kids.

100% of the proceeds go to Kidd's Kids. Rowan doesn't keep a dime!

Rowan will then reveal his total donation amount to the KKITM Crew and the Director of Kidd's Kids, while in New Orleans in July for the Kidd Kraddick Memorial Golf Tournament.

This will be the 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament hosted by Chuck & Mindi Hartzog,

once again benefiting Kidd's Kids.

Please mail in your donations by the first week of July, so Rowan can autograph all the photos,

get them in the mail to you all, and process all donations before leaving for New Orleans.

Please share this post with your friends and family. It is for a great cause!

If they would like more information about the charity or Rowan's involvement,

they can go to the Kidd's Kids website and/or read some of my previous posts here on the blog

about our Kidd's Kidd's Trip in 2011, about Rowan's previous fundraising efforts for Kidd's Kids,

and about kids passing last year while at the golf tournament...

and the profound impact that had on Rowan.

kiddskids.com

http://rowansstory.blogspot.com/2014/05/keep-looking-up.html

http://rowansstory.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-know-what-i-can-do-i-can-sell-my.html

http://www.kens5.com/news/Local-Kidds-Kids-remembers-Kidd-Kraddick-after-attending-New-Orleans-golf-tournament---217662101.html

Your support is greatly appreciated! You can help Rowan, help Kidd's Kids,
change the lives of chronic and terminally ill children and their families
by giving 50 of them each year, the vacation of a lifetime- to Disney World
for 5 days of what Kidd called "suspended reality".

Thank you...and remember...

"Keep looking up, 'cause that's where it all is!"

Love, Rowan

In Memory of Rowan's 11th Birthday

http://a.co/4bNkv62

*Click the link above to purchase a gift in memory of Rowan's 11th birthday.*

In memory of Rowan's 11th birthday, July 21, we are hosting a virtual birthday party to benefit Methodist Children's Hospital (MCH) in San Antonio, where Rowan spent much of his childhood battling for his life. All gifts purchased through this registry will be delivered in person to MCH on Rowan's birthday, July 21, 2017. The toys will be donated to the Child Life Department at MCH and placed in the new play rooms at MCH for many pediatric patients to enjoy during their hospitalizations. The toys on this registry represent a few of Rowan's favorite things. We all know Rowan had such a huge heart for giving and making the good, so this party in his memory is a way of carrying out his legacy by celebrating and doing the things that mattered most to him. Thank you for being a part of carrying out Rowan's legacy, making the good, and honoring Rowan's powerful life while remembering his 11th birthday on July 21, 2017.

In ICU, post vp shunt surgery...precious angel.

In October of 2010, Rowan started having severe headaches again. He had two spinal taps, just three days apart due to increased cranial pressures (double or triple what they should be). They removed over 55 ccs of excess spinal fluid trying to relieve his headaches. Eventually, when the pain was just too severe and his pressures weren't coming down, he finally had to have a vp shunt placed. When he woke up the next day, he told one of the doctors that he would give him a free autograph for helping get rid of his headaches. A couple days later, he made a sign for me to put in the window of his hospital room, that he says said "Open for business. Autographs $15. Free drink with purchase".

Another battle wound...this one from his Chiari malformation brain surgery.

In January of 2009, Rowan had craniectomy/laminectomy surgery to correct a brain malformation that was obstructing his flow of spinal fluid and causing headaches and other neurological symptoms. They removed a small piece of the base of his skull, shrunk up the bottom portion of his brain, and removed part of his C1 and C2 vertebrae to free up space for the spinal fluid to flow. When we told Rowan that he would be going in to the hospital to get his brain fixed, he thought for a minute and then said, "Will I see Logan (favorite nurse) and can I eat baby ice cubes when I wake up?" When we said yes, he simply said "Ok, Let's do it!"

"Our Little Trooper"

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Enchanted Rock...Rowan's "Climb for a Cause"!