Jalene's Garden: "I can't give up now, Mommy."

Jalene's Garden: "I can't give up now, Mommy."

As many of you know, Rowan had surgery #73 today.  

It was one he has had many times before, so he told us that he "was nervous, but not worried". 

 He had a picc line pulled from his arm and a new Broviac central line placed into the artery in his chest.  The surgeon couldn't get the new line placed subclavian, like he wanted to, because of too much scar tissue.  But, he was finally able to place it through his jugular, in Rowan's neck.  

With all the tunneling, and the multiple attempts at entry sites, Rowan is quite sore tonight.  He just brought me this note, written on a napkin.  It is a sad face with a number 7 (pain scale).  And he has a high pain tolerance:( 

He says he is hurting, and he asked me for more codeine.  

Still...he never ceases to amaze me.  See, Rowan has a big day planned tomorrow, and he is not letting his pain from today's procedure stop him.

Tomorrow, Rowan is finally getting to help Keller Williams install "Jalene's Memorial Garden" at her family's home.  Keller Williams asked Rowan to be the Project Manager, and he has taken great pride in that title and duty.

(This is the header for the plans he drew on poster board.)

(Here he is about to present his plan to Keller Williams Realty Agents at their Team Meeting)

(This is the tree in Jalene's backyard, which the Memorial Garden will be created around.)

Rowan and I really want the special elements of this garden, and the end result, to be a surprise for Jalene's family tomorrow.  But, we are so excited about it all too!  And I know that many of you cannot wait to see the end product. So, here are just a few "clues" to tide you over until tomorrow's reveal...

With Rowan feeling as bad as he does tonight, after surgery, he still keeps talking about Jalene's Garden going in tomorrow.  I was painting something for the garden outside this evening, when Rowan hobbled to the front door, and opened it up to see how it was looking.

Then an hour or two later, he wasn't feeling so great again...

I asked him if he was sure he was going to be able to make it tomorrow morning, to help put the garden in.  His answer, was so sure, so sweet...and so Rowan... 

"It really hurts, but I can't give up now Mommy.  She's my best friend.  And her Mommy needs this garden, and BJ and Zoe, and her Grandma and Grandpa too... so they can feel her around them."

Despite the pain, despite the fatigue,  Rowan is bound and determined to push through, for his friend Jalene, and more importantly for her family,

He can't give up now.

This is for his friend.

" Jalene Estella "