As promised, here is my story of how I got to talk to Mark Schultz:
I was on my way home and listening to one of the local Christian radio stations here in Charlotte when I heard the DJ interviewing Mark about his new album. As I listened, I knew that Mark had to know Aidan's story and about how his music had been such an inspiration to my family.
I tried calling the station a couple of times and only got their answering machine after a bunch of rings. Third time was the charm, though, as I connected with the DJ. I started talking to him and mentioned how I had talked about Aidan before when I called one of their segments. I said that I wasn't sure of Mark could hear me when he spoke up and said he was on the line with me (I think he was in the studio).
When I knew he was listening, it all came out. I told him the stories I talked about on here about Erin and I hearing "He's My Son" early on in Aidan's stay in the hospital, how "40 Days" served as a personal inspiration to me, and how the story behind "He's My Son" solidified my faith in God and Aidan getting better.
They both listened to my story and thanked me for calling and telling it. It felt great getting to finally tell one of my favorite artists how his music has touched my family's life. After I hung up, I realized that i had not given Mark the website address; so, I called back. Once again, I got the answering machine. This time, I left a message. I hope that they passed the website along and Mark takes the time to read all of Aidan's story.
I hope everyone has a good night! Remember that you have until 11:59 tonight to purchase your Art For Aidan raffle tickets.
~Russell
Monday, August 31, 2009
Just a couple of reminders ...
Today is the last day you can purchase chances for the "Art For Aidan" raffle. To those who have purchased chances already, thank you and good luck! For those who haven't, this is a chance to win some truly one-of-a-kind artwork, as it will be created according to your desires and specifications.
Also, if you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen a status message about me getting the opportunity to talk with Mark Schultz. I promise to get that story posted tonight when I get home from work.
Aidan starts school again tomorrow, so pray that we will see many successes over the next few months. We have already seen a lot of little things and I believe it is 100% because he has been interacting with other kids and adults. He absolutely loves his teachers and being around other kids.
I'll talk with all of you again tonight!
~Russell
Also, if you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen a status message about me getting the opportunity to talk with Mark Schultz. I promise to get that story posted tonight when I get home from work.
Aidan starts school again tomorrow, so pray that we will see many successes over the next few months. We have already seen a lot of little things and I believe it is 100% because he has been interacting with other kids and adults. He absolutely loves his teachers and being around other kids.
I'll talk with all of you again tonight!
~Russell
Monday, August 17, 2009
some pictures from school
Aidan's teacher gave me a CD with some pictures they'd taken of him since he started school. There weren't a whole lot because he started at the very end of February and then had several illnesses that kept him out of school. But I thought I'd share some of the pictures with everyone. Aidan really likes being at school. It actually made me cry a little to see these pictures. He's growing so fast and I feel like I'm missing out on so much with him. Before his accident, I looked forward to the day that he would be able to talk to me and tell me about his day, but no matter what, Aidan could always make me laugh. Evan is exactly the same way, he's usually always happy, and he makes me laugh.
Anyway, I'm not going to cry... I won't. So here are the pictures-
last day of the regular school year
looking at a light box- part of his visual therapy
little "cool dude" in his sun glasses. :)
finger painting
more visual therapy
riding in the wagon- he really likes this
the "torture device"- aka, the stander. actually he does well in the stander and will tolerate it for up to an hour at home.
this is the day the fire department brought out the truck for the kids. They like to expose them to different textures and sounds.
The "Chicken Dance" Elmo. Aidan loved this thing. We've got to find him one. The other little boy would push a switch and make Elmo dance and Aidan would smile and laugh. It's hard to see, but he IS smiling in this picture.
Hope you all like these.
Anyway, I'm not going to cry... I won't. So here are the pictures-
last day of the regular school year
looking at a light box- part of his visual therapy
little "cool dude" in his sun glasses. :)
finger painting
more visual therapy
riding in the wagon- he really likes this
the "torture device"- aka, the stander. actually he does well in the stander and will tolerate it for up to an hour at home.
this is the day the fire department brought out the truck for the kids. They like to expose them to different textures and sounds.
The "Chicken Dance" Elmo. Aidan loved this thing. We've got to find him one. The other little boy would push a switch and make Elmo dance and Aidan would smile and laugh. It's hard to see, but he IS smiling in this picture.Hope you all like these.
some new pictures too
some smiles after the previous 3 or 4 day bout of crying and tummy aches
hanging out with Evan on the couch
snoozing after getting some new meds
Aidan and his teacher, Ms. MelanieSunday, August 16, 2009
sorry for the hiatus everyone!
Okay, I took a hiatus from blogging for a while. With dealing with Aidan's bouts of tummy aches and crying for days on end, I just didn't feel like sounding like a broken record.
This past Wednesday was Aidan's last day of pre-school for the summer. They had a little luau party for the kids and their families, but unfortunately, we didn't get to stay for it. I had an appointment that afternoon for myself, but our doctor wanted to go ahead and see Aidan since he was still having stomach issues and had been crying for several days again.
When I got him there his little tummy was just all gassed up and he was miserable. The pain comes and goes, so we have to try position changes and burp him through the g-tube. He finally settled down with me cuddling him in my lap. The doctor had me start giving him bean-o at every feeding and we added baclofen to his medications.
Aidan was on much higher doses of baclofen when he was in the hospital right after the accident. It helps with spastic muscles, and in low doses seems to help his stomach cramping and pain. We'll see how long the "calm" lasts this time. I'm hoping permanently, as far as the gas and cramping go. We're still having to deal with the GERD issues as well.
Aidan has an appointment with the GI doctor at the end of the month and I plan on asking him about doing a scope to see if there is any damage or ulcers because of the acid reflux that are also causing pain. We've put off doing the Nissen surgery for a year now, and I was hoping we would never have to do it, but I don't think we'll be able to hold off on it forever. The Nissen is like putting a band at the top of the stomach to restrict the acid from coming back up in the the esophagus. There are good things about it and bad things. The bad thing is that it doesn't "grow" with the child and can cause problems down the road. We'll just have to keep an eye on things and see how Aidan continues to do.
Other than that, not much else is going on with Aidan. He got some new AFO's that work so much better than his old ones. He can tolerate wearing them much, much longer which is so much more beneficial to him. School starts back the 2nd of September. Aidan really seems to enjoy school and being around other children and his teachers. They are all so good with him.
Some additional news... We found out last Tuesday that we're expecting another baby! That is why I was going to the doctor myself on Wed. This was a surprise to say the least, but we're happy if not a little shocked still. It's more and more evident to me that God has other plans in store for us and that I know nothing as far as planning my life. :) As terrified as I am at trying to take care of a newborn and Aidan with his needs and Evan getting into anything and everything, we'll find a way to make it work. It'll just be a circus at our house for a while.
Lastly, I'd like to thank Brett and Leslie for holding the August raffle for us. Brett does some amazing artwork. We hope that everyone who can will buy a ticket or two to help out and try to win some custom artwork. Thank you to those who have bought tickets already, we greatly appreciate your support!
Thanks again everyone! Night!
~Erin
This past Wednesday was Aidan's last day of pre-school for the summer. They had a little luau party for the kids and their families, but unfortunately, we didn't get to stay for it. I had an appointment that afternoon for myself, but our doctor wanted to go ahead and see Aidan since he was still having stomach issues and had been crying for several days again.
When I got him there his little tummy was just all gassed up and he was miserable. The pain comes and goes, so we have to try position changes and burp him through the g-tube. He finally settled down with me cuddling him in my lap. The doctor had me start giving him bean-o at every feeding and we added baclofen to his medications.
Aidan was on much higher doses of baclofen when he was in the hospital right after the accident. It helps with spastic muscles, and in low doses seems to help his stomach cramping and pain. We'll see how long the "calm" lasts this time. I'm hoping permanently, as far as the gas and cramping go. We're still having to deal with the GERD issues as well.
Aidan has an appointment with the GI doctor at the end of the month and I plan on asking him about doing a scope to see if there is any damage or ulcers because of the acid reflux that are also causing pain. We've put off doing the Nissen surgery for a year now, and I was hoping we would never have to do it, but I don't think we'll be able to hold off on it forever. The Nissen is like putting a band at the top of the stomach to restrict the acid from coming back up in the the esophagus. There are good things about it and bad things. The bad thing is that it doesn't "grow" with the child and can cause problems down the road. We'll just have to keep an eye on things and see how Aidan continues to do.
Other than that, not much else is going on with Aidan. He got some new AFO's that work so much better than his old ones. He can tolerate wearing them much, much longer which is so much more beneficial to him. School starts back the 2nd of September. Aidan really seems to enjoy school and being around other children and his teachers. They are all so good with him.
Some additional news... We found out last Tuesday that we're expecting another baby! That is why I was going to the doctor myself on Wed. This was a surprise to say the least, but we're happy if not a little shocked still. It's more and more evident to me that God has other plans in store for us and that I know nothing as far as planning my life. :) As terrified as I am at trying to take care of a newborn and Aidan with his needs and Evan getting into anything and everything, we'll find a way to make it work. It'll just be a circus at our house for a while.
Lastly, I'd like to thank Brett and Leslie for holding the August raffle for us. Brett does some amazing artwork. We hope that everyone who can will buy a ticket or two to help out and try to win some custom artwork. Thank you to those who have bought tickets already, we greatly appreciate your support!
Thanks again everyone! Night!
~Erin
Sunday, August 2, 2009
August Raffle: Art for Aidan
I just received an "official release" regarding the raffle I "teased" about last month. Here's the info!
Good Luck!
~Russell
Hey everyone. I am holding a raffle to benefit Aidan Wright. Aidan is a 3 year-old boy in North Carolina who was in a near-drowning accident days before his second birthday.Again, this family decided to do this out of the kindness of their heart. I offered to host it on my site as they are still working on getting an online presence setup that would allow them to have the cart setup on their end. I hope you will take the opportunity to enter for a chance to help us and to win some amazing one-of-a-kind artwork.
Aidan has suffered brain damage, and the Wright family has spent the past year caring for him day and night. They are so thankful to have their little guy alive, knowing that for a time he was not expected to survive. There are daily challenges and mounding medical costs, and they need help.
Please read more about Aidan at his blog, http://www.prayforaidan.com/. Scroll down the left side of the page and read “Aidan’s Story”, and chose any post to learn more about his daily life.
As the prize, I am offering commissioned art. I will work with the holder of the winning raffle ticket on a drawing of a subject of their choice. I work with any of the following materials: pencil, ink, charcoal, watercolor, design markers or conte crayon and will draw an image in a basic setting, or a portrait, up to 11”x14”, suitable for standard-sized framing.
Some general examples would be:Again, I will work with the raffle ticket holder to arrive at a final piece that will be treasured. You may see samples of my work at http://brettbarkley.deviantart.com/. And I will answer any questions you may have at contact@brettbarkley.com
- A drawing based on photos of your great-grandfather’s general store or your family farmhouse before it was torn down.
- An illustration of a baseball and glove with a favorite team logo for your son’s room.
- A portrait of a loved one, or beloved family pet.
- A drawing of your favorite superhero or character from film or television.
Raffle tickets are available through Paypal at $5 for one, $10 for three or $20 for seven. However, you may purchase as many tickets as you like.
I will be sent an email with your ticket numbers. The ticket numbers will be randomly generated and a winner will be drawn on August 31, and announced on September 1. ALL proceeds from the raffle will go directly to Aidan’s medical care. The art will be discussed with the winner, and delivered no later than December 31, 2009.
Purchasing raffle tickets is simple. Go to http://www.prayforaidan.com/, on the left you will see “Art for Aidan Raffle” and a drop-down menu. Chose your number of chances and click “Add to Cart.”
Please help little Aidan get the ongoing treatments he needs so he will someday be fully healed.
Good Luck!
~Russell
August 1 Update
First off, sorry for not posting any more than we did last month. Hopefully, I can cover all the bases of how things went for the rest of last month.
Aidan continued summer school through the rest of July, save a few incidents. Shortly after the last update was posted, we had to take him to urgent care to get checked out because he was getting really upset, especially at night. We found out he had another ear infection on top of a stomach bug that had been going around. So, he was dealing with ear infection symptoms on top of his stomach cramping in waves. We got the infection taken care of and he started to settle down for a while.
Over the last week or so, he had been crying incessantly. It seemed nothing would calm him down and he had a lot of gas. None of the medications we were giving seemed to help. Erin's mom then sent us information about one of the medications he recently started. Wouldn't you know it that abdominal issues were a side effect. We made the executive decision to cut out the medication and only give on an as needed basis. That on top of some other treatments seemed to get him calmed down. Now, he is sleeping through the night again and we are so glad for that!
I am still hoping to get Aidan fully qualified for G-Therapy. This week will likely be spent calling hospitals and doctor's offices to see if it will be cheaper to get the records myself or to have them sent to India. We also have videos to make and put together. I'm seriously considering doing some interview-style videos with his therapists and doctors so the doctor in India can get a more complete picture. I don't believe we will have to go to India to get this therapy; as I get more details I'll post them here. I also have the number for a new hyperbarics center and may call them this week since I will have a couple of days off during the week.
As for specific prayer requests, pray that Aidan continues to improve and that I can get things together to further pursue the G-Therapy. Yes, we still want to do Stem Cells, but I think that pursuit is going to take a back seat for now. Also, pray that we can find a house to rent that is the right price and has everything setup to meet our needs.
Thanks for reading!
~Russell
Aidan continued summer school through the rest of July, save a few incidents. Shortly after the last update was posted, we had to take him to urgent care to get checked out because he was getting really upset, especially at night. We found out he had another ear infection on top of a stomach bug that had been going around. So, he was dealing with ear infection symptoms on top of his stomach cramping in waves. We got the infection taken care of and he started to settle down for a while.
Over the last week or so, he had been crying incessantly. It seemed nothing would calm him down and he had a lot of gas. None of the medications we were giving seemed to help. Erin's mom then sent us information about one of the medications he recently started. Wouldn't you know it that abdominal issues were a side effect. We made the executive decision to cut out the medication and only give on an as needed basis. That on top of some other treatments seemed to get him calmed down. Now, he is sleeping through the night again and we are so glad for that!
I am still hoping to get Aidan fully qualified for G-Therapy. This week will likely be spent calling hospitals and doctor's offices to see if it will be cheaper to get the records myself or to have them sent to India. We also have videos to make and put together. I'm seriously considering doing some interview-style videos with his therapists and doctors so the doctor in India can get a more complete picture. I don't believe we will have to go to India to get this therapy; as I get more details I'll post them here. I also have the number for a new hyperbarics center and may call them this week since I will have a couple of days off during the week.
As for specific prayer requests, pray that Aidan continues to improve and that I can get things together to further pursue the G-Therapy. Yes, we still want to do Stem Cells, but I think that pursuit is going to take a back seat for now. Also, pray that we can find a house to rent that is the right price and has everything setup to meet our needs.
Thanks for reading!
~Russell
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