Oct. 22, 2009
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Kyle Kinnick Roseman, who turned three on Oct. 22, has been through a lot in his young life. Kyle was born in Davenport but was almost immediately air-lifted to UI Children’s Hospital because of a severe brain injury suffered at birth. Kyle was unresponsive and having continuous seizures.
After three days with no improvement, Kyle’s parents, Brian and Heather, were told that it was unlikely he would survive. They made the heart-wrenching decision to take him off the ventilator. His father, Brian, remembers that after they were discharged and admitted to hospice, “Kyle opened his eyes and showed his first signs of being a fighter.”
Kyle has a rare copper disorder and mitochondrial disease, a progressive genetic disorder that affects every cell, and therefore every organ, in his body. Because of numerous complications due to this disease, Kyle is seen by specialists in eight departments at UI Children’s Hospital.
Kyle has been admitted to the hospital many times because the minor illnesses of childhood can be life-threatening for him. In addition, Kyle was born with cataracts and is deaf. He had surgery to remove the cataracts and contact lenses allow him to see nearby people and objects. A cochlear implant allows him to hear sounds. He is also unable to swallow, so he gets his nutrition through a feeding tube.
In spite of all this, his father notes, “We know that each time Kyle becomes ill, he will be cared for by an excellent team of doctors and nurses. We have had many positive experiences at UI Children’s Hospital and are very grateful for the excellent care Kyle receives each time he is admitted.”
The Rosemans, together with five-year-old twins Ben and Katie, have done their best to care for Kyle at home.
The Roseman family feels “blessed to have such a great facility so close to home.” Notes Brian, “It is a top-notch medical facility. Kyle receives incredible care each and every time he goes there, whether it is as an inpatient or just a clinic visit. We have received wonderful care in each and every clinic we’ve gone to.”
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“We know that each time Kyle becomes ill, he will be cared for by an excellent team of doctors and nurses. We have had many positive experiences at UI Children’s Hospital and are very grateful for the excellent care Kyle receives each time he is admitted.”
Brian Roseman, father of Kid Captain Kyle Roseman
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A few days after Kyle was born, Brian carried his newborn son to the window overlooking Kinnick Stadium to watch the Iowa vs. Northern Illinois game. “I remember thinking at that time that this will probably be the closest I would ever get to watching a game at Kinnick stadium with him.”
Kyle’s physical limitations make it difficult for him to attend a game at the famed stadium, but “it is such an honor for Kyle to be selected as a Kid Captain,” says Brian. “Like his namesake, Nile Kinnick, Kyle is a true champion, fighter, and our little hero.”