Kyle G's Parents/Guardians

Simon

Kyle G's Siblings

Lydia 20/06/2006 Likes dressing up, make up, princesses, reading, painting and colouring.

Kyle G's Interests

Likes superheroes, fancy dress, wrestling, Stoke City, Lego, Star Wars especially Darth Vader, Tom and Jerry, craft, reading, tractors, farms, theme park rides and eating out.

Kyle G's Favourite Colour

Blue

Is Kyle G able to read?

Yes

Is Kyle G able to use hands?

Yes

Is Kyle G visually/hearing impaired?

No

Does Kyle G suffer from any developmental delay?

No

Story written 2011

It was November 2010 and Kyle was coming home from school covered in bruises, tired and not wanting to go to school (he had previously loved school with his twin sister). We didn’t know what to think but as true protective parents we immediately started on the offensive and went on a hunt for a bully that was obviously picking on him.

Of course the bully didn’t exist and at the beginning of December our local GP, one of many medical heroes we have met along the way, sent Kyle immediately to Birmingham Children’s Hospital following a hastily arranged blood test. Within a couple of days we were sitting in a small private room receiving, in all our lives, the worst possible news that Kyle was to receive 3 years of treatment, during which time he may not survive, he may not get better, but he was definitely going to have many ups and downs in a rollercoaster of a treatment plan. However thanks to some amazing leaps forward in treatment since my nana died of leukaemia in the 1950’s the odds for success are very good.

We have discovered that Kyle is brave, high spirited and very comical, and he has kept our family sane throughout the first 6 months of treatment so far. His twin sister has also found great confidence and coped exceptionally well with being split from her brother and mum for the first time since they were born and has been very caring and understanding when he has been very ill from the treatment.

August has seen the start of his second bout of intensive chemotherapy, with the steroids course he is taking causing the most insatiable appetite. This weekend he has (amongst other meals and takeaways) devoured over 60 tinned hot dog sausages and 10 family bags of microwave mash (we sound like bad parents but trust me when I say when a child is on steroids he knows what he wants and woe betide anyone try to suggest anything else). Of course, Kyle and Lydia are on their summer holidays, with Lydia desperate to go somewhere but most days Kyle just can’t rouse the energy, so they are both a little frustrated. Again though, Lydia has been understanding and started to paint and paint and paint, with Kyle picking up a paintbrush, doing a few strokes, and then retiring to a chair to watch his sisters art work flourish and be glad she is there with him.

We’ve had loads of parties for school friends birthdays this month too and so far we have made all of them and it has been good to see them both mixing with their school friends after such a stop start year with school last year. I bought tickets to Wrestling in Manchester at the end of January but we were not able to make it as Kyle had been in hospital in the day and although he came out he was not quite up to a long night of it. I was a little optimistic to think we would make a late night so we will be sticking to local wrestling for now, no Hulk Hogan appearances but at least its great fun and less traveling and earlier nights.

Kyle and Lydia have had some lovely letters this month including some letter packs from schools and they have enjoyed hearing about other childrens hobbies, lives and religions, and I have learnt a lot too.

Update 11th January 2012

For the family, the one week of steroids each month remain the hardest part. Kyle becomes an emotional eating machine and Lydia finds it difficult to understand the changes in him. This was not helped when the fridge freezer broke in steroid week just after Christmas - we are set back up now and thanks to some helpful neighbours we could still have his frozen meals on demand in the interim.

The best part of the month was of course Christmas and Kyle and Lydia have enjoyed a lot of cards and letters from all over the UK, USA, even ones from the Netherlands and a lovely card for Lydia from Tokyo! They also received updates from the reindeers, Dottie the Dalmatian and presents from Santas Elves. I saved up the gifts for the big day and Christmas morning was doubled with the extra gifts. They loved every single one and are still enjoying the great presents - I really enjoyed making a plaster Ben 10 with Kyle painting him very well. Lydia loves her new Barbie and she now spends ages searching for videos of her on youtube!

The month and the year didn't end quite as high with the broken fridge freezer and two nights in the hospital on the antibiotics following Boxing Day to control his spiked temperature - it had been a while since a hospital stay and needless to say he was anxious to have the cannula removed.

They are back at school again now and we all continue to help Kyle catch up with the missed days at school, which probably would not seem as bad if his twin sister wasn't so far ahead of him, but she tries her best to help him too.

Thanks to all Kyle and Lydia's Post Pal friends for making this Christmas so much more enjoyable than diagnosis Christmas last year. We hope our (and everyone else's) 2012 is a good year.

Update 3rd November 2011

Kyle and Lydia remain fascinated with hearing about where the letters and gifts are from and hearing everyone’s stories and seeing some really nice scenery photos.  They also received one of Dottie the Dalmatians soft toy brothers who Kyle has named Fluffy Darth Vader and we have been following Dottie's adventure in Lanzarote and the adventures of his other brothers and sisters, which we have received regular updates about. Kyle has received a Darth Vader costume and he wears it before and after school, we struggle to get him out of it and I have been on the receiving end of Darth Vader’s 'force' many times this month! Thanks also for Kyle and Lydia’s new pillow cases which they absolutely adore.

School is still going very well and Lydia continues to support Kyle in catching up after missing big chunks of Reception year and her support really encourages him to do well. They had a great half term at the end of October meeting up with their old nursery pals and relatives. We took them to Drayton Manor Park at the end of the week and they watched an amazing fireworks display after riding the new Ben 10 ride in the dark, a great day but all too much for Kyle as he fell asleep half way through the fireworks!! With all the music and bangs I was amazed that he managed to fall asleep at all.

Update 2nd October 2011

Kyle and Lydia have received some fantastic letters, cards, emails and gifts this month, which has meant Kyle has had plenty to do to keep him occupied on his boring days in the hospital. Kyle has also had great fun sticking glow in the dark space scenery on his wall and enjoys looking at them before going to bed. Lydia loves all the letters she receives and every weekend she wears the bracelets and necklaces that have been made for her. They both enjoy sitting listening to the lovely words people send and what is going on in other people’s lives, they are keen to hear where people live and were most excited when we received a card from Nashville in the USA!!

Also, this month has been back to school for Kyle and Lydia and they have settled in to Year 1 well. Kyle has only missed a couple of days with treatment which has pleased him to spend more time with friends. Both of their reading is going well and I am encouraging them to use their phonics to read bits of the cards and letters they are getting. They have never coloured in and played with craft as much since joining Post Pals and they are becoming very creative with it all.

Update 30th August 2011

The second half of August has been a real mixed bag. Kyle has finished his current course of steroids and his diet has crashed from 30 hot dog sausages and mash to match to almost nothing. He spent a few days in hospital on antibiotics to get him through a bad cold and of course the intensive chemo continues with day trips to the hospital and the district nurses coming out most days to put it through his central line. 

It sounds doom and gloom but beside all of that he has kept very high spirits, thanks in the main to sharing all of this with his sister as she is usually at school whilst he has gone through it all. They have supported each other and have made the most of any day trips that don't involve a hospital. 

Kyle and Lydia are new to Post Pals but have had their spirits lifted by receiving some lovely letters and cards and they have enjoyed hearing about other peoples lives and hobbies. He particularly enjoyed colouring in some Darth Vader pictures he received!