Friday, July 6, 2012
Four-year-old Kylie Arnold succumbed to brain cancer in February, but in her short life, she inspired many. This is the last of a five-part series on her life, death and legacy.
Part one of this story is here. Part two is here. Part three is here. Part four is here. Kylie Elizabeth Arnold died at 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, February 26. At around 2:30 a.m., her parents called the funeral home and started to get ready for their arrival. Dustin Arnold and Nicole Anderson changed their daughter into comfortable pajamas, and covered her up. At 3:15 a.m., the funeral home arrived to take the body. “I told myself it wasn’t those people taking her, she was already home,” Dustin said, wiping away tears. “I couldn’t stand the fact that she had to go somewhere without me. But she was already gone, with the Lord.” The next week was a blur, Dustin and Nicole said. They had to do all the things you’d never expect to do as the parent…
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Four-year-old Kylie Arnold succumbed to brain cancer in February of this year, but in her short life, she touched many. This is the fourth in a series about her life, death and legacy.
Part one of this story is here. Part two is here. Part three is here. On Friday, February 24, Dustin Arnold and Nicole Anderson made the most difficult decision of their lives. Kylie’s last weeks were painful, yet peaceful. Dustin decided not to return to work, and the family took a trip to Key Lime Cove in Gurnee. Kylie’s facial paralysis had progressed to the point where Dustin and Nicole had to help her drink through a straw. And her ability to speak kept deteriorating. “She was such an independent child, and this was so frustrating for her,” Nicole said. “We would do our best to hear what she had to say, but even us, we couldn’t decipher it always. She talked in hand signs. But when she couldn’t talk properly, she gave up.” Dustin …
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Four-year-old Kylie Arnold succumbed to brain cancer in February, but in her short life, she inspired many. This is part three in our series on her life, death and legacy.
Part one of this story is here. Part two is here. “The hardest part with Kylie was that there were so many moments when we’d let our guard down, and breathe a sigh of relief,” Dr. Natalie said. “And then we’d be sucker-punched from the other direction.” For the next few months, that’s how things went. Kylie and her family enjoyed the circus on Halloween, and then seven days later she was in surgery for the second time. And two or three weeks later, she was laughing and playing with her brother and friends again. “Brain surgery is freaky and scary when you’re approaching it, but she bounced back,” Dustin said. “She proved how amazing and awesome she is by bouncing back so quickly.” Still, the long treatment process had taken its toll. Kylie…
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Four-year-old Kylie Arnold succumbed to brain cancer in February, but in her short life, she inspired many. This is part two of our series about her life, death and legacy.
Part one of this story is here. “I knew right off the bat that it was bad,” Dr. Natalie said. The technical term for the mass inside Kylie’s brain is a Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor, but doctors sometimes refer to them as “peanut” tumors. They’re very aggressive, Dr. Natalie said, and very difficult to remove. Kylie was scheduled for brain surgery at Children’s Memorial the very next day. When they arrived at the hospital, doctors performed an MRI, and discovered that the cancer had already spread to Kylie’s spine. Dustin remembers the moment clearly. He asked the doctor what kind of cancer his daughter had, and the doctor replied, “The worst kind.” “I was crushed,” Dustin said. “I squeezed Mom’s hand real tight, crying, not knowing what…
Monday, July 2, 2012
Four-year-old Kylie Arnold succumbed to brain cancer in February, but in her short life, she inspired many. This is the first of a five-part series on her life, death and legacy.
The calendar reads April of 2012, but inside this Montgomery home, time has stopped. Dustin Arnold and Nicole Anderson are sitting together on the couch in their main room. They’re tired, and they’re each relying on the other to be strong. Around them, on walls and bookshelves, the smiling face of their daughter, Kylie, peers out from photo frames. They’re memories of happier days, frozen in time. The story they’re telling is not an easy one, and it’s marked by tears. While Nicole is talking, Dustin will reach out and grab her hand, or offer her a supportive squeeze on the arm. It’s only been a couple of weeks, after all, and they’re not used to talking about it. On March 2, Dustin and Nicole did something no parents should ever have to – …
Anonymous
8:51 am on Friday, July 6, 2012
Such a beautifully written story of a heartbreaking tragedy! Although Kylie's family has an angel up in heaven to watch over them now, your story has generated at least one more prayer from me to ask for help from Above for strength and healing for Kylie's family, to overcome the grief and only remember the wonderful memories! more ›