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September 26, 1989 - At the age of 18, and having just started his
senior year in high school, Kyle is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. After
being staged a 2A, Kyle begins six months of radiation therapy on his neck,
chest, and abdomen.
February, 1990 - Radiation ends and Kyle is in remission.
June, 1991 - Just days after completing his freshman year of college
Kyle is re-diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. With radiation having failed
doctors prescribe a course of chemotherapy involving seven drugs. They are:
Mustargen (Nitrogen Mustard), Oncovin
(Vincristine), Procarbazine,
Prednisone, Adriamycin, Bleomycin,
Vinblastine.
October, 1991 - Kyle develops an allergic reaction to bleomycin that shuts down his lungs and nearly kills
him. He is left with permanent scars inside his lungs that to this day
compromise his breathing.
December, 1991 - Just in time for Christmas doctors determine that
it is too risky to continue treatment. Kyle's chemotherapy is stopped after
six month-long cycles. He is again officially in remission.
November, 1994 - After nearly three full years of living cancer free
Kyle is re-diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Doctor's allow him to finish
the semester and spend Christmas with his family before beginning
treatment.
January, 1995 - Kyle begins a four cycle protocol at City of Hope that involves
intense chemotherapy followed by a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant.
April, 1995 - Kyle's transplant is unexpectedly stopped after three
cycles when an echocardiogram reveals severe damage to his heart. Kyle is
diagnosed with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy, a weakening and hardening of the heart
muscle.
June, 1995 - Kyle undergoes three more weeks of radiation to his
neck - the location his Hodgkin's disease has recurred each time. He
finishes the treatment back in remission.
July 23, 1997 - Kyle is diagnosed with acute lymphocytic
leukemia (ALL), a secondary cancer caused most likely by the drug VP-16, the introductory chemotherapy taken prior to his stem
cell transplant in January of '95. Kyle begins induction chemotherapy, an
intense course of treatment designed to attain a quick remission.
September, 1997 - First remission is achieved, and Kyle's
consolidation chemotherapy begins. Consolidation chemotherapy is a concentrated
course of treatment designed to lower the often high rate of relapse.
July, 1998 - Consolidation chemotherapy ends successfully, with Kyle
still holding his remission. He now begins two years of maintenance
chemotherapy.
June, 2000 - After having been diagnosed with avascular
necrosis, a side-effect of years of high-dosage prednisone, Kyle has a
total joint replacement of his right hip.
July 23, 2000 - Stretching his supply of pills out by four days,
Kyle takes his final maintenance chemotherapy on the third anniversary of
his leukemia diagnosis.
December, 2000 - Avascular necrosis and
prednisone strike again, and Kyle has a total joint replacement of his left
shoulder.
June, 2001 - After a complete workup at UCLA medical center Kyle is
placed on the heart transplant waiting list.
October, 2001 - An electrical blockage stops Kyle's heart from
beating on its own, and a pacemaker is implanted.
August, 2003 - Further electrical failures require Kyle to be
outfitted with a pacemaker and defibrillator.
March, 2005 - His pacer/defibrillator is recalled by the
manufacturer, and surgery is required to replace the device.
October 10, 2006 - At 3:45 pm Kyle gets the call from UCLA that a
donor heart has finally been found.
At 10:30pm, witnessed by family and friends waiting at the hospital
(but with Kyle asleep on the operating table), the donor heart arrives. By 1:30am the transplant is finished
and Kyle has been moved to the ICU.
October 17, 2006 - Nearly seven days to the hour after he
arrived, Kyle leaves UCLA
Medical Center
with his new heart, and a new lease on life.
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