Our News 2012

 

Christmas 2012

My Christmas review of 2012 this year fills me with feelings of great happiness and also deep sadness.

We stated off 2012 knowing that Sam would be bringing a new baby into the family, and that her partner Luke faced a long tour of duty in Afghanistan. His regiment flew out on Valentine ’s Day, and were quickly deployed to Helmand Province. Sam started to experience pains and problems with her pregnancy on the 1st March, and was admitted to Barnsley Hospital. Then In the early hours of the 2nd March she was diagnosed with severe Pre-eclampsia and due to the tiny size of her baby was transferred to a specialist unit in Arrow Park Hospital, the Wirral Women and Baby Unit. Ryleigh was born on the 5th March three months early, and she weighed just 1lb 2oz. 


She will always be our little angel; she arrived too soon and left us too soon. Ryleigh Paige Wilkinson 05/03/12 – 12/04/12

 
Shocking news came just the next day on the 6th March when we heard that a Warrior Armoured Patrol Vehicle had been blown up by an improvised explosive device: it was Luke’s patrol. We soon learned that Luke as ok, as he was in the vehicle behind the one hit, but he lost 6 of his friends and colleagues.

After making good progress initially, Ryleigh started having problems on the 21st March and after contacting Luke’s Family liaison Luke was rushed to the Hospital in Wirral from Afghanistan on the 22nd March. Sam and Luke registered her birth on the 26th March but then on the 2nd April her condition required an emergency operation and she was transferred to Alder Hay
Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. 10 days later on the
 12th April she passed away.  

Luke was granted leave to stay for her funeral and also that of his close friend Anthony Frampton in Huddersfield – one of the six soldiers killed in the attack. He returned to duty in Afghanistan in Mid-May until early September. Thankfully he is now home and safe again. Sam returned to work in September after a few months of leave during which time she re-decorated their home as a surprise for Luke when he got home. Sam and Luke have recently surprised us with more news however as Sam is expecting again now, and the baby is due in July 2013.

 

Gary continues to progress in his career with Aldi and has now moved to a larger new Store in Handsworth Sheffield.

Claire has now got a new Car and they have enjoyed several short breaks and festivals this year. They are now planning a holiday in Dubai in January where Claire’s dad works.


Theo is starting to show his age (he was 10 in September) and like many dogs of that age has really slowed down and become less active, but he and I both still enjoy our walks in the local Wombwell woods as well as sitting out in the garden enjoying the fresh air on a dry sunny day.

My Dad has remained healthy and well all year – his blood pressure is now under control and he has not had any re-occurrence of the problems with his gallbladder - a big improvement on how he was in 2011. He has now got back all his independence and while he is not up for long distance traveling is back to normal going into town and doing his shopping on his own again. 

Adele has been a great support to me this year, and a feel so lucky to have her by my side. Our plans to do work on the house in the spring were delayed due to everything else that was going on, but in July we finally got the new conservatory built and the kitchen refitted in September. The work has completely transformed the house into an open plan modem living space. We also kept to our plans to return to the Isle of Wight for a further week in September, and had a wonderful and relaxing time. 


Our year then has been an extremely busy one, one way or another, and work has been no different, with other managers on long term sick and leaving I’ve found myself not only doing my job but also providing support and cover for other areas too. So the Christmas and New Year break this year is something I am really looking forward to.

 

We hope you too have a very Merry Christmas and happy 2013

 

Keith, Adele and Theo.

Location: Barnsley, UK

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