Help make Mathews garden accessible after Sepsis

Help me make Mathews garden more accessible for him to enjoy with his family following sepsis tragedy.

I am setting up this go fund me for a close friend of mine who’s Husband Mathew had started creating a play area for his 3 year old Daughter before suddenly falling critically ill. Mathew had so many plans for the garden which he had already started but unfortunately now will be unable to complete.

Mathew, originally from Carmarthen, Wales is a 34 year old father to Evie and husband to Rachael. He is self employed running his own engineering consultancy. He has always been fit and healthy with no health conditions and no visits to the doctor. He is very hard working and had so many plans to build a dream garden and play area to enjoy with his family and friends. He had planned to do this work mainly on his own with help from family and had already started on the play area for his daughter. Unfortunately Mathew has now been in hospital for over 8 weeks and many more weeks/months of therapy ahead of him after becoming critically ill from strep A which resulted in pneumonia and severe septic shock. Mathew required various life saving treatments and suffered multiple organ failure. As a result of the sepsis and life saving treatments, blood flow to his feet was lost which resulted in both feet blackening and dying. He has since had an operation to remove both his legs below the knee. Mathew is very positive about the future and thankful to be alive thanks to the incredible team at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Unfortunately as he is self employed he will be unable to work for a considerable amount of time and his family are having to use the savings that had been put aside for the garden to now pay for the mortgage and bills until Mathew is well enough to return to work. Without support Mathew will be unable to access the garden and enjoy seeing his 3 year old daughter play and grow.

Story-

Mathew was suffering flu like symptoms and a cough for 4 days, he had a high temperature which was reduced with paracetamol which falsely led them to believe he was ok. On the morning of 29/03 mathew woke and started showing signs of confusion and his wife Rachael called an ambulance. It was clear when the paramedics arrived and started the observations that something was wrong. Mathew was grey in colour, shivering and soaked in sweat. Mathew was taken to ARI and less than 3 hours later Rachael was informed Mathew had pneumonia in his right lung and had been put into an induced coma as he was no longer able to support breathing on his own.

When Rachael arrived to ICU she was told Mathew was critically ill with sepsis and pneumonia in his right lung, they later found out after tests that this was caused by Strep A. Mathew was on a ventilator and was placed onto his front to open up his lungs as he had deteriorated rapidly. Mathew parents and sister were informed and started travelling up from Carmarthen, Wales to be by his side.

That evening Rachael received a call from ICU to say there had been no improvement and as a last resort they may have to use a machine called an ECMO which is a form of life support that provides cardiac and respiratory support by oxygenating the blood outside of the body. In what felt like just minutes, they had called Rachael back to say Mathew was now being taken away for surgery to insert the ECMO tubes.

The following day Mathews family arrived and they were all advised Mathew was now worse than critical, the staff at ARI were doing their best but there was a chance he may not survive. Seeing Mathew in a singular room with so much equipment and machinery keeping him alive was extremely traumatic for the family.

Midnight approached and the doctor came to inform them that Mathews blood pressure was dangerously low and their only option was to add another line to the ECMO in the hope this would increase his blood pressure. The doctor was painfully honest and told them that if the treatment did not work there was no other options left. Medical staff advised he was the sickest person they had seen in ICU for many years. His family sat in absolute silence and disbelief the whole time while Mathew was having yet another procedure to save his life. Thankfully at 4am they were informed the treatment was a success. Mathew had already suffered multiple organ failure, his body not only required the Ecmo, the third line to bring up his blood pressure, he now also required dialysis at all times as his kidneys no longer worked. He was on a ventilator and sedated as his lungs had filled with fluid.

Rachael and Family were still trying to come to terms with this devastating time while all taking turns to visit Mathew daily. All while also looking after their 3 year old Daughter Evie, who was very confused and upset to why she hadn’t seen her daddy.

A doctor later told them further devastating news that sadly the blood supply to Mathews feet was no longer. They explained that when the body is this unwell the blood will direct itself to vital organs like the heart and lungs, in and attempt to stay alive. This can ultimately lead to the further away extremities no longer getting adequate blood flow. In this case Mathews feet had not received blood flow for a prolonged period which resulted in the tissues and blood supply dying. As a result mathew will require surgery to amputate both legs below the knee. He was too unwell at the time for the surgery and it may be several weeks before they are able to do this.

Over several weeks Mathew improved coming off ECMO, sedation and ventilation, only now requiring oxygen during the night. His kidneys are now functioning and no longer on dialysis. He has battled several infections which have knocked him back but continues to fight and surprise everyone with his positive attitude and humour.

Mathew has also developed a rare heart condition as a result of the severe sepsis which caused his heart to develop rapid calcification. He is classed as having heart failure with 34% functioning and on medication to support this. As the condition is so rare there is little known about this but it is hoped that as he is young, he will continue to improve and manage the condition.

Mathew is keen to get home to be with his family and spend precious time with his daughter Evie. Mathew was too unwell to see Evie for 7 weeks and has only started seeing her the past 2 week’s following surgery to remove his feet. Recovery will be slow as he is recovering from critical illness which has left him extremely weak and fatigued easily. Mathew is looking forward to the next stage of recovery and thankful to be alive and see his daughter grow.

He is an inspiration and I would love to make his garden accessible by providing pathways and a seating area, resurface the uneven ground and if I can raise enough to make it possible to also finish the work he had planned I would be thrilled. My goal is for them to enjoy family life outside of their home in a safe space and give him independence outside with Evie. Something we all take for granted.

All donations, big or small will be forever appreciated