The brother was trapped in his own body. Only the eyes and the brain remained operational. [SISTER’S LETTER]

I am Mateusz’s sister. My brother is 33 years old. In the spring, his life so far simply disappeared. That day, when my brother came home from work every day, we ate ice cream together and joked about it. Then Mateusz went to his room. And I have never seen him like this again – writes Ola. For several months now, her brother has been struggling to return home, stay healthy and fit. In a letter to MedTvoiLokony, together with his mother, they described what happened a few months ago, what happened and is currently happening with Mateusz.

1. Nothing foreshadowed the drama. One evening, 33-year-old Mateusz suddenly began vomiting blood and lost consciousness. He was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke. The man’s mother and sister wrote to the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony in which they describe what happened
2. When he was awakened from the pharmacological coma, it turned out that he was completely paralyzed. “Only the eyes and the brain remained functional,” writes Sister Ola
3. Doctors said he was like a butterfly in a cocoon: his brain was functional, but his body was not obeying his commands. They said that they had done everything they could and that there was no help for the brother ”- describes the sister
4. Neither Mateusz nor his family gave up. “After a while he was able to move his hand, shake hands, smile at the sight of his family”, writes the sister
5. In order for Mateusz to recover, constant care by a physiotherapist is necessary. In addition, there are medicines, medical equipment and dressings. «The costs of recovering from a stroke are enormous» writes Ms Ola. You can help Mateusz by supporting a fundraiser for his treatment
6. More important information can be found on the Onet homepage.

When the rescuers looked at my brother’s eyes, they knew

My brother unexpectedly began to vomit blood, and a few moments later he fell to the floor and passed out.

– Around midnight, the phone woke me up, Ola called. The daughter screamed that she had no contact with Mateusz. I live next door, in a neighboring cage. I ran immediately and called an ambulance – remembers my mother. – A moment later, the rescuers were there. At first they thought that Mateusz had taken something, some drugs or legal highs, but when they looked at his eyes, they already knew – these were neurological complications.

The diagnosis was like a sentence: ischemic stroke. “When I saw him in this room, covered in blood, I thought it might be ulcers or high blood pressure. It would never occur to me that it could be a stroke – admits mom.

Mateusz was taken to hospital in Olkusz. There, he underwent a blood transfusion and a decision was made to transport him immediately to the University Hospital in Krakow. My brother was admitted to the neurological ward, where he underwent thrombectomy (a thrombus was removed from a closed arterial vessel). Then he was put into a pharmacological coma. He stayed in this state for three weeks.

1. Pharmacological coma – what is it? How is a patient put into a pharmacological coma? [WE EXPLAIN]

We were with him every day. – I was 19 when I gave birth to him – smiles my mother. – This is my first child. Then I had three more sons and two daughters: Marta and Ola. When my husband died 15 years ago, Mateusz took over the role of the head of the family. He couldn’t refuse when someone asked for help.

Trapped in my own body. Only the eyes and the brain were functional

My brother was sick before. He underwent surgery twice for peptic ulcer disease. The occasional vomiting did not cause him to worry, I did not even mention going to the doctor. He thought: I’m young, I have a job to do, and there is no point in feeling sorry for myself; I’ll take some pain medication and it will pass.

Photo Private archive

Mateusz worked in the production of car parts. – Maybe there were some carcinogens? Mother wonders. The brother also had personal problems. He recently broke up with his girlfriend. The day before the accident was very intense for him, as usual. I remember that Mateusz dreamed of resting and going to bed. Meanwhile, he woke up on a hospital bed. It turned out to be completely paralyzed.

He couldn’t say: I’m hungry, my throat hurts, give me a drink. He just stared. I could see he was scared – he remembered exactly what had happened. He felt trapped in his own body. There was no muscle in his body. Only the eyes and the brain remained functional. The brother saw, heard and understood what was said to him, but was unable to communicate with us. It lay like a log.

Doctors said he was like a butterfly in a cocoon: his brain was functional, but his body was not obeying his commands. And then they added that they had done everything they could and that there was no rescue for the brother. Mateusz cried when he heard it all. We, however, could not give up. We believed that he would recover. We talked to him, talked about what was going on at home, with friends, at work. And he listened carefully, being aware of what was happening around him. And finally a miracle happened.

Mateusz wants to go home very much, but there is a condition

After some time, Mateusz was able to move his hand, shake hands, smile at the sight of his family. We were offered a stay in a rehabilitation center, because the hospital is not a “storage room”. Unfortunately, there is no place in the reimbursed ones, and in private ones it costs around 20. PLN per month. In addition, Mateusz breathes through the tracheotomy tube. Were it not for her, it would have been easier to find a place for him or take him home, even if only now.

1. Tracheotomy – what is it? Indications and complications

Doctors saved Mateusz’s life. However, he has painstaking and hard work ahead of him. He has to do it so that he can continue to live and that this life has a satisfactory quality.

When, after my father’s death, my mother was left alone with the six of us, she was strongly supported by her grandmother and Mateusz. Today it is he who needs support. He wants to go home very much, but before that he has to learn to breathe on his own. “As soon as that happens, I’ll take him,” says mom. – He’ll have his room. A bed with an anti-bedsore mattress, everything you need – she adds with power in her voice.

Photo Private archive

Muscle paralysis occurs during a stroke. Not only in the legs or arms, but also in the esophagus. This means that even drinking water can cause choking, and this can even result in death. Food intake is all the more difficult. Fortunately, Mateusz has the will to fight. He even learns to eat with a pipe. He likes chocolate and is able to eat one cube on his own.

Currently, the brother is staying at the Polish Center for Functional Rehabilitation in Krakow. He undergoes rehabilitation for six hours every day. He has classes with a psychologist and a speech therapist. He also got a special alphabet. Thanks to it, he arranges simple sentences. – The last time I visited him, showing the letters, he said: I want cheese – says mom.

Like Mateusz, we do not give up

The treatment works. Mateusz is able to move from bed to a wheelchair, he slowly gets up, takes his first steps, tries to talk, eat. Unfortunately, staying at the resort is expensive. The 26-day stay costs 20. zlotys. This is beyond our family’s financial capacity. The more that one stay is not enough. In order to recover, constant care of a physiotherapist is needed. In addition, there are medicines, medical equipment and dressings. The costs of recovering from a stroke are enormous.

But we do not give up, we do everything to ensure Mateusz’s continuity of rehabilitation. – I am in contact with the County Family Support Center, I will apply for my son’s pension. I also have a promise from the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons that they will subsidize two weeks of rehabilitation – says mom.

Mateusz also does not give up. He puts great effort into classes with physiotherapists in order to be able to recover as soon as possible. There is still a long way to go to full efficiency. Hours of arduous exercises, a speech therapist and a psychologist await him. Money is needed for all of this.

1. What is rehabilitation after a stroke?

«He is a really good boy. And it deserves help »

Mateusz’s friends and acquaintances came to the rescue. A group was set up on Facebook: Auctions for Mateusz Stano from Olkusz. You can also help Mateusz, the details at the meeting are helping.

We collect funds primarily for rehabilitation, personal hygiene products and medicines. We hope that there will be rehabilitation opportunities under the National Health Fund or – thanks to the contributions – it will be possible to place the brother in a specialized center or at home, under the care of specialists. Meanwhile, we rejoice in every progress made by Matthew. A new movement, an attempt to pronounce a word, each new skill – are accepted with gratitude and joy, especially since everyone knows how much effort the brother puts into the daily fight against the disease.

I would love to take him home. I can carry him anywhere in a wheelchair, as long as he doesn’t feel lonely. Mateusz gets a lot of support during his illness. This makes the fight for health and fitness meaningful. The strength of his character also makes itself felt. In his situation, it is easy to break down, get depressed and lose interest in life.

I hope that my brother will get back on his feet quickly, because he was always very independent and never expected any help from anyone. It was he who helped others. He is just a good person and I deserve your help. – In the evening, when I close my eyes, I recall his image. Then I fall asleep peacefully – says our mother.

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