Matthew’s Journey

Matthew was only 11 months old when his Mom noticed his skull hadn’t formed completely around his left eye. Allowing a big crack from the corner of his eye to his temporal area of his head to be very soft. After a referral to Dr. Kosnik from his PCP, Matthew was quickly scheduled for surgery. It would be his first of 3 to reconstruct his absent sphenoid bone from behind his left eye. As many of his patients did, we learned to love and appreciate Dr. Kosnik. After Dr. Kosnik’s retirement, Matthew was referred from Dr. Grondin and eventually Dr. Leonard. An incidental conversation with Renee Carpenter Wells NCP, outside of Children’s & before we were connected with Dr.Leonard, turned out to be a huge blessing and probably saved Matthew’s life. As the routine MRI to monitor a benign lesion behind his left eye and the dysplasic sphenoid bone revealed a tumor in his Corpus Callosum. Matthew would need a 4th craniotomy. On 10/19/2015 we celebrated Matthew last presurgery meal at Dave n Busters and the following day Matthew underwent a 4.5 hr surgery to resect a grade 1 tumor. He made a full recovery. A follow up MRI on February 28th, 2016 would reveal the cancerous tumor made a huge comeback and would require another tedious surgery. With Matthew condition, radiation treatment will only make his tumor worse and chemotherapy has very little effect, plus Matthew is a very small 12yr old. The slim chance of benefit did not seem significant to put him through 18 months of treatments. We again celebrated Matthew’s last presurgery dinner at Dave n Busters on 3/8/2016 and Matthew had an 11.5 hr surgery and MRI on the 9th of March. Although the possibility for memory loss was significant, Matthew has very little loss! Within the next few weeks Matthew will start back to school and life will once again take on a new normal.

Matthew has a lot of challenges still ahead but he is surrounded by loved ones. Home, school and even his community supports him. “He’s just a likeable kid, you feel better just from talking and being around him.”, says his Principal. Sixth graders send notes and cards telling him “The 6th grade world is not the same without you here” one 6th grader even offers to carry Matthews belongings to the following classes they share!

We are thankful for a close to home Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Although Matthew’s journey is far from over, we hopefully can put cancer behind us.

https://flutter.nationwidechildrens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/9562-58_mr.jpg
  • Name: Matthew J.Matthew J
  • Condition(s): Plexiform Neurofibroma
  • Age at Treatment: 11 months
  • Age Today: 09/17/200320 Years

Matthew was only 11 months old when his Mom noticed his skull hadn’t formed completely around his left eye. Allowing a big crack from the corner of his eye to his temporal area of his head to be very soft. After a referral to Dr. Kosnik from his PCP, Matthew was quickly scheduled for surgery. It would be his first of 3 to reconstruct his absent sphenoid bone from behind his left eye. As many of his patients did, we learned to love and appreciate Dr. Kosnik. After Dr. Kosnik’s retirement, Matthew was referred from Dr. Grondin and eventually Dr. Leonard. An incidental conversation with Renee Carpenter Wells NCP, outside of Children’s & before we were connected with Dr.Leonard, turned out to be a huge blessing and probably saved Matthew’s life. As the routine MRI to monitor a benign lesion behind his left eye and the dysplasic sphenoid bone revealed a tumor in his Corpus Callosum. Matthew would need a 4th craniotomy. On 10/19/2015 we celebrated Matthew last presurgery meal at Dave n Busters and the following day Matthew underwent a 4.5 hr surgery to resect a grade 1 tumor. He made a full recovery. A follow up MRI on February 28th, 2016 would reveal the cancerous tumor made a huge comeback and would require another tedious surgery. With Matthew condition, radiation treatment will only make his tumor worse and chemotherapy has very little effect, plus Matthew is a very small 12yr old. The slim chance of benefit did not seem significant to put him through 18 months of treatments. We again celebrated Matthew’s last presurgery dinner at Dave n Busters on 3/8/2016 and Matthew had an 11.5 hr surgery and MRI on the 9th of March. Although the possibility for memory loss was significant, Matthew has very little loss! Within the next few weeks Matthew will start back to school and life will once again take on a new normal.

Matthew has a lot of challenges still ahead but he is surrounded by loved ones. Home, school and even his community supports him. “He’s just a likeable kid, you feel better just from talking and being around him.”, says his Principal. Sixth graders send notes and cards telling him “The 6th grade world is not the same without you here” one 6th grader even offers to carry Matthews belongings to the following classes they share!

We are thankful for a close to home Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Although Matthew’s journey is far from over, we hopefully can put cancer behind us.

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