Kidney tops wish list

[okarol]

Kidney tops wish list
By Kathie Colgrove
NCR Reporter    Friday, August 6, 2010 10:32 AM EDT

Matthew Miller didn't wish for a new car when he turned 18 July 22. His birthday wish is for a new kidney.

Since June 2009, Matthew has been in and out of Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, battling symptoms related to the rejection of the kidney, he received during a transplant when he was 3 years old. Matthew said he has had ongoing issues with gout and high blood pressure associated with kidney failure for more than a year.

"(I said) 'Mom, I'm going into rejection this year,'" he said from his hospital bed Friday afternoon. "I knew it because I know my body. And ironically, a year later, I'm sitting here right now."

The health scare is nothing new to Matthew who, despite appearances, struggles to live each day. Just few days prior to his birthday, Matthew was in the ICU in an induced medical coma to allow his kidneys a chance to rest. He also suffered from pneumonia and a case of MRSA.

As of Monday morning, Matthew suffered another setback with an inflamed pancreas and will be in the hospital a couple more weeks, according to his mother, Debbee Miller. He will continue dialysis until a donor is found.

His aunt, Susan des Islets, and uncle, Don Lamb, were in his hospital room Friday to visit their nephew and offer support.

"This kid has been on the edge of death thousands of times," said des Islets.

"Whether we could or not we knew we had to be here," Lamb added. "We knew it was time to hook up as a family."

When Matthew is not sidelined in the hospital, he is an active member of the West Nassau High School Drama Club, where he'll be a senior this academic year. He enjoys riding around with friends in his 1996 Ford Explorer, playing XBOX, and frequenting area malls and movies. He is an active youth member at First Baptist Church of Callahan, where he has attended most of his life. Some of his friends and fellow classmates held a fundraiser July 17 for his kidney transplant and to raise awareness that a donor is needed.

"I can't thank the town enough for what they did," Matthew said.

Although he struggles to stay healthy, Matthew said he is not afraid and looks forward to finishing high school and eventually attending the University of North Florida.

"I'm optimistic about it," he said of finding a donor. "I'm not scared or worried about it. It's more like waiting for the clock."

He added, "I'm a fighter. That's who I am. I don't just sit there and wait. I do what needs to be done along with the help of family and friends."

Matthew and his mom are battling the frustration of dealing with insurance red tape and hope to have everything resolved quickly so they can focus on finding a donor. The cost of healthcare has been an issue since Matthew first had kidney complications as a baby.

"It shouldn't come to the point where a parent has to decide to A: pay bills, B: pay my car payment or C: take care of my child," Matthew said. "The world shouldn't work that way."

Debbee said of her son, "Definitely he is a fighter. We've been fighting together for a long time. He's my hero. I've never seen anyone endure what he has."

His family, friends and his church community continue to pray that Matthew will get well soon and that a matching donor will be found. Debbee recalled the first time her son underwent his first kidney transplant on Dec. 16, 1995.

"When he got his first kidney transplant at 3, a reporter asked Matthew if he understood what he experienced. Matthew said, 'It came from the angels in heaven out of their treasure chest.' And that's what we're asking, for the angels to pull one more kidney from their treasure chest,"' Debbee said.

As the family continues to battle insurance claims, account No. 1010255892667 has been established at Wachovia Bank to assist with medical bills.

kcolgrove@nassaucountyrecord.com

http://www.nassaucountyrecord.com/articles/2010/08/12/news/news03.txt