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MATTHEW BOND - born 25/12/86 -
Diagnosed 2003
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My name is Matthew Bond & I am 17yrs old. I was born on Christmas day,1986. I live with my Mum & three younger sisters on the outskirts of Sydney. I am in Year 11 & attend William Carey Christian School at Prestons. I have always been hard working at school & at work (part-time at a popcorn place called "Kernels") & enjoyed playing sport & socializing with my friends on weekends.. I played in a Soccer Team for ten years & belonged to the Campbelltown Swim club/ swim squad & the Campbelltown R.S.L Swim Club (where I represented the State R.S.L.Swimming Championships in the 100 meter Freestyle in March of last year). I also competed in many swim carnivals most weekends.
On the 27th April 2003, I developed 'flu' like symptoms. I had worked at my part-time job all through the holidays & term 2 of year 11 re-commenced the next day. I asked to leave work a little earlier as I was feeling very weak. When I came home I struggled to sit at the table to join my sisters in wishing my youngest sister a happy 11th birthday. I told Mum I thought I had the flu & would probably not be able to go to school. I went straight to bed & woke up dripping wet. I went to the doctors the next day with 'flu' like symptoms & was told exactly that - & given the usual antibiotics. I returned to the doctor on Wednesday as I was coughing so much I was coughing up blood, breathless, my nose was bleeding & painful, ears ached, sore throat & hoarseness, high temperatures & extreme lethargy,& night sweats where the whole mattress was soaked. My doctor said my lungs were clear & prescribed stronger antibiotics. He told me that I had a very nasty virus & to go for a chest x-ray if not feeling 40% better by Saturday. During that time I had periods where I seemed to pick up & would think that the antibiotics were beginning to take effect, only to go down later on. I have always been extremely healthy & fit & have never had more than 2 days off sick at any one time. I had now missed 1 whole week of school. I went for the x-ray on May 3rd ( 6 days after symptoms first appeared) & was barely able to stand up for it. I was told I had double pneumonia & admitted into Campbelltown Hospital. The x-ray had shown multiple lesions on both lungs & the doctors told me they wanted to run numerous blood tests ( fearing the diagnosis would be lung cancer). Many tests were performed to find the cause, & thankfully, the Professor of Immunology - Professor Brad Frankum (who also is the Medical Director of Campbelltown Hospital & my main treating doctor) diagnosed my symptoms as WEGENER’S GRANULOMATOSIS by May 7th.This quick diagnosis saved my life.
Unfortunately I had a severe & rapid form of the disease. After two weeks at Campbelltown Hospital I was transferred to Westmead Hospital where I went into respiratory failure in Intensive Care. Ten doctors worked for six hours to save me ( over 95% of my lungs hemorrhaged). After 2 ½ weeks critically ill in ICU with multiple chest drains (perforated lungs), double pneumonia, and septicemia, MRSA (Golden Staph), multiple blood transfusions & being incubated for 13 days I was transferred to the High Dependency Unit. Within a week my kidney’s deteriorated & I went back into I.C.U with respiratory & kidney failure. I remained there for another two weeks & developed blood clots in both sides of my pelvis & multiple infections. I was told I would loose both kidneys but thankfully the doctors were able to stop the progression of the disease. I was released from hospital after 3 ½ months of treatment ( Aug '03) requiring high doses of chemotherapy & steroids, 20 Plasmapheresis treatments, multiple blood transfusions & physiotherapy.
My lungs are slowly repairing themselves & I now can swim 5 laps of an Olympic pool. I have less than 25% kidney function & following a strict fluid, no salt/ potassium diet & am hopeful that my kidney function will return after I am in remission. I have returned to school, repeating Yr 11 via 'Pathway Program' & take each day as it comes. My Dr hopes to have me off Chemo before the end of the year & my steroid dose has been reduced considerably. I am still on about 15 tablets a day & will have to be carefully monitored for side effects from these drugs but I am so much better than when first diagnosed. I have God & a terrific circle of friends & family who are supporting me & keeping my spirits high.
Through the Wegener’s Granulomatosis Support Group I have made many contacts. This has helped me cope with the illness & realize that there are many other 'Weggies' out there going through the same thing. I was able to attend the Bi-annual conference in Melbourne of October last year giving me encouraging news regarding treatments & therapies, & meeting other fellow 'Weggies'.
My family & friends organised a Fundraising Dinner on the 25th October to raise funds for two special organisations that have helped me & many others with their research & dedication to this disease. We were able to raise $2,530.00 which was split equally between:
1/. The Wegener’s Granulomatosis Association of Australia who keeps members informed with the latest treatments & offers support to those with the disease via their newsletters.
2/. The Millennium Foundation (the biggest research institute in the Southern Hemisphere for rare diseases-attached to Westmead Hospital & who kindly donated a new laptop to me when my laptop was stolen in H.D.U & organised for myself & 24 of my friends to a special screening at Hoyt’s cinema of "The Matrix Reloaded").