Matt's wife, Brooke, posted this on the Caring Bridge site (linked above):
Welcome to our site for keeping you updated on Matt's continuing progress. The family wants to thank all of you for your encouragement, thoughts, prayers and words of support.
Here is how Matt ended up in the ICU.
The whole family got sick with a bad cold or the flu during winter break. While Brooke's and the kids' fevers and symptoms subsided after 5-7 days, Matt's worsened. After his 8th day of high fever, on Thursday January 2, we brought Matt to an urgent care clinic. He was seen and told that he should go to the emergency room. On the way to the car, Matt fell backwards (likely fainted) and hit the the back of his head on the sidewalk. Urgent care staff came immediately and called an ambulance. Matt was taken to Abbott Northwestern ER, assessed and given a CT scan.
Shortly thereafter he was transferred to HCMC for immediate surgery. His skull had fractured when he fell and there was a lot of blood between his skull and brain. The neurosurgeons removed a large blood clot and left a section of his skull removed to allow for swelling.
Matt has been in a coma-like state since shortly after he fell, however, he is showing signs of improvement already. Subsequent CT scans have shown no additional swelling or bleeding and his physical assessments are slowly and steadily improving.
On Saturday, January 4, he lifted the thumb and fingers of his left hand in response to the nurse asking him to do so. He has squeezed family members' hands, wiggled his toes and shown responses when we speak with him. He moves both hands and feet to avoid unpleasant stimuli. This afternoon, he tried to open his eyes to look at Brooke and when we told him Elise's Get Well Soon sign was hanging in his room across from his bed.
He understands us and wants to show his understanding. But it is exhausting and he needs to rest to allow his brain and body to heal.
Matt's chest x-ray showed signs of infection and he is being treated for pneumonia as well. His temperature has been regulated with a catheter. He is on a ventilator and feeding tube.
Matt is recovering in the HCMC surgical ICU.
Thank you for visiting Matt's Caring Bridge website. We appreciate your loving thoughts, actions and prayers more than we can say.
With love,
Brooke
