ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> <html><!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/vogtemplate.dwt" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" --> <head> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" --> <title>Matthew Sellepack</title> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- body { margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 25px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; } --> </style> <link href="../../../vog.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="head" --> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/JavaScript"> <!-- function MM_openBrWindow(theURL,winName,features) { //v2.0 window.open(theURL,winName,features); } //--> </script> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </head> <body> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="pagetitle"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="toptext" --><span class="subtitle">Matthew Sellepack</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#0000CC"><img src="../../../gfx/spacers/1x1.gif" width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="mainbody" --> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td height="19" class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td width="231" rowspan="17" align="center" valign="top"><br> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Your Story </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">You may have read other peoples stories and experiences and would you like to have your story published on www.veinofgalen.co.uk</span></p> <p><a href="../../../forms/familystoryform.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Tell Your Story</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Forum</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">The Vein Of Galen forum is there for you to leave messages and contact other people who have been affected by<br> Vein Of Galen</span></p> <p><a href="http://pub17.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1447524782&cpv=1" target="_self" class="boxlink">Enter Forum</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <table width="50%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">Gallery</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p class="boxtext">Many of our readers have sent in photgraphs of themselves or their children </p> <p><a href="../../../gallery.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Enter Gallery</a> </p></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" class="maintext"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="50%" height="149" align="center"><img src="matthewsellepack1small.jpg" width="144" height="115"></td> <td width="50%"><p class="faqheader" align="center"> Matthew Sellepack</p> <p class="faqheader" align="center"> 26th July 2004</p> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader" style="height: 19px"> Matthew Sellepack</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> </span> </p> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Matthew was born July 26, 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite pre-term labor, he was born on his due date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Other than the pre-term labor, my pregnancy had been normal and we had no idea that anything was wrong with our baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The night of July 25, I felt something wasn t right, so I called the nurse and eventually my husband drove me to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> The nurses said I wasn t in labor and wanted to send me back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Sensing our concern, however, one of the nurses suggested I stay for monitoring for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>A short time later she said she would call the doctor and recommend that I stay overnight and the next day I would likely be induced since it was my due date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I will always believe that this nurse saved my baby s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <?xml namespace="" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" prefix="o" ?> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman">As they moved me into a private room and started hooking up the monitors I saw a look of concern on the nurse s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We looked at the baby s heart monitor and I said  That can t be right .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> It was over 200 beats per minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Only minutes earlier it had been fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>A string of nurses came in to check the monitoring equipment and then they brought in the ultrasound machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>My nurse told me that the baby s heart rate was too high and I would be delivering by emergency c-section very soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I asked the ultrasound technician if something was wrong with the baby and she told me I would have to wait to talk to the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>At that moment I started crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Things began happening very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Shortly after 2am Matthew was delivered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When I heard his first cry, a strong, healthy sounding cry, I was so relieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But my relief was short lived though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I barely got a glimpse of his little face as they rushed him out of the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>By the time I was back in my room, my family was there and they doctors were telling us that Matthew would be transported to Texas Children s Hospital immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I asked if I could see him first and was told that there wasn t time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The neonatologist mentioned that in addition to the tachycardia Matthew also had a  largish head , but that it probably didn t mean anything.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">The next few days were a blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We learned more about SVT (supra-ventricular tachycardia), and my family drove back and forth from my hospital to TCH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I was discharged approximately 36 hours after delivery and insisted, in spite of my husband s concerns that I be taken to see my baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He wheeled me into the NICU to see Matthew and I got to hold my little boy for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The SVT was being controlled by medication and we immediately started asking when we could take Matthew home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Four days after birth, they said we might be able to take him home soon, but they wanted to do an ultra sound and then an MRI to make sure the size of his head wasn t significant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>That is the day we learned about the Vein of Galen Malformation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We stood in the NICU looking at our baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Apart from the wires and machinery around him, you couldn t tell anything was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He was 8lb 11oz at birth and looked so big and strong compared to all the tiny preemies around him in the NICU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I wondered how my baby, who looked so perfect, could have these terrible things wrong with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> &nbsp; </span></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman">We were surrounded by family and friends that cared for us and our little boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We were told that people all across the <?xml namespace="" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" prefix="st1" ?> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> were praying for Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Even now, we occasionally meet someone who is a friend of a friend or knows someone in our family and they tell us they remember hearing about Matthew and praying for him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Matthew s first embolization occurred when he was 10 days old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Since he was diagnosed at 4 days they were able to use his umbilical artery for the procedure, which we were told was much safer for a newborn than using the femoral artery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Dr. Michel Mawad performed the procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He told us he was able to block about 75% of the feeders, but that he would need another procedure in 6 months to a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Matthew recovered well and we took him home from the hospital when he was 18 days old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He would be on heart medications for a while, but otherwise was doing fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We had a few minor set backs, mostly unrelated to the VOGM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I worried a lot, constantly wondering if anything out of the ordinary might be a symptom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We made a number of trips to the emergency room, some for good reason, some not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> At 6 months there was another MRI and at 8 months another embolization, blocking  most of the rest of the feeders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>Matthew continued to develop normally and was eventually taken off all medications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span></span></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman">Currently Matthew has an annual MRI and sees a neurologist about every 6 months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He attends pre-school and his development is age appropriate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He is approaching his 3<sup>rd</sup> birthday and is now a big brother to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jackson</st1:place></st1:city> , a healthy 6 month old who loves his brother s attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Every year, when Matthew has his MRI, we get a bit nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We wonder what it will show and if the doctors will recommend another procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>We know that another embolization is likely in Matthew s future, but for now we have a healthy, happy, growing little boy. </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <o:p>&nbsp;</o:p> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman">**2010 update***<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Matthew is now 5 years old and in Kindergarten. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> He continues to have an annual MRI and sees his neurologist and neuroradiologist once a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> His development remains age appropriate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> We have been told that another embolization is still likely in Matthew s future, but for now the doctors remain pleased that there is no futher change in his condition, and that he continues to grow and develop just like any other healthy 5 year old boy.</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> &nbsp; &nbsp; </span></P></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader">Pictures Of Matthew</td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext"><div align="center">Please click on the image to enlarge it in another window </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="faqheader">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td><table width="80%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center"><a href="#" onMouseDown="MM_openBrWindow('msellepack1.htm','','width=450,height=450')"><img src="matthewsellepack1small.jpg" name="msellepack1" width="144" height="115" border="0" id="msellepack1"></a></td> <td align="center"><a href="#" onMouseDown="MM_openBrWindow('msellepack2.htm','','width=450,height=450')"><img src="matthewsellepack2small.jpg" name="msellepack2" width="144" height="115" border="0" id="msellepack2"></a></td> <td align="center"><a href="#" onMouseDown="MM_openBrWindow('msellepack3.htm','','width=450,height=450')"><img src="matthewsellepack3small.jpg" name="msellepack3" width="144" height="115" border="0" id="msellepack3"></a></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext"><div align="right"><a href="../../familystories.htm" target="_self" class="faqlink">Return to the Main Page</a> </div></td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="maintext">&nbsp;</td> <td align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> <table width="130" border="1" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#69C1F3" cellpadding="3"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#69C1F3" class="boxtitle" align="center">FAQ</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <p><span class="boxtext">To help answer many of your questions, we have created a FAQ with the help of<br> Dr Wendy Taylor and Professor Karel Ter Brugge </span></p> <p><a href="../../../faq.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Read FAQ</a> </p></td> </tr> </table> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#0000CC"><img src="../../../gfx/spacers/1x1.gif" width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><a href="../../../welcomegfx/credits.htm" target="_self"><br> <span class="boxlink">Credits</span></a> | <a href="../../../welcomegfx/disclaimer.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Disclaimer </a>| <a href="../../../contactus.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Contact Us </a> | <a href="../../../updates2005.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink">Site Updates </a><a href="../../../contactus.htm" target="_self" class="boxlink"> </a> | <a href="http://my.statcounter.com/project/standard/stats.php?project_id=599770&guest=1" target="_blank" class="boxlink">Site Statistics </a> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp; 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