The 1st February 2008 was the saddest day of my life. My beautiful son Mathew was taken from me suddenly at the tender age of 13, just 6 weeks before his 14th birthday.
Mathew was fit and healthy with lots of energy. He played football for his dad’s team and was a coach with my team – he was about to take his referee badge too. He played badminton for his school and lived life to the full.
Mathew had complained of a sore throat on the Monday but still went to school. On the Wednesday afternoon he told me he did not feel well and was going to lie down. That night my husband Steve found Mathew unconscious on the bathroom floor. He was taken to hospital by ambulance although the paramedics were not overly concerned.
Mathew told the doctors he had a pain in his chest and felt better when he was laying down, but no tests were carried out. Mathew was discharged later and despite almost collapsing at the A&E doors and being taken back to A&E, still no tests were carried out.
I was told to make sure Mathew had plenty to drink as he had gastro- enteritis. I spent the whole of the next day with Mathew, watching him being sick unable to keep fluids down. Bathing him to warm him up and mopping his brow.
Later that night Mathew seemed very fidgety and unable to get comfortable so Steve and I took him to the hospital.
Unfortunately they had lost his notes from the night before. We were kept waiting for 25 minutes and Mathew was semi-conscious.
When he was finally seen it was too late. Cause of death was ‘Natural Causes due to Viral Myocarditis’. I will remember this awful day as long as I live.
Where do we go from here? With the help of CRY and our friends we will re-build our lives, but will always have a void that cannot be filled.
Mathew we love you and always will.
Karen Blease
