Matt's Story
Matt is a popular guy. He was voted homecoming king in high school and regularly hangs out with a large group of friends. He credits The Vest® Airway Clearance System with keeping his airways clear so he can stay healthy and keep up his busy social life.
Twenty-two-year-old Matt started an annual tradition last year: taking a group of friends to Las Vegas for his birthday. “I like to play cards and my friends like to go out and party, and Las Vegas seemed like the best place in the world to do both,” he says. He says that there’s no better place to turn 21!
Matt, who has spinal muscular atrophy, is able to make trips like the one to Vegas because he uses The Vest® Airway Clearance System. “I never used to be able to travel because I couldn’t bring a physical therapist with me.”
Matt’s social life is easier because of The Vest® System, too. “I couldn’t go out and have a good time because I had to schedule my life around people coming to my house to do my therapy.” Now that Matt can do his therapy when it’s convenient for him, he has more independence. He gets help with his treatments from his parents or one of the friends that he has hired as personal care attendants.
Before he got The Vest® System, Matt had to have chest percussion therapy to loosen his secretions. He says, “I remember having people pounding on my chest. I remember it hurting!” With The Vest® System, his therapy is much less painful and much more efficient. Matt used to get sick frequently, with hospitalizations every fall and spring. Since getting The Vest® System, he has only been hospitalized once every few years.
Using The Vest® System helps increase the time that Matt is able to hang out with his friends. Sixteen of them, some he’s known since first grade, others coworkers he met more recently, went with him to Las Vegas for his 21st birthday. “I like to bring a big entourage!” Matt says.
Matt and his buddies made quite an impression their first time in Vegas. Matt’s favorite moment came after the group took over an entire section of the Hard Rock Café. “YMCA” came on, and Matt and his friends sang along and got a little crazy. Matt says, “It was such a good time that we went back this year and they remembered all of us. They said, ‘Oh, welcome back!’” It seems Matt is not just popular, but memorable as well! And he’s already making plans for his 2009 Vegas trip, entourage and all.