Recent transplant gives Miller new lease on life
Jalynn Baker, Hayden Baker and Jasmine Baker with Matt Miller, center.
A benefit chicken dinner is set for Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. at the Killbuck VFW to help raise funds for the family of Matt Miller, who recently underwent a lung transplant operation and is recovering well at home.
There was a 25 percent chance their child would be born with cystic fibrosis, but they were unaware of this when their son Matt was born 24 years ago. Tonya Baker and her husband each carried the specific gene that could result in the illness, and their other two children, a son and a daughter, did not develop the disease.
But Miller did. Born with it, the diagnosis did not come until he was age 2.
It was a long struggle for the family and for Miller as he struggled through school, stopping his studies frequently for doctor appointments and treatment. It was a nine-year fight to get on the transplant list.
“We were seeing doctors in Cleveland who didn’t believe his illness was far enough advanced to need a transplant,” Baker said. “Then we saw doctors at Ohio State University in July this year, and they immediately said we needed to get Matt a lung transplant as soon as possible.”
Just how soon was a surprise and left no time to prepare. “We went to Columbus for the education session on July 23,” Baker said. “On the 24th they called and said a donor was available. We expected a donor might be found quickly or it might be a few months, but the surgery was set for the morning of July 25, two days after the education session. We had no time at all to get ready.”
Miller’s hospital stay lasted a full month, and he was moved to a nearby hotel on Aug. 26, remaining close by in case difficulties arose. Miller came home to Killbuck on Sept. 19.
“He’s doing wonderfully well,” Baker said. “He’s home. He’s doing well and is ready to get on with the rest of his life.”
Miller, now 24, is talking about college. “Life with CF is very stressful,” his mother explained. “It’s difficult to do anything. You can’t breathe and are always out of breath. He couldn’t go out, couldn’t do the things other kids were doing. He had to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else.”
Miller would like to pursue a longtime dream of a career in sports medicine. “He’s definitely ready to finally live his life,” Baker said.
Baker is grateful for community support. “We’ve had a lot of help from so many people, in the community and our family, that has helped us get this far,” Baker said. “We’re over the big hump, but it has been financially very difficult.”
There are more issue to be addressed further down the road as other organs have suffered from the overall effects of cystic fibrosis. Miller will need a new liver later in life, and his gall bladder must be removed.
Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease affecting the lungs and digestive system, causing thick mucous to block airways, making it difficult to breathe. Patients tend to have limited physical growth and numerous related symptoms and illnesses.
Organizers of the chicken dinner benefit for Miller said items are being collected for a silent auction that will include hotel stays and gift certificates for area businesses. Tickets are $10 per person and are available at the door. The Killbuck VFW is at 185 Front St. in Killbuck.