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Payton Maata’s road to Recovery

  • FINAL UPDATE

      2 July 2022

    Thank you all for the support we have received from everyone who has followed Payton on her journey.

    This will be our last update for the page as we process the information we received from her neuro surgeon.

    On a positive, Payton’s rehab journey has continued to progress at a significant rate and surpassed expectations given to us since 29th of October 2021. The AVM has made positive developments and the shunt is performing it’s job. We are so thankful for her perseverance and drive and pray for further greatness.

    Unfortunately, after the positive feedback we were given the options for treating her AVM. The location of this is close to her brain stem and nerves that surgery has extremely high risks of loss of life or further damage to her brain stem and/or losing her ability again to swallow, talk and eat. If you decide not to go ahead with surgery, the chances of another rupture are extremely high with the same possible outcomes.

    We are stuck and do not come know how to process this information. After roughly 9 months our daughter has recovered and continues to recover from this horrible day and the thought of further harm or not having her here with us is unbearable! BUT if everything goes well our beautiful young lady will continue to do great things and all her dreams will come true.

    Payton has voiced her opinion and does not want any further brain surgery’s but is also petrified of another rupture. My heart breaks that such an amazing individual has been given so much to deal with.

    While we talk through our options, please keep us in your prayers and remember to be kind! Life is precious and our worlds can be turned upside down in a blink of an eye.

    OHANA means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Lilo and Stitch

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  • Payton Maata 🖤

      18 May 2022

    Whirlwind of a week & unfortunately we had to leave the Wilson Centre earlier than expected. Covid finally got us!

    We have settled in at home and been watching Payton ever so cautiously as she is now high risk due to the AVM that is still present. She has managed the vid like a champ, as she has done throughout the past 7 months.

    We will start our outpatient at the Wilson Centre on Monday 22nd, 4 hours a day, Monday Tuesday and Friday each week. This alone will be draining and the commute will add further fatigue.

    She is scheduled for another MRI in June to review the AVM and the possibility of removing this or continue living with it, depending on the findings.

    As this was not an injury, we want to say a huge thank you to you all for your generosity as it will go towards her well-being and continued rehabilitation costs.

    Ngā mihi nui

    Matthews-Runga whānau

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  • The update we have been waiting for 🖤

      23 April 2022
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    Kia koutou

    We have a discharge date 😃😃 after all the hard work Payton has put into her recovery, we will be heading home on Friday the 20th of May. As a whānau we would have spent 203 days in a hospital environment and away from our loved ones.

    Our superstar is smashing her goals and finally got to eat McDonald’s chicken nuggets! She has also progressed to taking all her medication orally and with her determination she will be coming home without her Mickey button. Her goal on leaving the Wilson Centre is to walk out of there and with the effort she is putting in I can guarantee she will be walking out of there! She is walking on a frame but it is walking and that is all that matters!

    We will continue our rehab with the Wilson Centre in Takapuna on our discharge as an outpatient and be educated through the Northern Health School until she is confident in herself too attend school.

    To my last love, everyday you make me so proud with the perseverance, determination you show in your journey and the raw emotion you express. We knew in our hearts that this is not how your journey ends and all your dreams will come true. We will all be right here embracing your grace.

    Forever our brightest star xx mama and dad xx

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  • Payton Maata 🤟🏽

      31 March 2022
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    We finally got to take a visit home after nearly 6 months we returned to see some of our loved ones in our nanny and papas whare and celebrated Payts nieces 6th birthday with her!

    Our superstar has moved away from puréed food today and smashed out lasagna and even half a chocolate cupcake and she was the extremely happy to do so!!

    Where Payts has suffered damage from the bleed and stroke she has also had to learn how to eat and swallow along with all other movements.

    Eating and swallowing are complex behaviors involving volitional and reflexive activities of more than 30 nerves and muscles.

    Yesterday we had a follow up MRI for the excess fluid still there in February when we were discharged from starship and will find out the results on Tuesday. We are all praying the shunt has continued to drain this away. As we are sure it will be. There will also be discussions on how to deal with her AVM.

    Thank you all again for the prayers, words of encouragement, the support and love we continue to receive from you all.

    To our superstar “keep shining the brightest”

    Forever by your side

    Mama and dad xx

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  • Update on Payts

      13 March 2022
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    WOW what a few weeks can do in a positive space.

    Our brightest star has started to brush her teeth and wash her face herself each morning and night, searching for the independence that she has had since the day she arrived.

    Last week we managed to do a transfer from mo-lift to a car and ventured to Takapuna Beach and Devenport, the 2 amazing therapists that did this for us we can never tell you exactly how amazing it was! Payts still doesn’t have the confidence to be out in her chair in public so we will continue to work on this throughout our journey.

    Friday (finally) her PEG was removed and we have transitioned to a Mickey button for her feeds and medication. A huge relief to finally get this done.

    She spent some time with whanau yesterday in the gardens and it was an absolute pleasure to see her being her old self with whānau, our girl is still stubborn, strong minded, determined and a sasshole.

    Thank you all for been part of our journey and will continue updating you all with her amazing progress.

    Arohanui

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  • Update from Mama 🖤

      27 February 2022
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    Two weeks at our new whare has flown by and the progress just keeps coming!

    We’ve gone from having only food through her PEG to having small amounts of porridge, yoghurt, ice cream (which must be chocolate, yes Payts is still stubborn lol) and we can’t forget the yummy puréed hospital food each day. She can’t wait to be able to eat her dads Mac and cheese!

    Payts is also attending school 2 days a week for 30 minutes and in her first session, I finally got to see her hold a pen again and write her name.

    We’ve managed to become stronger in our bed to chair transfers using the mo-lift and needing less and less assistance. In making her legs stronger, our superhero managed to walk using a frame for a total of 40 metres broken down into 10 meters at a time before a much needed rest. She continues to blow her therapists minds with her determination and strength and we couldn’t be more prouder of this strong determined young lady we brought into this world!

    Keep being awesome my sweets and remember who you are BECAUSE there isn’t another Payton Maata in the world!

    Forever my superhero, love you with every being in my body xx mama xx

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    • 28/02/2022 by Wayne

      Great news Nicole & Keep up the good work Payton

      Cheers

      Wayne

  • Latest update 🖤

      14 February 2022

    After a week of set backs and further surgeries, we are finally confirmed to leave Starship hospital on Tuesday 15th February to kick butt at the Wilson Centre.

    The next visit to Starship will be roughly in a month to remove the PEG and have a Mickey button inserted for feeds.

    The neuro team are still in discussions about whether or not it is safe to remove the mass still in Payts brain. We will keep you updated.

    Thank you for the generous donations, prayers, words of encouragement. It has reminded us that we are surrounded by love, light and amazing people.

    Much love!

    Nicole, Karl, Jayde, Carter, Payton xx

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  • New update 🖤

      6 February 2022

    Unfortunately Payts has had to have another surgery on Friday 4th February to have a shunt inserted due to fluid buildup on her brain. The procedure went well, but she is extremely fatigued and pissed off that this has happened to her and wants to get up restart her rehab but hasn’t had the energy over these past few days.

    On a positive note we will be starting the new chapter of journey at the Wilson Center on Wednesday 9th February.

    We will continue to update you all on her progress 🖤

    Mauri Ora

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  • Another little update

      28 January 2022

    We have reached an amazing milestone in Payton’s recovery and managed over 48 hours without any breathing assistance. The tracheostomy was removed on Wednesday 26 January 🙂

    We also also been told that the aim is to have Payton admitted to the Wilson Centre for her rehabilitation the week after Waitangi weekend, where our full focus will be on getting our Payts back to her pre injury awesomeness.

    God bless x

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  • A little Update 🖤 from Nicole and Karl

      19 January 2022

    Payts has been working extremely hard in her rehab phase and has given us a cheeky small smile and waved, that made our hearts glow. She is 100% aware of her surroundings and what the injury has done to her body and mind, and gets frustrated at her recovery and that this has happened to her, determination is her strongest attribute. Since she is aware she is now able to nod and shake her head in response to simple questions. While we wait patiently by her bedside day and night just to hear her voice.

    With all the love, support and prayers we have received our girls journey is something to admire.

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