Bailee's Story
Bailee Matta, a 25-year-old from Erie, Pa., has always been determined. Born with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 13, she navigates life’s challenges with resilience. She enjoys reading Harry Potter books, watching iCarly and has a passion for baseball. Her ultimate dream is to write a biography and attend college.
Bailee’s life took a turn when she was at home and she experienced what she calls a “perfect storm” of health issues. She contracted a urinary tract infection (UTI), COVID-19 and her Baclofen pump, essential for managing her CP, went dry. She became unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, needing a tracheostomy, a surgical procedure to help deliver oxygen to her airways and help her breathe.
Facing the unknown, Bailee lost many of her abilities, including walking and performing everyday tasks. Transferred to Select Specialty Hospital – Boardman, her primary goal was clear: to regain her independence and get back to normal life.
Upon admission, Bailee began her journey to recovery. A physician-led team, including nurses and therapists, created a plan to restore her to the life she led before becoming ill.
To improve her breathing, respiratory therapists started by gradually lowering the amount of oxygen she received while carefully monitoring how she tolerated the change. She progressively needed less oxygen and began exercises that strengthened her lungs and diaphragm, such as taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly. A turning point in her recovery was when she demonstrated she could breathe on her own and her tracheostomy was removed.
Physical and occupational therapy played a crucial role in Bailee’s recovery. Therapists did stretching exercises with her arms and legs, helping her regain mobility and strength. Bailee practiced walking on various surfaces and performed exercises to improve balance. Relearning essential daily skills, such as dressing and bathing, was also a part of her therapy.
Bailee's family, including her mother Michelle, stepfather Jason, Grandma Debbie, and Aunt Marci provided continuous support, visiting regularly and participating in her education and training programs.
Bailee appreciates the supportive environment and the dedication of the therapists. As she prepared to transition to a skilled nursing facility and eventually a group home, Bailee looked forward to playing baseball every Saturday.
Throughout her recovery, Bailee learned to advocate for herself, realizing the importance of voicing her needs. Her advice to others facing similar challenges is to think positively and not hesitate to ask questions if they don’t understand something.