For 6 years after an accident, Mathieu is according to his father in a “vegetative” state. Hospitalised in Rouen, he is without reaction. Father and sister want to stop everything, not the mother.
Since this terrible January 24, 2014, Daniel Mattard , journalist, former editor-in-chief of Eveil de Pont-Audemer and Bernay (Eure) fights for Mathieu, his 43 year old son to be released. Released from his “medical prison” in Rouen (Seine-Maritime) . Like Vincent Lambert . Mathieu’s mother is opposed to stopping the care.
Read also: The cessation of Vincent Lambert’s care began, a “madness” for his parents
He had not made any arrangements before his accident
If Mathieu and his family are in this situation today, it is because he had not made any arrangements before his accident. “It’s essential to say that,” insists Daniel Mattard, who on facebook has launched this call: “Write your advance directives”. Five years ago when he was in a coma, the medical team brought us together (parents and sister) to know our position. Marie ( ndlr sister) and I asked for the cessation of care and to our surprise, her mother asked for the extension. Unfortunately Mathieu had not written advance directives specifying his wishes. He is now in a state of minimum consciousness and can not speak, move, drink or eat! “
“I urge everyone to write their advance directives that physicians must now consider” insists Daniel Mattard.
For the past five years, Daniel Mattard has taken a lot of steps with politicians to change the legislative framework. “For me, they dare not go after things. The law Claeys Leonetti 2016 is hypocritical. She advocates stopping care for a slow death, this is what happens in the Lambert case. It’s going to be the soap opera of the week. While it would be so much simpler and more bearable for families to do otherwise. ”
Daniel Mattard would now enjoy the relaxation of the Law on Referendum Initiative Shared (RIP) that lowers one million the number of signatures required to force the legislature to act. “If I listen to the opinion, it seems clear to me that the majority of people like the majority of Parliamentarians are in favor of a law on euthanasia. This time it’s time! ”
An astronomical bill for Social Security
The procedure of stopping care, launched Monday 20th May, 2019 in the Vincent Lambert file, refers Daniel to his own situation. Since the accident of his son, this dad fights and multiplies the steps to stop the relentless treatment.
“Hospitalised at the Méridienne clinic in Rouen , Mathieu is no longer conscious, he is in a vegetative state … Daniel recalls. There are eight or nine in this case. We put them in front of the TV but no one follows the show. The care is limited to plug the infusions of food, and the torcher [sic] … The staff is nice, but he can not do anything. Mathieu has no reaction. He has his eyes open but clearly has no conscience. ”
For father and Marie, Mathieu’s sister, this situation is no longer acceptable. Legislation must move to no longer tolerate these situations, dramatic for families, and the cost of health insurance is in millions of euros each year.
“The cost of hospitalisation of Mathieu is 650 € per day at the expense of the Social Security. There are 1,500 in France to be in the same state … Make the count. All this for what ? ” insists Daniel.
To try to move forward, Dad asked Mathieu to have a brain exam again, the same one he had had at Pitié Salpétrière Hospitalfour years ago. To measure whether things have changed or not. “The doctors refused,” he indignantly.
Double operation of the brain
Victim of a serious bicycle accident on January 24, 2014, while he was an English teacher in Toulouse, Mathieu suffered a serious head trauma. “From the outset, the doctors warned us, never again would we find the Mathieu before. We were told that he could no longer talk, eat more, walk anymore … and that the after-effects would be irreversible … “, says the journalist
Brain surgery twice, the young man has too many lesions for a recovery, even partial, can be considered. Only medicine keeps it alive artificially, and obviously out of all consciousness.
As in the Vincent Lambert case, the Mattard family is torn around this issue of stopping care. Separated from Mathieu’s mother for more than 30 years, dad does not find any meaning to this maintenance in forced life. Unlike the mom!
“His mother believes that no one has the right to withdraw his life from Mathieu. Whatever the shape and the relief of this life. She’s going to see him every day, she talks to him like he’s still a baby. She runs her hand through her hair … but he never shows a reaction. “
Nothing to do with a position related to religion, according to him. “I think she’s in denial. She refuses the reality. Losing a child is terrible. I made the path, I lost my son on January 24, 2014. ”
Mum refuses to speak
Joined by phone, the mother did not want to speak, simply indicating that she is ready to call on lawyers.
Before his accident, Mathieu was a musician. He was playing in a hard-rock band. He loved that music. “So we tried to put him in his hospital room. To see, watching for a sign. But nothing. Nothing happened. Says Dad again.
