Nicholas - the Future Heartbreaker
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New Pictures - Life as a Teen
Nicholas Mathews
Nicholas' Surgery
More pictures of Nicholas
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Welcome to Nicholas' website!

We hope you enjoy visiting here as much as we enjoy sharing Nicholas with you.  We also want to share some information on congenital heart defects here.  To learn more about CHD, please visit our CHD Facts and Links page.

Update -2012

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Camp YOLO - Fall 2012

December 2012 - Update
Nicholas has done so well for the last few years that his heart defect has taken a backseat to becoming a teen, having fun like an average kid, and just enjoying life.  Nick has played competitive soccer, is in high school now, driving, and is 16.  He's been to homecoming, the Belle Dance, and killed his first elk this fall.  Because he's done so well, I haven't updated in some time. 
 
In the summer of 2012 Nick started having problems with his lips swelling.  Because that is a possible side effect of the enalapril he was on, his doctors took him off of it.  They have been monitoring him to make sure his heart is handling being off the medicine.  So far, he has done fine without the meds. 

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This website was started after Nicholas had heart surgery in 2001.  We hope that it will show the hope and promise that there is for children born with heart defects. 

Nicholas is a special boy.  Although he's going to break hearts one day, he needed surgery to fix his own.

Little Mr. Brazoria County Fair King
                        2001

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Nicholas Mathews

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Special thanks go to Special Heart Graphics. Click above.

We'd love to have a record of your visit.  Please scroll down past the next few pictures and sign Nicholas' guest book.

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Nicholas is only 8 1/2 in this picture but he looks older.  One of my heart friends commented that he reminded her of Prince William.  Nick wanted me to put some more current pictures on here and he likes the "Prince William" picture.

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CHD Tree - Christmas in the Park, 2005

To promote awareness and honor those who are affected by a congenital heart defect, our family displayed a CHD Christmas tree at the city of Clute's "Christmas in the Park."  The tree was decorated with red and white hearts with children's and adults' names on them.

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Update on Nicholas - January,2007
 
Nicholas had his 6 month PC visit and echo in January 2007.  He's doing well.  He still has some mitral valve leakage and some turbulence that is caused by a tendon going across his aorta.  Nicholas currently takes 7.5 mg of Enalapril twice daily. He will go back in 6 months for another echo.  However, his doctor is very pleased with how well Nick is doing.  Nicholas played soccer in the fall of 2006.  He was able to outrun most of the kids on the field.  In the spring of 2006, he played Little League Baseball and was the starting pitcher for the Minor League Tigers on opening day.  

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Nick #7 Blue

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During his 3rd grade and 5th grade years, Nicholas achieved the National Physical Fitness Award.  This award means that Nicholas scored higher than 50% of the boys his age in the US.  He narrowly missed getting the President's Physical Fitness Award each year.  He did not have any modifications to any of the fitness challenges.

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Nick's Treadmill Stress Test - July 31, 2007

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Nick had a stress test in July of 2007.  He did very well on the test and did 15 minutes on the treadmill.  In addition to checking his heart, they also measured his oxygen levels.  Nick's heart checked out good.  He had a couple of numbers that are a litttle off but it may be due to allergies.  He's been cleared to do pretty much anything he wants to do.

Summer - 2008
 
Nick had his 6th month pc visit and echo in June, 2008.  He continues to do well.  He is on 10mg enalapril, twice daily, for his mitral valve leakage.  His doctor is pleased with how he is doing.
 
 

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           The CHD Quilt Awareness Project
 
This is Nicholas' quilt block on the CHD Quilt Project.  It is joined with other blocks to make a quilt.  Each block represents someone who has a congenital heart defect.  The quilts promote awareness of CHD and honor those who have heart defects.

 
The quilt that Nicholas' block appears on is is Quilt #24.  Nicholas' block appears on Row 7.  Here is a link to view the finished quilt.  http://thechdquilt.homestead.com/gallery6.html  Thank you to the dedicated volunteers who make the CHD Quilt Project such a success.

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                          *****CHD Quilt News*****
 
The CHD Quilts came to Houston as part of an International Quilt Festival.  The event was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas in November, 2006.  Nicholas' quilt was one of the quilts there and we were very excited about viewing it in person.  Viewing the quilts, recognizing names on the quilts, and realizing that each square is a person and family that is touched by CHD, is a very emotional experience.

Nick and His Square on Quilt #24
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International Quilt Show - Houston, Texas 2006

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"It's My Heart" is a chd support group based in the Houston area.  Please join them online and at their special events for CHD families.   http://www.itsmyheart.org/ 

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My Guestbook

  

Please sign my guestbook.  Thank you, Nicholas

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This site contains many links to heart informational sites and support sites. Please understand that these are no substitute for your physician.  Always check with your doctor if you have questions or your child is having symptoms that warrant medical attention.

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Heart Defects Message and Support Board

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Valuable Website for Information on Heart Defects