Matt Lipp
“Before I found Be Perfect Foundation I was way farther off from where I am now in my recovery in just about every way that my injury impacted me and then some; so again thank you for your support and donations to keep my drive to keep working for my life.”
My name is Matt Lipp and on January 4, 2013, I was diagnosed with Viral Encephalitis after I suffered a grand mal seizure out of nowhere. This diagnosis was a one in a million type case by neurologist multiple Kaiser Permanente hospitals (UCLA, and Children’s Hospital of Orange County). The doctors did not expect me to survive.
I was injured when a virus essentially attacked my brain. I had a random seizure at a friend’s house out of nowhere, followed by many more grand mal seizures. I was taken to many different hospitals before finally being put in to a medically induced coma for a month to stop the constant seizures. The result left me with an ABI that effected my cognition and memory, motor function of the right side of my body and both legs (mostly right) which put me in a wheelchair. I also acquired a severe anxiety disorder and Epilepsy.
From April 2013 to November 2014 I took part in multiple hospital rehabilitation programs. I started going back to high school (using a wheelchair), made progress in physical therapy. I had begun to be able to use a walker from time to time for a short periods. My primary diagnosis at that time was conversion disorder. The neurologist I was seeing at the time believed my symptoms were caused by the trauma I suffered during the time period I was in a coma. Therapy had changed along with the diagnosis a new place and a new approach caused me to suffer severe panic attacks, these took an extensive toll on my mind and body. Causing things to worsen.
Almost 2 years later on December 24, 2014 I suffered cardiac arrest. Fortunately, I was in the hospital when it happened being treated for the severe panic attacks I’d been experiencing. The PICU team revived me, I was in another coma for about 36 hours and woke up blind. That event set me back more than I’d been since first being released after the encephalitis. All of the progress I’d made was lost. I couldn’t stand, step or transfer as I had been anymore. It damaged something more in my brain. Since then I have a new diagnosis, one Jenna at The Perfect Step actually guided me into. She’s been by my side as I’ve recovered and helped me gain new knowledge about so much of what is going on with my mind and body.
Be Perfect has provided me with assistance in more ways than I had imagined possible. They showed, and still are showing me better and smarter ways to deal with my injury with positive motivation and proving to me that it is possible to do more than the doctors and other physical therapy places ever thought. We work on gaining my spasticity levels in my legs down to where I can be much more independent. Before my injury happened I was nearly 16. I had a very active lifestyle, playing varsity football as a sophomore and college baseball scouts we watching me as that season approached. So having a place to go to that has this family, or team feeling, is awesome. All the trainers and aides look to help, not just me, but every client reach their goal to be as independent as possible and feel like life isn’t over just because thy may be using a wheelchair or cane to get around for now. The staff keeps us from believing that we will never become, or get a lifestyle that’s improved since our injury. For me, it lets me lead a small group of high school boys at church on my own, be able to get out and start college classes, live life outside my house instead of feeling sad and depressed about what had happened; now I embrace my injury and show that after all I’ve gone through I can live life happy. Be Perfect has motivated me to push myself to places I was unsure of being able getting back to.
Be Perfect helped put hope back in my life by showing me that I am capable of much more. I am proving that in workouts when I see how far I’ve come. They’ve also shown me that I am capable of doing a lot more on my own.
Emotionally, The Perfect Step has helped me feel positive with the amazing trainers and people there. They have given me back the love of working out and pushing myself to be my very best (even when I don’t think I had a good day there because I am very hard on myself in what I think I am can do). When I do not have my best days they’ll remind me of how far I’ve come.
I set goals to be more independent and I am now by attending college, beginning to be out on my own socially and not worry about life’s what if’s, being able to stand longer and regain strength with control of my lower body, reduce my anxiety in places/areas I wouldn’t think I could handle on my own, which for the most part I can now. They’ve helped me prove to myself that I can get my life back.
In the future I want to take more steps, stand and balance, have my legs getting stronger and move them with more control. I want to strengthen my body and that all leads to me being able to walk again, and hopefully not ever depend on a wheelchair to help me get from A to B.
I’ve seen so many lives being changed for the better at The Perfect Step. It’s nice to have a place to go to that’s makes me feel like an athlete again without having the environment of a hospital. It’s like being back at the gym, but better because everyone one there is working hard to better their life and lifestyle. Something in life hit them, us, hard and the drive the people have when your there is amazing. It’s also great because people of all different kinds of crazy severe injuries are treated by amazing trainers/specialist. If you work out here you will see a change in your life for the better. My hearts been touched by how everyone who’s there works so hard to better each other physically and help clients reach their goals. I have attend 3 different places for help in my life and nothing beats the motivation, love, drive, push and help that The Perfect Step does for their clients.
Thank you to everyone who gives and works there because without your donations so many lives wouldn’t be where they are now especially my own! Before I found The Be Perfect Foundation I was way farther off from where I am now in my recovery in just about every way that my injury impacted me and then some. So again thank you for your support and donations to keep my drive and to keep me working hard for my life. As long I can/need to I will push myself to meet the goals I have set for myself in my recovery.
The Perfect Step is more than a gym, it’s a moving place filled with people who have a hard work ethic, a place where people care in so many different ways imaginable. It’s a place I look forward to going to and somewhere where no one is perfect, but will help you get as darn close to it as possible surpassing the circumstances of your life.
