Last Thursday (January 18), the 23-year-old rapper born Matthew Derrick-Huie took to social media to tell the story of how chest pains, breathing trouble, light sensitivity, temporary blindness and depressive episodes led to multiple visits to emergency rooms and inconclusive diagnoses.
"On December 9th, 2017 I walked into a local Hospital in Mississauga with chest pain I had been experiencing for around a year," River began. "It had gotten worse in the month of November and after passing out on the 9th of December my Mom called an ambulance."
He continued, "By time the paramedics arrived I was breathing normally again, just a little out of breath and fully conscious. I had been having these bouts for around a year prior, and I knew they came & went pretty quickly. They took me to the hospital and ran some tests."
After doctors sent him home following X-rays, River returned the next day with more chest pain. Medication failed to alleviate his breathing problems, though a doctor gave him clearance to head home.
A further visit for increased shortness of breath and impaired vision led to doctors sending River to psychiatric ward, where a crisis worker tells a doctor he's suffering from an anxiety disorder.
"At this point, I don't even know what the fuck is going on," River recalled. "I know there's something wrong with my chest, I know there's something wrong with my eyes, but I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe they think I'm making this up or want attention?"
As his symptoms worsened over the next few weeks, River and his family found a doctor that agreed to test him for a cerebrospinal fluid leak through inserting a needle near the base of his spinal cord. Shortly after the test was conducted, he developed an intense sensitivity to light.
"The moment we leave my apartment I start screaming — the lights on the wall are huge — they look like suns. I have no idea what's going on. By the time we get to the hospital, the pressure in my head feels like it's going to explode, and I pass out," he tweeted. "I've fallen through the cracks of our health care system. My family and friends have done everything they can, but they can't do any more."
Taking control of the Twitter account on January 19, River's father discouraged cash donations or GoFundMe campaigns in favour of guidance towards a doctor who can deliver a proper diagnosis.
Later that day, an update revealed River had tested negative for Lyme disease, meningitis and heart disease, with a CT scan showing his brain to be normal. Blood tests and an MRI of his spine also came back normal.
In another tweet, River said he doesn't feel it's a single illness, writing, "I think doctors are looking for an equation but it feels more like a grocery list. I understand mental instability & psychosis are the umbrellas that cover all of my symptoms, but I feel at least 2 separate things are happening with my body."
Read through the rapper's tweets below. You can reach his family at letssavejohn@gmail.com.
Good Evening. My name is Matthew Derrick-Huie, I'm 23 years old my birthday is September 29th 1994 and I live in Mississauga, ON Can. I'm speaking my Mom will be typing these messages. I'm sick and I need immediate help. The following thread is my story.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
On December 9th, 2017 I walked into a local Hospital in Mississauga with chest pain I had been experiencing for around a year. It had gotten worse in the month of November and after passing out on the 9th of December my Mom called an ambulance.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
By time the paramedics arrived I was breathing normally again, just a little out of breath and fully conscious. I had been having these bouts for around a year prior, and I knew they came & went pretty quickly. They took me to the hospital and ran some tests.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
They asked me to describe my pain and I told them "it felt like I had a broken rib or a little fracture" in my chest. They ran some tests on my heart and did an X-Ray. They told me everything looked fine and I was probably just stressed. Then they sent me home.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The next day, I was having difficulty with my chest again, felt like I couldn't breathe was super light headed so I went back to hospital after another episode of chest pain in my upper left breast. The doctor who saw me that night examined my heart & told me I had Pericarditis.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
He gave me medication for 3 1/2 days, he said it should help the inflammation and set me up to see a specialist for a follow up. He said if after 3 days, I hadn't seen the specialist yet come back to the hospital to be reassessed (especially if the medication wasn't effective).
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
After taking the medication I was still having severe trouble breathing with any kind of physical activity and the same chest pain. So as requested I came back into the hospital 72 hours later to get my chest reassessed. A doctor saw me that night said I was fine & sent me home.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The following two days I started experiencing tingling in my fingers and my toes alongside the chest pain I had initially. Painful stinging and numbness. So on December 17th at 1:00am in the morning my parents took me to another hospital in Mississauga.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The doctor that saw me that day, tested for sickle cell, clotting in my body and thankfully didn't find anything. She brought in a cardiologist who looked at my heart and said I actually didn't have Pericarditis and I was just stressed & anxious. Everything would pass in a week.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
So I said to him "hey do you think maybe I could have like a fractured rib or something? Maybe something small like a little pull, because my chest still hurts" he told me I'm young and I have anxiety. There's nothing actually there. So we went home.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Trusted the doctors, the next day I still felt tingling and my chest was killing me now but figured I ride it out. A day later I was back in the hospital, I felt like I was started to lose feeling in my legs.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Once again the doctor told me everything was fine. He told me I was suffering from anxiety and there's nothing "actually" in my chest. He sent me home again and told me to relax.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Now at Dec. 20th still with this fucking pain in my chest, I go to see a specialist at the hospital who tells me it's either a) anxiety or b) GBS (a disease that causes paralysis if untreated)
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I say shit nigga, how do we know if I actually have it? He says we do a lumbar puncture where we stick a needle in your spine. I say fuck that sounds awful but I know the pain in my chest is not imaginary so let's just find out and do the test.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The next day I'm at home, I go to get some chips from the vending machine in my apartment, and I pass out in the hall. Someone calls an ambulance. I end up back at the hospital.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
They re-asses my symptoms, tell me my fingers, toes, and chest are fine. I tell them that I think my vision is off. They tell me I have anxiety and send me home again.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Now it's the day of the lumbar puncture. Doc asked me how I'm feeling, I tell him I feel like my vision is a little off. My chest still hurts lol, my fingers and toes are tingling but let's just get this over with.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Most painful experience of my life, I feel like I can still feel where he put the needle in but they called that day and said my results came back fine. I was happy as fuck, but they said if you still have a headache after 48hrs come back in because you might have a CSF leak.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
At this point I figure the worst days are behind me. Whatever this shit is will pass, if the doctors say I'm fine I should be fine. I start looking for flights back to LA in January. My chest is still killing me but doctors are doctors and I trust them.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I wake up at 3am that morning. I don't know where I am, I can't breath at all, my chest is killing me, and my vision is fucked. Ambulance brings us back to the hospital, this time, though, they send me to a psychiatric ward.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
A crisis worker sits down with me and asks if I'm hearing voices in my head of people trying to kill me. I tell her no - my chest just hurts. She asks if I ever thought it could be imaginary or just in my head? A doctor comes in and tells my parents it's an anxiety disorder.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
At this point, I don't even know what the fuck is going on. I know there's something wrong with my chest, I know there's something wrong with my eyes, but I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe they think I'm making this up or want attention?
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Now it's Christmas Eve, I still have an unbelievable headache, so we call the place that did the lumbar puncture. They say the doctor is on vacation. There's definitely something wrong with my eyes, everything is blurry. Mom says let's go back to the hospital, something's wrong.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The moment we leave my apartment I start screaming - the lights on the wall are huge - they look like suns. I have no idea what's going on. By the time we get to the hospital, the pressure in my head feels like it's going to explode, and I pass out.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I wake up, I'm looking at a doctor who tells me I was rolling on the ground in the lobby screaming "turn off the lights", holding my head. They do a CT scan, my brain looks fine, he thinks maybe its a migraine. He says 'get some rest' and sends me home Christmas morning.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Woke up 2 days later and couldn't see a thing. Wrap a towel over my eyes, the light is burning my eyes through the towel. We drive to the emergency room, I keep my head down in the car because the light from outside is excruciating. Everybody is crying.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Emergency room doesn't know what's wrong with my eyes and hope the vision loss is temporary. I spend the next 6 days sitting in my closet for 22hrs/day with a towel over my eyes because light hurts so much. Finally we go see my family doctor.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
He presses on my chest for around 5 seconds and just like that I can't breathe. He read that I got sent to the psych ward in the emergency, but he knows I don't have anxiety. He says my chest pain is real, I have costochondritis. It's an injured rib.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
So there WAS something actually wrong with my chest, I'm not crazy. He says the pressure in my head might be coming from an ear infection, gives me more medication, and says my eyes will clear up in a few days.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
7 days later, I'm back at my doctor's. The pressure in my head is still unbelievable, theres a fog taking over my brain, it almost feels like I have a concussion. I still can't see, and now I'm having trouble hearing. He tells me I'm just depressed and it's anxiety.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I spend New Year's Eve in a dark room with my parents, no lights on, sunglasses, vomiting in my toilet, with earplugs on, asking them to whisper because everything sounds loud as fuck. I spend the next week in and out of hospitals.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
2 wks ago, as I started to feel this fog take over my brain, I realize that there are these super depressive & suicidal thoughts that came with it. Everybody said my ears are fine but I can feel them draining and there's a salty taste in the back of my mouth. I can't see or hear.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I started to think I have a CSF leak. I think there's spinal fluid draining from my brain that's affecting my thoughts, vision, and ability to operate as a human being. We tried admitting me to a hospital until they could get it fixed.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
5 days ago a doctor told my parents "I think your son is suffering from a CSF leak and needs help TONIGHT and he needs a blood patch. Unfortunately, I need to get approval from someone else who might not believe me or you".
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
4 wks ago, someone stuck a needle in my spine. Since then, I've lost my vision, hearing, and ability to control my brain. We've tried admitting me to a hospital on 4 occasions. 2 doctors think there's fluid leaking from my brain but they can't get approval for anybody to fix me.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I've fallen through the cracks of our health care system. My family and friends have done everything they can, but they can't do any more.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
They expected me to end up in a psychiatric ward, stay at home feeling sorry for myself in my closet, or commit suicide. My body and mind are telling me to quit, but nigga that's just not going to happen. I feel embarrassed, but when you need help, you need help.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
I will be honest with you, any doctor that has seen me will probably tell you I have lost my mind. With all due respect, I disagree. They don't know me like you do. If you think you know anybody who can help my family at this time, please send an email to letssavejohn@gmail.com.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
If a doctor asks you, right now the only thing I can actually prove that I'm not psychotic, is my ears are popping. That's the only symptom another human being can actually hear. It's small but it's important. Until they stop popping, I haven't lost mind.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
The last thing I want to add is the only procedure I mentioned to my doctors was I had a dental appointment on the 14th of December. 4 fillings, I thought it might have been relevant but they said it was unrelated.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Early morning. Dad is here typing now. Just wanted to say while help is appreciated, we just can't accept any money. Medical assistance and facilitation is ideal, but no gofundsme please. I just personally don't feel comfortable accepting money in any capacity. Thanks.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Hey all, update to help filter help efficiently, a lot of messages we're not getting to in time. Was negative for Lyme disease, Meningitis, Heart disease & CT scan with dye showed brain looks normal. Multiple blood test all came back normal as well. Along with MRI of spine.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
Also I don't feel it's one illness. I think doctors are looking for an equation but it feels more like a grocery list. I understand mental instability & psychosis are the umbrellas that cover all of my symptoms, but I feel at least 2 separate things are happening with my body.
— John River (@LetsSaveMatthew) January 19, 2018
