We Walk for Micah
Kerri Dominguez
Fundraising for Valley of the Sun Great Strides 2026
Kerri Dominguez
Hi! I'm glad you're here. Pull up a seat as I share Micah's story.
At 10 days old, we received a call from Micah's pediatrician. She said he was flagged on the newborn screening for having one cystic fibrosis mutation. She asked about any family history. We had none. She asked if we've heard of it. I told her the name sounded familiar, I was a fan of medical tv shows so of course it did. She scheduled the diagnostic test - the sweat test - and told me not to google. Before we ended the call, she said, "you're going to google it aren't you?." Affirmative. She told me only look at information on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website because there's a lot of false or outdated information on the googs.
I googled. I reviewed the foundation website. We were scared but no diagnosis was yet confirmed.
Sweat test day came, October 21, 2013. My birthday. :) My mom and I went to Banner Diamond Children's. They stuck the electrodes all over his body, we bundled him up in sweats and blankets and waited. We noticed the cribs in the hospital halls. I remarked how scary they were because they looked like cages and how sad it would be to be a parent who has their child being cared for in one of those. The test finished and we went home. Maybe mom bought me lunch, can't remember but she seems about due these days.
The pediatrician called me within a couple of hours. I was alone on the couch feeding Micah. She confirmed the diagnosis. I cried, he ate, I held him as tight as I could and promised him we would do everything we could for him. I think I called Mark. I know I called my boss (shout out to Mary - best principal eva).
Twoish weeks later we met with the CF team for a long - @$$ appointment. They made us feel surrounding with love but it was scary too because why does my newborn need THIS MANY people on a care team? The best respiratory therapist eva, Ms. Glenda, taught us how to do pounds. What do you mean I have to pound my newborn? I didn't know it would not be long before pounds could help him fall asleep.
End of October/beginning of November he's projectile vomiting. I take him into the pediatrician with a bagged up onesie to prove to them what was happening. The nurse said, "babies spit up sweetie." Medical gaslighting is a real thing. The doctor came in (diff doc then his pediatrician but an amazing doc for sure). He listened, he agreed with me. I already told him I thought I was pyloric stenosis. Cause of the googs. He wondered aloud if there was a connection between CF and pyloric stenosis. He immediately searched medical peer reviewed articles. Confirmed. There was a greater probability in CF patients. He said let's get him a CT scan. No milk for 24 hours before the surgery so just in case - no feeds.
Scan complete. Diagnosis confirmed. Bags packed. No milk for 24 hours before the surgery, remember? Not feeding a newborn - 0/10 stars. I can't recall who but someone brought the breast pump. I was in desperate need. They stuck an IV in the top of his skull. It was scary. Grandma was there to visit. She saw the IV and it broke her. She wasn't allowed to stay because she had allergies and the nurses said he's compromised and what if it's not allergies.
Mark had to work but Heidi and baby Rosalind came (shout out to life long besties eva). They waited with me before the surgery, during the surgery, after the surgery, all day. Ken (Heidi's baby daddy) and Mark come after work. We ate food. thankfully so could Micah. They had his funky sphincter all fixed up. End of first hospitalization. It was 2? nights.
November at some point. Micah's initial bloodwork (ordered during that first appointment with his care team) and his pancreas was confirmed to be insufficient. What do you MEAN i have to give my newborn pills mixed in applesauce? They tried to tell me how I about resources for tips to do this. I wasn't ready.
That winter, RSV came along acting all sly. I recall visiting the pediatrican's office about three times a week over that winter break.
At 10 days old, we received a call from Micah's pediatrician. She said he was flagged on the newborn screening for having one cystic fibrosis mutation. She asked about any family history. We had none. She asked if we've heard of it. I told her the name sounded familiar, I was a fan of medical tv shows so of course it did. She scheduled the diagnostic test - the sweat test - and told me not to google. Before we ended the call, she said, "you're going to google it aren't you?." Affirmative. She told me only look at information on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website because there's a lot of false or outdated information on the googs.
I googled. I reviewed the foundation website. We were scared but no diagnosis was yet confirmed.
Sweat test day came, October 21, 2013. My birthday. :) My mom and I went to Banner Diamond Children's. They stuck the electrodes all over his body, we bundled him up in sweats and blankets and waited. We noticed the cribs in the hospital halls. I remarked how scary they were because they looked like cages and how sad it would be to be a parent who has their child being cared for in one of those. The test finished and we went home. Maybe mom bought me lunch, can't remember but she seems about due these days.
The pediatrician called me within a couple of hours. I was alone on the couch feeding Micah. She confirmed the diagnosis. I cried, he ate, I held him as tight as I could and promised him we would do everything we could for him. I think I called Mark. I know I called my boss (shout out to Mary - best principal eva).
Twoish weeks later we met with the CF team for a long - @$$ appointment. They made us feel surrounding with love but it was scary too because why does my newborn need THIS MANY people on a care team? The best respiratory therapist eva, Ms. Glenda, taught us how to do pounds. What do you mean I have to pound my newborn? I didn't know it would not be long before pounds could help him fall asleep.
End of October/beginning of November he's projectile vomiting. I take him into the pediatrician with a bagged up onesie to prove to them what was happening. The nurse said, "babies spit up sweetie." Medical gaslighting is a real thing. The doctor came in (diff doc then his pediatrician but an amazing doc for sure). He listened, he agreed with me. I already told him I thought I was pyloric stenosis. Cause of the googs. He wondered aloud if there was a connection between CF and pyloric stenosis. He immediately searched medical peer reviewed articles. Confirmed. There was a greater probability in CF patients. He said let's get him a CT scan. No milk for 24 hours before the surgery so just in case - no feeds.
Scan complete. Diagnosis confirmed. Bags packed. No milk for 24 hours before the surgery, remember? Not feeding a newborn - 0/10 stars. I can't recall who but someone brought the breast pump. I was in desperate need. They stuck an IV in the top of his skull. It was scary. Grandma was there to visit. She saw the IV and it broke her. She wasn't allowed to stay because she had allergies and the nurses said he's compromised and what if it's not allergies.
Mark had to work but Heidi and baby Rosalind came (shout out to life long besties eva). They waited with me before the surgery, during the surgery, after the surgery, all day. Ken (Heidi's baby daddy) and Mark come after work. We ate food. thankfully so could Micah. They had his funky sphincter all fixed up. End of first hospitalization. It was 2? nights.
November at some point. Micah's initial bloodwork (ordered during that first appointment with his care team) and his pancreas was confirmed to be insufficient. What do you MEAN i have to give my newborn pills mixed in applesauce? They tried to tell me how I about resources for tips to do this. I wasn't ready.
That winter, RSV came along acting all sly. I recall visiting the pediatrican's office about three times a week over that winter break.
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