Michael's Story
During a routine anatomy scan during pregnancy, Michael’s parents were told that their unborn baby had congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), a rare condition causing abnormal tissue growths in the lungs. They were then told that there was a real possibility their son might not survive.
The next morning, Michael’s parents arrived at Johns Hopkins Maternal-Fetal Medicine for extensive testing. Doctors discovered both a solid mass and a fluid-filled mass in Michael’s lungs, each dangerously large and impacting his breathing. The care team explained that if the growth could be slowed and the excess fluid reduced, Michael might have a chance at a good quality of life.
Michael’s mother was admitted for four days of intensive medication treatment, followed by additional appointments for testing and monitoring. On the anxiety-filled day of delivery, a close friend waited nearby with memory-making items, prepared for the worst.
Before Michael’s birth, doctors drained fluid from his lungs in utero to give him the best possible chance to breathe. When he was delivered by C-section, he cried — and the room filled with emotion.
Michael was taken immediately into a five-hour surgery and placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a heart-lung bypass machine. He coded that night and remained on ECMO for 17 days. After coming off the machine, he coded once more. Throughout his time in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), teams worked together seamlessly, supporting not only Michael but his entire family.
Today, Michael is a joyful 2-year-old. Though he uses a gastrostomy tube (inserted into the stomach to help with feeding and medication) due to vocal cord paralysis, he chooses to eat by mouth at times. He's meeting his milestones, and he loves dinosaurs, trucks, and trains —but most of all, his sisters.
Michael’s story is one of expert care, teamwork and hope.