Asher Dominguez's Heart Journey
Donation protected
Hello everyone! My name is Asher Nathaniel Dominguez and I'm 5 months old! I'm sorry I haven't been able to meet several of you yet, but i have been a very busy little boy! I would love to meet you all eventually! So let me start my telling you all a little about me, my family, and our story so far! My mommy and daddy found out I would be joining their family and they were ecstatic! They told my big brother Owen, and big sisters Leyna, and Mia and I just loved seeing how excited they all were to know I would be coming soon to meet them! Everyone waited patiently for my arrival and bought all sorts of awesome new things for me. Mommy and daddy would talk to me all the time, and mommy loved when I would give her hugs through her tummy. I couldn't wait to meet them! They loved me so much already! Weeks went by, and my parents were waiting to see me again on this cool little TV screen. The doctors took pictures of my arms, legs, head and even proved to them I was a little boy! Can you believe that! The doctor needed a few more pictures and reassured mommy it was all routine. Not long after another Dr, I think he was called a Cardiologist, came in and shattered my parents heart. My mommy cried, a lot, and that made me sad. The Dr explained to mommy and daddy that I have a congenital heart defect called Pulmonary Artresia, VSD, with MAPCAS. That scared me. I didn't know what that meant. He explained a couple aspects to the heart defect I have. Pulmonary atresia is a form of heart disease in which the pulmonary valve does not form properly. It is present from birth (congenital heart disease). The pulmonary valve is an opening on the right side of the heart that regulates blood flow from the right ventricle (right side pumping chamber) to the lungs. Because of this defect it would make it harder for me to breathe and do ordinary, every day baby things like drink my milk or just getting a little excited when my loved ones would be around.
After what felt like a eternity finally we were back home and mommy and daddy prayed and cried some more. I just wanted mommy to hold me, but I was strong and made sure to let my parents know I was okay and things would be okay once I joined them! It was hard for them to grasp that my little heart was already different than others but soon to find out, that's what makes me, well me!
Time flew by and I finally made my entrance into the world! I got to meet my family and they were all so amazing! I had a little rough start, but in no time I got to go home with my parents! My siblings fought over holding me, and I thought it was the funniest thing! I love them all! My little heart worked hard, and because of my condition I had a few things I had to deal with, but for the most part I was a pretty normal baby. I was just trying to grow and get strong for all my upcoming procedures to fix my heart. I needed to be at my best! So I tried! I ate, I slept, I enjoyed all the cuddles!
September 18th 2018, all of our lives changed. I wasnt feeling myself. I was sleepy, and my heart was working so hard and I couldn't breathe well. Mommy knew something was wrong so she packed me all up and took me to the hospital in Cheyenne. They used big words again that I didn't understand, but they wanted me to be with my cardiac team in Denver. They know me very well there, and they have more medicine and tools to help me. So they hooked me up to a bunch of machines and took me on this big helicopter. Mommy couldn't go with me. I was so scared. I was trying to be strong and brave but I really wanted to go home, and have mommy hold me. Daddy was far away. He was taking care of my siblings. I know it was so hard for him not being there for mommy and me. He had to be strong like he always does, and make sure my siblings were ok. Once we arrived they diagnosed me with bronchiolitis and rhinovirus. It took a toll on my little body. My heart and lungs were trying to keep up with the demand my body was wanting but it just couldn't keep up. About a week after my stay in the hospital I began to struggle even more with my breathing. When I would get upset I started having episodes of not breathing. This was scary for me, and I would have no control over it. My parents were terrified. And my team here at RMHC help me to avoid them, but they get scared and rush to my aid every time it happens! I try to breath but my airways sometimes wont allow me to. I turn blue and purple, so my nurses and doctors have to give me more air by an emergency cpap machine to help me start breathing again. My Doctors finally found out that I had Trachea and Broncho Malacia. This condition is the collapse of the airway when breathing. This means that when I exhale, the trachea narrows or collapses so much that it makes it hard to breathe and sometimes I stop breathing completely. This can lead to a vibrating noise or cough during normal breathing as well. This condition is a constant struggle for me and because of my heart condition along with this, it all just adds too much for me to ever breathe normal right now. It's hard and I'm so tired. I haven't been able to leave, my home away from home since, and they are trying to keep me as comfortable as possible here.
So here we are today. I now require respiratory support, iv fluids to keep me hydrated, daily nutrition support and inhalers to help keep my airways as healthy as possible. I recently went through a small surgery to have a gtube placed into my belly so I can get my feeds that way. The reason for this has been because with my worsening condition nowadays I have not been able to feed myself by bottle anymore. Without this gtube I wouldn't be able to eat at all. I now have started struggling to keep my heart rates down to a normal range. My little heart is just trying to work so hard to keep my body going and it just isn't strong or healthy enough anymore. It has come time to do my repairs but I have to have major preparations for this open heart surgery. It's going to be a complicated case for my cardiac team, and will take a big toll on my body and require a lot of recovery time for me. This surgery is going to have a ton of risks and is very scary for me, my parents and family. My journey will not be over just after this surgery, as I will require a few more maintenance surgeries throughout my life but the hope is that this one main surgery will get me to where I need to be. I will hopefully be able to go home and do the typical baby things like eating, laughing, rolling over and enjoying my family without complications.
I'm currently staying at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver, co. My mommy doesn't leave my side. She sleeps right next to me on a small little couch. I'm so thankful she stays with me. It's scary without her here, and she makes all my ouchies feel better. She sings me songs and dances with me. I know she is tired, but she never complains. I miss my daddy so much. He comes and sees me as much as he can. He is such a strong man..I hope I can grow up to be like him. As much as mommy and me want him here with us, he has to stay home in Torrington, Wy to work and take care of my siblings. He works hard to support us all and get my sisters to school every day. He tries to keep their life as easy and normal as possible. It's still hard for them to understand why we all are separated right now. We facetime every day though! My big sisters sure miss mommy, but they have been so nice and are sharing her with me. Mommy misses them too, when I'm sleeping I hear her cry. She wants us all together again.
So I'm asking all my family, friends and everyone that knows my amazing family to please keep us all in your good thoughts and prayers. My parents have been so strong and good to me. But as strong as they are, I'm asking for any help from you all.. with only daddy working I know money is tight. And daddy makes a lot of trips down here to see me. Between trips, and mommy staying here with me they need a little help. There is still a long road ahead of us all. So my family has set up this page to help! You can donate on this GoFundMe, or if you prefer, I have a private benifit bank account at Platte valley bank. They accept mailed in checks , or online transfers. The account is under Asher Dominguez. Also, my mommy can receive packages at the Ronald McDonald house. The address there is, 1300 E 21st Ave, Denver, CO 80205. Any donations will go to my parents, their traveling expenses and my hospital stay. Donations can include gas cards, gift cards for food for my family, gift cards for necessities and much more. Any and all donations will mean the world to us!
Again I ask for prayers and comfort for all of my family. And know I'm staying strong and fighting hard so I can come home and meet you all! Much love!
Asher ❤
*For those of you that dont know me, I am Natasha Kent and I am running this page for my nephew Asher and his family. Cassandra and Adam have remained so strong through this whole journey, and never once complain. They take everything thrown their way, and keep pushing forward. I have hope that we all can come together as family and friends to help them as they are at their sons side, and have little outside of that to worry about. Financials can be overbearing at times, and that should be the least of their worries right now. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me! [phone redacted]. Stephanie Dominguez has more information on Asher's private bank account and together we can help you all in the right direction if you prefer that instead. We all love Asher so much, and we want to help their family in any way possible! Thank you! May god bless!
Organizer and beneficiary
Natasha Kent
Organizer
Cheyenne, WY
Cassandra Kent
Beneficiary