MEET MICAH
Our journey with Micah didn’t go according to plan. He made his entrance into this world 7 ½ weeks early and stayed in the NICU for 38 days. Our lives began to blur with doctors, specialists, medicines and diagnosis. Micah's mom, Suzie, became the expert on sharing Micah’s medical history in 3 – 5 minutes, over and over and over again. She figured out that ‘no’ from insurance companies really means you have to spend another 10 hours on the phone to get a ‘yes’. We learned about seizures and seizure medications. We learned about feeding tubes. Really, we just learned to survive. The world constantly told us what Micah couldn’t do, and it seemed like the only thing we could do was just listen. Without the support of our family and friends I’m not sure where we’d be.
After awhile we started to settle into the routine of our new life. Suzie figured out that the best way to work with insurance companies was to just ask to speak to the manager. We met other families who had similar experiences. We met organizations like the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation. We didn’t feel as alone. We were ready to start pushing back on the constant message of what Micah couldn’t do.
What's most important to you? Chances are you might think about your family, friends, the feeling of making a difference for others, the things you love.
What is it about us that gives us the ability to love? Do you have to walk to be able to love? Why do we desire to make a difference? Do you have to be able to talk to inspire?
If Micah never says a word his entire life, he can still love. He can still touch people and inspire them. It’s our job to help the world to get to know him and the many gifts he has.
It's such a joy to be on a marathon course with Micah. Sometimes it's quiet out there and I can hear him breathing. Other times it's loud with cheering and conversation. He's always right there in front of me, encouraging me along. We hope to use these marathons to generate interest and support for wonderful causes that are out making a difference.
Micah has the spirit of a runner. He understands perseverance and patience. It’s really all he knows. That runner’s spirit is a little light that shines out from him.
We run together because we can. It's our time together. It's also bigger than us. It’s our opportunity to share Micah with the world. Micah's Miles brings people together and reminds us of what a gift life is. We are very fortunate to have a Micah’s Miles Team. Friends, family and community leaders have come together to help us share Micah’s story. Micah's sister, Mackenzie, and brother, Stephen are a big part of Micah's life as well as grandparents and extended family. Micah loves school, and all his teachers and friends. He loves watching the Seahawks and Zags and also all of his siblings' activities. He's a big fan of music and musicals as well.
