Carver was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great arteries during his 20-week ultrasound. We were quickly thrown into the “heart world” and realized what all this would mean for our son and family. Carver was born on June 26, 2014, and had an exploratory cath on June 27 to prepare him for his open-heart surgery. On July 2, 2014, we handed over our son for a nine-hour life-saving open-heart surgery.
After his surgery, Carver was faced with quite a few complications. His chest was open for five days, he had a lot of fluid/pressure build up, the right side of his heart was working too hard, he developed chylothorax, he started having SVTs, he was on a ventilator for 13 days, he developed an infection in his lungs, and had an ng tube. One of the toughest parts of those complications was not being able to hold him for 12 days after surgery. Carver’s little body faced each complication head-on and he fought through each challenge. He had mountains to climb, but through the power of prayer, love and support, he moved each mountain in the way. After a 33-day hospital stay, Carver came home with us.
He now sees his cardiologist annually and although there are a couple things being monitored, he is medication free and does not have any additional surgeries on the horizon. Carver spends most of his days playing with his sisters, Morgan and Sidney, parents and extended family. He continues to amaze us each day. He hasn’t let his heart slow him down and he’s full of energy, words, hugs and snuggles. Although he doesn’t understand what a miracle boy he is, or even that his heart was sick, he prays for his “Help-A-Heart friends” each night before bed.
We often say Help-A-Heart isn’t a club that you want to be a part of, but we are so thankful it exists. Whether your new baby was just diagnosed with a heart defect, your child who’s been healthy for years was just diagnosed with a heart defect, or you’ve recently lost a child to heart defect, there’s someone in the organization that has worn similar shoes and is ready to provide support. It’s a beautiful group and we’re so blessed to be a part of it.