Caden’s story began in April 2023 when he was born with a complex set of heart conditions: Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), and pulmonary stenosis (PS). These congenital heart defects required immediate attention, but his pulmonary stenosis made him a poor candidate for surgery at birth. Instead, at just two weeks old, Caden underwent a catheter procedure known as a balloon atrial septostomy, which helped to stabilize him and allowed him to be sent home to grow.
Though the initial signs seemed positive, Caden’s journey was far from over. Around three months old, his oxygen levels began to drop, prompting further examination. An exploratory catheterization revealed the need for a palliative open-heart surgery. At just 4.5 months old, Caden underwent his first open-heart surgery—a VSD enlargement. The surgery was a success, and his recovery seemed promising. However, just as his health seemed to be improving, a new challenge emerged: Caden started refusing his bottles. This led to a decision to place a feeding tube (g-tube), and a few weeks later, he was discharged to begin a new chapter of his recovery.
But the road ahead would continue to be filled with obstacles. Over the next six months, Caden battled multiple respiratory viruses, each of which led to hospital admissions for oxygen support. Then, in February 2024, he was admitted for pneumonia. After several days of IV antibiotics, his condition stabilized, and he was discharged. Yet just weeks later, on Valentine’s Day, Caden’s oxygen levels dropped drastically into the 60s, and he had to be readmitted. Despite a week-long stay at their local hospital, his condition didn’t improve, prompting a transfer to MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital—the heart hospital where the team would work tirelessly to give Caden a chance at life.
Upon arrival at MUSC, doctors discovered a severely enlarged pulmonary artery that was compressing Caden’s airway and had caused a complete collapse of his left lung. The team quickly realized that the only option for Caden’s survival was a full repair surgery. On March 4, 2024, Caden underwent surgical planning in the cath lab, where he remained sedated and intubated as doctors worked to recruit his collapsed lung. Three days later, on March 7th, Caden entered the operating room for his life-saving surgery—a double root translocation with a LeCompte maneuver, ASD closure, VSD closure, and pulmonary valve repair.
The surgery was a lengthy 13 hours, with 11 of those spent in the operating room. When it was over, the doctors were amazed to find that Caden did not require ECMO, as had been expected due to his collapsed lung. His chest was left open for three days to help with his recovery, and after that, he was successfully extubated. Caden’s recovery, though slow, was steady, and just three weeks post-op, he was discharged—one week before his first birthday.
Though Caden faced several more challenges, his resilience never wavered. Six weeks later, he returned to the cath lab in an attempt to balloon his pulmonary artery due to some residual stenosis. Unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful. However, the good news is that Caden’s stenosis has since stabilized and settled into the moderate category, which means that no immediate interventions are necessary.
Today, Caden is 2.5 years old and thriving. He continues to benefit from various therapies and is making remarkable progress. He is still fully fed through his g-tube but is slowly learning to eat more by mouth. His family is thrilled to share that he’s been able to start preschool, and he’s bursting with life and joy. Caden loves playing ball with his big brother, enjoying time outside, and splashing around in the water. He has a love for singing songs, bringing light and laughter to those around him.
Caden’s story is one of triumph over adversity, of a little boy who has overcome so many trials with the strength and determination of a warrior. His journey is a testament to the power of prayer, the care and expertise of his surgeon, Dr. Minoo Kavarana, and the entire heart center team at MUSC. Without their dedication, Caden would not be here today. His family knows that it is only through God’s grace and the countless prayers from their village that Caden has been able to defy the odds time and time again.
As they reflect on his journey, Caden’s family is filled with gratitude and hope. They are excited for the future and all that it holds for their little boy. They continue to raise awareness for congenital heart defects (CHDs) in the hope that other families will find support and strength in Caden’s story.
Caden is a living example of resilience, strength, and love. He has shown his family—and the world—that no matter how difficult the battle, true warriors never give up.
