Camden's Corner

Hi! Thanks so much for being here.
It means a lot to know Camden is surrounded by so many people who care about him. We'll be using this page to share updates throughout his open-heart surgery and recovery, so you can stay connected and follow along with his journey.
When Camden was just a few months old, we learned he had a congenital heart defect. Soon after, we also found out he has Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic condition thatās often connected to heart disease. Those early days were full of unknowns, appointments, and trying to make sense of a world we knew nothing about.
Over the last few years, weāve watched Camden grow into the sweetest little boy. He has the biggest smile, the happiest laugh, and a way of making people feel loved without even trying. He loves big hugs, being silly, and finding joy in the simplest things. š Thereās just something special about himāhe leaves people smiling, and somehow makes every place he goes feel a little brighter.
After years of closely watching his heart and waiting for the right time, weāre finally here at Stanford for his surgery. Itās hard to believe this day has arrived, but weāre hopeful itās the beginning of a healthier, stronger future for him.
Pre-Op
June 29th, 2026
Camden absolutely crushed all of his pre-op appointments today. His echocardiogram looked as good as we could have hoped for heading into surgery tomorrow. Heās been so cooperative through it all and, true to Camden, has been making friends everywhere he goes. Weāre feeling grateful and hopeful as we head into tomorrow.
Admission
Tonight weāre getting settled in at the hospital so Camden can be admitted for IV hydration before surgery. Itās one more step that helps make tomorrow as safe and smooth as possible.
His surgery is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. California time tomorrow and expected to last 6-8 hours. Weāll share updates here throughout the day as weāre able. Thank you for keeping our sweet guy in your thoughts and for all the love thatās carried us to this point. ā¤ļø
Surgery
June 30th, 2026
Last nightās IV was definitely Camdenās least favorite part of this whole process. ā¤ļøā𩹠Thankfully, thatās been the hardest part so far for him. He slept well overnight, woke up happy, and went into surgery this morning fully hydrated and in the best shape possible for today.
As of 11:30, surgery is officially underway, and everything is going smoothly so far. We know this is a long day, but itās reassuring knowing heās in such incredibly skilled and caring hands. Right now, weāre just taking it one update at a time and looking forward to seeing our brave little guy on the other side of this.
Surgery Update
As of 2:00 Camden is out of surgery, off bypass, and everything went really well. ā¤ļø Weāre so, so relieved.
Weāll get to see him in the CVICU soon. Heāll still be asleep and on a breathing tube while he starts recovering, but knowing heās through surgery safely is a really good feeling.
Weāre incredibly thankful and looking forward to being by his side. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS, GOOD VIBES, MESSAGES & POSITIVE THOUGHTS!
ICU
July 1st, 2026
Camden made it safely out of surgery and into the CVICU last night around 5:00 ā¤ļøā𩹠Getting to be back at his bedside after surgery was such a relief.
He had a really good first night and is doing great. His bleeding has been minimal, which is exactly what everyone was hoping to see. Overnight, they slowly started backing off some of his medications. As he started waking up, he made it pretty clear he wasnāt a fan of the breathing tube and reached for it a few times, so they adjusted his sedation to keep him comfortable and safe.
Itās been amazing to watch the CVICU team. His nurses have been so attentive, constantly checking on him and staying one step ahead of everything. If he keeps doing as well as he has been, the plan is to remove his breathing tube this morning.
Weāre feeling so grateful for how well heās doing and are just taking it one step at a time. ā¤ļø
Breathing Tube: OUT! š¤©ļ»æ
ICU Update
July 2nd, 2026
Camden is doing really well. ā¤ļø Weāre starting to see more of his little personality coming back š¤©
He was up quite a bit last night and definitely uncomfortable at times, but the they're working on getting his pain medication regimen dialed in so he can be more comfortable.
Today theyāre hoping to get him up and moving around a little more, and if he keeps doing as well as he has been, sounds like heāll be able to move out of the ICU later today!
 
Yesterdayās echo report brought the best news, words that made all this worth it.
The surgery worked.
There is no residual supravalvar aortic stenosis, which means the narrowing Dr. Hanley repaired is gone, blood is flowing freely through the repaired area, and thereās no remaining obstruction where Camdenās severe narrowing used to be.
His heart is pumping normally, there isnāt any concerning fluid around his heart, and everything is pointing toward a really great recovery so far. We are so, so grateful. ā¤ļø
 
Graduated from ICU

Itās been a busy morning over here! Camden got up to stand, made his way over to the chair for some snuggles š„° and has been checking off some big milestones. They pulled out a few more of his lines, so itās been a lot of hustle and bustle with people coming in and out all morning.
Now weāre finally settled into our new room, itās nice and quiet, and heās getting a much-needed nap.
Update
July 3rd, 2026

What a perfect little patient. ā¤ļø
Today was another big oneāmore lines came out, he got up and stood again, had another echo, and finally got some food in his belly.
Watching him bounce back has been pretty remarkable, and itās looking like we might get discharged this weekend!
We also have to say⦠Palo Alto has been such a neat place to be, and Stanford has completely exceeded every expectation. The care Camden has received has been nothing short of amazing, and weāre so grateful we ended up here.
I honestly can't believe all of this has happened and that we're where we are now with such an incredible outcome. We are so thankful, so relieved, and just feeling really, really lucky.
 
July 4th, 2026
Happy 4th of July!

Apparently nobody told Camden he just had heart surgery. ā¤ļø
Today he got up, walked a full lap around the unit, and made it look way easier than we expected.
We're just making sure he gets enough fluids on his own today and we'll be out of here tomorrow š¤š»
 
 
Headed Home!
July 5th, 2026

Well⦠Camden definitely understood the assignment yesterday. He drank all the water they asked him to, so today we get to head HOME!
Itās honestly hard to believe weāre already at this point. Five days ago we were handing our little boy over for open-heart surgery, and today weāre walking out of here with the best outcome we could have hoped for.
Stanford has been nothing short of amazing. Every nurse, doctor, therapist, and staff member has made us feel so cared for every step of the way. We will never be able to thank Dr. Hanley and the entire cardiac team enough for the incredible care they gave Camden. They didnāt just fix his heart, they gave our family so much peace and hope.
This little guy continues to amaze us. Heās stronger and braver than we ever could have imagined, and we couldnāt be more proud of him.
Now itās time to head home, hug Emerson, sleep in our own beds, and start this next chapter. Our hearts are so full. Thank you all for loving and cheering Camden on through all of this. ā¤ļø
 
Home Sweet Home

Now that weāre back, the focus is all on healing. The next five to six weeks are all about strict sternal precautions while Camdenās chest heals, which means no swimming, no roughhousing, no climbing, and being extra careful with lifting and how heās picked up. Itās definitely an adjustment for a busy three-year-old, but every day is one step closer to getting back to just being a kid.
Heās already amazing us with how well heās doing, and understanding how to be careful. The best part is he thinks his scar is pretty cool įµĢ