One Week Post-Op: Carver’s First Surgery

I can hardly believe we are already one-week post-op from Carver’s first surgery. This past week has been one of the hardest since his diagnosis. Our surgeon did an incredible job and took such care with Carver. Watching him heal so well is so truly amazing and we are so happy to be past this big hurtle.

Surgery day: Carver had to fast that morning, and while I expected him to be upset without his morning bottle, he was surprisingly content. That calmness felt like such a blessing. We checked in, met the nurses, anesthesia team, and surgeon, and were taken through the steps of preparing him for surgery. We wiped him down to reduce bacteria, dressed him in the cutest little hospital outfit, and gave him toys to help ease the wait.

The anesthesia team explained everything carefully: he would fall asleep before they placed the IV, and nerve blockers in his cheeks would help control pain when he woke up. Just before 11 a.m., they carried him back, not in a cart, but in their arms. Seeing how gently they cared for him reassured me more than words could. Still, when they left with him, I broke down in Colin’s arms before gathering myself again. Honestly, the anticipation leading up to surgery was harder than the day itself. 

The cute hospital bed! It’s wet from the wet wipes we had to use on him

We received text updates throughout the procedure. Within the first hour, they had already placed his ear tubes and IV successfully. Then came the hardest part, the wait. We walked through the hospital, enjoyed the views of the 12th floor overlooking Iowa City and the Hawkeyes football stadium where "The Wave" occurs, visited the healing garden and meditation room, and invited our parents to sit with us. Nearly five hours later, just before 4 p.m., we finally got the message we had been waiting for: Carver was waking up.

We decided to get him a bear but couldn’t decide on which one!

The cutest idea we found in the meditation room

Dr. K met us with incredible news; the surgery went beautifully. She even showed us before and after photos from the operating table, and we were speechless at the transformation. When we saw Carver in recovery, he looked so grown up. At first, he wasn’t crying, just groggy from anesthesia, but trying to feed him right away was tough. After almost 30 minutes of struggle, the nurse gave him a small dose of morphine, which helped him settle. He kicked his IV out so luckily they didn’t need to place a new one. Thankfully, that was the only morphine he needed during his entire stay.

The picture she gave us that we admired so much

I remember being so anxious and scared in this moment

That night, we stayed on the 10th floor where the team monitored him closely. He received alternating doses of Motrin and Tylenol every three hours, and although Colin and I only managed about three hours of sleep, Carver rested for most of the night. By morning, we were cleared to head home.

Admiring our baby boy

This is the craziest image! Carvers grandparents were on their way home that night and saw nose and lips in the clouds! A sign from above

The first few days at home were really hard.  We took turns sleeping in the recliner and juggled ear drops, pain medicine every 3 hours. Almost in the newborn stage again.  He hated his ear drops, and at one point, he projectile vomited after taking his meds. Still, he continued eating surprisingly well, which was such a relief. Nights 3 and 4 were the hardest, lots of crying, very little sleep, and even worries about dehydration. But by nights 5 and 6, he was back to sleeping slightly better, and by night 5, he was off pain meds completely. Our boy is so, so strong.

Now, a week later, Carver is healing beautifully. He wears splints on his arms for three weeks to keep his hands away from his face (not easy for a baby who loves his hands). He can’t lay on his tummy for 3 weeks and we’ve begun using saline and hydrogen peroxide to clean his incision site, something he definitely does not enjoy. Still, each day he looks more and more like himself, just with his brand new smile.

We also learned this week that our insurance will cover genetic testing, so at his follow-up we’ll be checking Carver’s chromosomes through lab work. Another step, another layer of anxiety, but also another chance for answers and reassurance.

This has been such a long, emotional week, but I wanted to share all the details for other moms who may one day be in these same shoes. To those moms: you can do this. Your baby is stronger than you can imagine, and so are you.

We’re taking things one day at a time, cherishing every smile, and already looking ahead to Carver’s next big milestone, his palate surgery, scheduled for March 10th, 2026. The countdown begins again.