My Story

Okay, so I decided to start the Everyday Bay blog challenge to get myself started. I am going to go ahead and skip to day 5, so I am caught up, but first I decided this was an important one, filling you in on my story. My name is Brandi Leigh Sturim, and I am 24 years old. I am the oldest of the 4 siblings I was raised with. My biological father has left me with what I know to be 6 other siblings, 3 of whom I have recently connected with, and 3 of which I have not seen since I was around 3 years old. I was born and raised in Southern California, (where I still reside) with pretty much a normal child hood. I had a hard working mom, and a stay at home step-dad. I had a lot of responsibility as child, helping to raise my younger siblings, because my mom was a hard worker. It helped mold me into the mother I am today. Although I of course didn't care for it then! 

I graduated in 2007 from high school, where I met Austin's father, Jonathan. That is where my story really began. We fell in love, and after about 2 years, I got pregnant with our beautiful baby boy. About 22 weeks in, we found out I was a high risk pregnancy and I was at the hospital 3 times a week. 1 time, for a special 4D ultra sound, and 2 other times for stress tests. During my 18 week ultrasound, we were finally able to find out the sex of the baby, but thats not all we left with.. Austin was diagnosed with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). We were told my entire pregnancy it wasn't that big of a deal. That he would be fine, once he stabilized after birth, they would perform the surgery and 2 weeks later Austin would be home! Well, if only they'd prepared us for the next couple years.

I had an induced labor at 40 weeks. After being in labor for 3 days, Austin started having trouble breathing, and I was asked to go ahead and allow an emergency c-section. I have no clue how Jonathan sat there and watched me on that table. All I remember is being extremely cold! I couldn't stop chattering my teeth and I was in and out of consciousness. Once Austin was removed from me, I just remember feeling a sense of emptiness, and silence. We weren't sure if his lung was going to be developed enough for him to live, so the silence was one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced. He remained in the NICU for 6 months. He had several surgeries, and was on PLENTY of medications. Of course i could go into detail, but thats way to much. He survived!!!! (and many doctors tried to convince us otherwise) He had the "Sickest baby in the NICU" title, at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles for his entire stay. That never sat well in my stomach. 

We did not find out Austin had CP until he was 2 years old, and if I didn't question everything I questioned, who knows where we'd be today. The CP was caused by medical negligence along the way on MANY occasions. Each one became clear as ever as time progressed. (We HATE kaiser) A Surgeon during a post op appointment wanted to change his G-tube, and size him for another, when doing so, a tiny whole was torn in his tummy. (Which we werent aware of yet) I realized something was wrong when he hadn't stopped crying on the way home, and decided to take him straight to emergency. I was sent home and told nothing was wrong, (but they took the wrong x-ray & treated me like I was crazy!) Later that night, nothing had changed, so we took him back. After HOURS of waiting in emergency they got the results from the x-ray that showed a whole in his abdomen and they rushed him away to emergency surgery..  Yet again, my whole world had stopped. I was numb, he had only been home with me for 2 WEEKS, and he was being taken away again. The morning after surgery he coded 2 times, for MINUTES each. I just stood there, helpless.. watching them perform CPR on my 4 month old baby. They even had to use the defibrillator. He then started having seizures (that I caught) and had to be placed on meds for that. He remained in the hospital for another 41 days, came home just in time for his Christmas (the best present ever) But he came home a different baby.. We later learned he had also been intubated incorrectly during the surgery, so he was lacking oxygen for HOURS! (which I think caused the CP) 

All in all, we are here today, and I deeply believe everything happens for a reason, and I was given this special boy, to teach me great things, while Im teaching him. 

Because of Austin I have this new found appreciation for life. He is perfect. As for his father and I, our relationship endured some struggles the past couple years, but we have finally come out of it ok :) we have been together for almost 7 years and finally on the right track to a GREAT future! My life revolves around my boys and I would not have it any other way!! 

xoxo Brandi