Brynleigh Martina Hamlin. AKA - Brynleigh Warrior Princess!

This little girl is nothing short of a miracle. She is so strong, and so determined, and so sweet, and so sassy - all wrapped into one! When Shania and I started talking about her 18 month session we discussed what that would “look like” as it wasn’t really possible to get her out for a “normal” photo session. After mulling it over and discussing a few specifics we decided it should reflect “A Day In This Chapter of Our Book” - hospital life. I wanted this blog to reflect that in photographic form, and include some words from Shania on Brynleigh’s story and how she got to this place, so I hope you can read this chapter and follow this beautiful little girl along this crazy journey called life!

Brynleigh (right) with her sister Kaysleigh (left) and her mother Shania, enjoying one of their favorite activities while in the hospital - reading books together!

Brynleigh’s Story (from Shania):
On May 19, 2019, Brynleigh was admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Columbia, Missouri, for Rhino Enterovirus. After many medical procedures to stabilize her and try to get to the root of the problem, she was placed on a ventilator for 14 days and dealt with many complications. She then developed additional airway issues as a result of being on said ventilator, but was overall seeming to do better. She was discharged from Columbia on June 27 and was home a total of just 3 hours before being air lifted to Iowa City. She received a tracheostomy the next morning, then three days later ended up with sepsis and they performed emergency surgery to save her life, but at a different cost. Due to internal complications she had to have all of her colon/large intestine and part of her small intestine completely removed. This was very life threatening, and a critical 48 hours, but with all the prayers well wishes and wonderful staff, she pulled through. She has had quite a few obstacles to over come, but they don't slow her down. Her spunk and sweet personality have never faltered. After a long 5 months, 162 days, 23 weeks, 10 Operating Room visits, 1 helicopter ride, 3 ambulance rides, 34 trach changes, and many ostomy changes - by God's Amazing will, great doctors and one strong willed little girl, the family is now home! You can follow her journey on Brynleigh's Believers.

Staff members just kept coming and coming when we paged them for a group photo, and even up to an hour later there were more that just kept popping up! Hard to squeeze that many people into a moment at a busy hospital, but they ALL stopped to check … — Staff members just kept coming and coming when we paged them for a group photo, and even up to an hour later there were more that just kept popping up! Hard to squeeze that many people into a moment at a busy hospital, but they ALL stopped to check on Bryn and hug her throughout the day!