Emily Rasinski Washington DC photographer

Photo Stories: Brendan's Battle, looking for a cure

Brendan Staub's neurological disorder began with his first seizure at age 8. Doctors pointed to calcifications on his brain as the cause. Then, doctors found a brain tumor. Brendan had emergency surgery to remove it at age 9. But the seizures continued, sometimes as many as 50 a day. Five years later the doctors still aren't sure what's wrong. The only thing that seems to help are $15,000 Immuno Globulin treatments (IVIG) that he receives every three weeks. 

  • {quote}You're not gonna get it{quote} Brendan says as he taunts nurses Meghan Miller, center,  and Rachel Elledge, right, as they tried to put in an intravenous line for his Immuno Globulin treatment (IVIG) at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The IVIG treatment infuses about 20,000 antibodies for 20,000 people into Brendan's body. Also pictured is him mother, Krista Staub.
  • Because Brendan has had so many intravenous lines in his arms the nurses have a hard time finding a vein for his Intravenous Immuno Globulin treatment (IVIG) at St. Louis Children's Hospital. {quote}You're not gonna get it{quote} Brendan says as he taunts nurses Meghan Miller  and Rachel Elledge (not pictured).
  • Krista holds Brendan's nose after it starts to bleed while playing a game of touch football in the front yard.
  • Homebound teacher Claire Kujath helps Brendan with his math homework over Christmas break. Because Brendan misses so much school with his medical appointments and treatments he has teachers come to his house to help him keep up.
  • Scott Simmons , Brendan's seventh grade teacher at Washington Middle School also worked with him as a homebound teacher over the summer. Simmons helps Brendan read using his C.T. t.v. which enlarges the words and helps Brendan, who is legally blind, see. Because Brendan misses so much school with his medical appointments and treatments he has homebound teachers come to his house during the summer.
  • Brendan takes his dad on in a one on one basketball game in their driveway.  {quote}He's a great athlete. It's just that this medical condition, whatever it is, has taken it from him,{quote} his mom Krista said.
  • Brendan waits with Buster outside of Washington Middle School on the first day of school.  It was the first day of school for both of them.
  • Brendan sits in Scott Simmons' Literature class at Washington Middle School during his last week of seventh grade. Brendan's seeing eye dog Buster lays under his desk. Buster spent the year helping out Brendan, whose eye sight comes and goes.
  • Brendan was one of 24 students from the special school district to be selected for a Rosemary Zandar award. Mark helps Brendan adjust his tie as the family prepares for the ceremony. Brendan's teacher Scott Simmons nominated him for the award.
  • Surrounded by adults, Brendan and his sister Maddie wait for the Rosemary Zandar awards to begin.
  • Krista Staub looks on as RN Amy Shreves checks on the bag for the Intravenous Immuno Globulin treatment (IVIG) for her son Brendan Staub at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The IVIG treatment infuses about 20,000 antibodies for 20,000 people into Brendan's body. The treatment can take up to 24 hours to administer.
  • Brendan gets a hug and a kiss from his cousin is Kaylyn Weber after she spent the afternoon hanging out with him while his mom, a part-time  real estate agent, showed a home.
  • In addition to Brendan's medical issues, the family now has to deal with problems Maddie began experiencing. Mark lays his head down on Maddie's legs as he stays with her during her three hour MRI at St. Louis Children's Hospital.  They decided to take her in for an MRI after she complained of dizziness and her legs were going numb.  They were worried it had something to do with her surgery in February 2007 to fix her cerebellum that was outgrowing her skull.
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