This story is lengthy, but we implore you to read it. The story of a mothers fight to stay alive.
Jodi Ortiz/Barnes (39) is wife to Josh Barnes ( 35) and mother of Brayden ( 6) and Parker (4). Jodi had everything she could want. Between 2014 and 2018 she felt as if she were living in her own fairy tale. In February of 2018 her whole life changed in an instant. Jodi discovered a painful lump during a self exam. She brushed it off as a cyst inititally , but the pain persisted so she called her Primary doctor. The doctor wasn't convinced of a cyst so she sent Jodi for an ultrasound. When the results came back that the lump was NOT a cyst but instead a tumor they sent Jodi for a biopsy to determine if it was a fatty tumor or cancer. On March 29th Jodi was diagnosed with aggressive Breast Cancer. In 10 minutes her whole fairy tale came crashing down.
The news completely devastated the Barnes family. The next few days were a blur and a roller coaster of emotions for everyone. They had to cancel Braydens 3rd Birthday party, Jodi bounced between panic and what ifs, to anger and why is this happening.. They felt like time had slowed to a crawl in preparation for her first oncology appointment, The day finally came and with the support of her husband and dad, they walked in ready for their lives to change. Jodis Official diagnoses is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (short IDC) triple negative stage 3a grade 3 Breast Cancer. This is an EXTREMELY aggressive form of cancer. Among countless, MRI's, X-rays, Echos, and other imaging, Jodi also had to have a port put in for Chemo. At this point her cancer is in her breast and lymph nodes under her right arm. On April 2018, she started Chemo. Four rounds of A/C ( red devil) every two weeks. Then 12 rounds of Taxol. Ended Chemo August 30, 2018. Jodi then opted for a double mastectomy with no reconstruction. She was done with her breasts trying to kill her. On October 4, 2018, a week before Parkers 2nd Birthday, Jodi had her surgery. After a few anxiety inducing complications following surgery over the next two weeks, it was time to start her journey through 35 rounds of radiation. Every single day for 7 weeks. That ended in January of 2019.
FINALLY she should have been done. She did everything she was suppose to do from start to finish and her scans where clear and surgery was successful. She was on the mend and feeling better...
In July of 2019 while Jodi was getting one of her boys ready for an appointment, she tripped and fell over a toy. She didn't think much of it and let her primary doctor know and was told if the pain from the fall didn't ease to come back in two weeks. Jodi ended up doing back in and got sent to an orthopedic. Following an MRI the orthopedic doctor called and told her to called her oncologist.. Again the fear flood in and a lump settled in the back of her throat, Hadn't she done enough? She did EVERYTHING she was suppose to!! Jodi had a new tumor and this time on her hip where the joint and the socket meet. More radiation and two weeks later she was in excruciating pain and she couldn't walk. A CT later and things were getting worse. Jodi, fearful of the future, had her boys baptized and then Surgery two days later to replace her hip as well as repair the ball joint that was being eaten by the cancer. Six weeks later she was able to finish radiation. In January 2020 Jodi underwent yet another surgery to have her tubes and ovaries removed out of fear of the cancer spreading from her hip. She started oral chemo again to help prevent spreading anywhere else.
In May of 2020 YET AGAIN... the Thursday before Mothers Day, Jodi had the breath knocked out of her again. Jodi found out her metastatic cancer had spread to her liver, lungs, and came back to her right hip and leg again. 6 months and two more failed treatment plans. She was able get on a brand new FDA approved drug called Trodelvy In October 2020. When I tell you this women FOUGHT AND FOUGHT through this chemo. She lost a lot of weight, lost all her hair ( facial, head, and body).. She rarely ever complained because she wanted her boys to see her fight and see how strong she is. She wanted them to have hope.. She is so desperately grasping for HOPE. This Chemo worked for NINE MONTHS,.. However, all good things must come to an end and Trodelvy is no longer working. Her tumors are spreading again and her doctor is concerned for her liver. She also has more spots that have appeared on her pelvic and lower back and her right hip and leg are covered in cancer.She is currently in a new treatment but its extremely experimental and we won't know about progress until later this month.
If you made it through all of that, THIS IS WHERE THEY NEED YOUR HELP!! We want to make Jodi more comfortable and improve her quality of life. Besides doctors appointments and the RARE days that she's up for walking in her walker for a few minutes, Jodi has been bed ridden because of pain with her hip/leg. She is missing out on outings with her boys, special occasions, school events, and even the little things like shopping for groceries. She desperately needs a motor scooter so that she can be mobile and enjoy every precious moment she has of watching her boys grow. They also need lifts for her husbands vehicle and her parents car. Jodi is moved back and forth between her home when her husband isn't working to her parents home when he is working because she is unable to be mobile and take care of her boys alone during treatments. She also is in need of a walk-in bath tub because getting her legs over the side so she can shower in extremely painful and she can't get that low to take a bath because she cannot get back up. She needs a motorized bed as she has days where she's too weak to lift herself up or sit up to eat. These are just a few of the things that could literally change her life. It would change her husband and boys lives.. because they would be able to see and enjoy time with her. Jodi Barnes is a light to anyone who has ever met her. She is selfless. She is ALWAYS there for her friends. She is a beautiful soul that can brighten your day just by flashing a smile. There is no one better deserving of our generosity and love. If you can't donate finically, Jodi is always graciously accepting prayers. Pray that her doctors minds and hands have the knowledge and strength to heal her so she can one day, resume the Fairy Tale that was so violently stolen from her.