In January 2024, my sister Jordi was diagnosed with colon cancer and Lynch syndrome. The plan was to have a laparoscopic surgery to remove her entire colon. Her expected hospital stay was 3-5 days with staging being done after surgery. Because of this, she decided to only share her health concerns with her close friends and family. She never prepared for what actually happened.

The initial surgery was successful. Her entire colon was removed along with the mass. However, her recovery didn’t go as planned. Every day that went by brought her more and more pain. Infections, fevers, nausea, frequent vomiting, air in her stomach, CT scans, not being able to eat day after day, multiple IV pokes, antibiotics, different medications - everything took a huge toll on her body. The silver lining was receiving her biopsy results, which indicated the cancer had not metastasized to her lymph nodes, and gaining peace of mind knowing that all cancer had been removed from her body. However, she will still need to meet with an oncologist to discuss possible chemo prophylacticly.

Ten days post-op, her doctor noted that she was not recovering as planned, so they decided to go in again for an exploratory laparotomy, which left her with an ileosotomy. The second surgery helped relieve a lot of her pain and made her feel better overall, but now she’s back on the mend. The recovery is slow, and at this time, she’s still in the hospital. (UPDATE: after 17 tough days in the hospital, Jordi is finally home!!) She will ultimately require a third surgery to have her ileostomy removed later this year. Furthermore, due to her Lynch syndrome diagnosis, there is a high probability of finding cancers in other parts of her body, particularly endometrial, which would require yet another surgery to remove her uterus, both ovaries, & fallopian tubes.

As a newly single mother in 2023, Jordi started nursing school, found a new job, moved out of the house she called her home for 8 years, and had to purchase a new used car after her car became unusable to take care of her kids and go to work. She was not expecting to find out she had cancer or needed surgery right after having to make so many big financial decisions.

My sister and our family are overwhelmed and encouraged by the amount of prayers, support, and love she has already received during this incredibly difficult time. It’s really hard for her to ask for help, so I’m asking on her behalf. We appreciate everyone keeping her in their prayers so she is able to heal and remain cancer-free. If you are able to do so, please consider donating toward her medical bills. Any amount helps. Thank you for your time and consideration! ❤️