Jonathan's Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Hello people of the public! My name is Alexis vonRodenstein. For those of you that know me, and for those who may not, I am starting this fund to raise awareness and passion in regards to my dear friends, the Barrientos'.
Danielle is my best friend, an outstanding wife and mother of a four year old sweetheart of a boy named Ari, and a newborn beautiful baby girl named Freya. Jonathan is her husband, and also a long time friend of mine. He works his heart out to be a supportive and loving husband, and father. They are the essence of a genuine, hard working, and affectionate family.
But life came to frightening and questionable turning point....
When Danielle was 35 weeks pregnant with Freya, she got news on a strange ear and eye "infection" Jonathan was experiencing. The problematic swelling of his face and tearing of his right eye was not from an infection. It was from a tumor. A tumor located underneath his right eye, growing into the occular bone of his face.
Danielle and Jonathan were devestated to say the least.
Thinking about the new baby coming to this world. The son they are raising, and the life changes that he would endure in his life. All of their lives. Was this tumor spreading to other parts of his body? Was the tumor growing into his eye? Was it going to affect his brain? So much turmoil, and petrifying thoughts were spilling into their emotions and thoughts.
The tumor is an ossifying fibroma. A tumor that in the midst of 3 months grew from 4 centimeters, to the size of a man's fist. A panel of doctors, specialists, and plastic surgeons were throwing their opinions, and medical advice...what was the plan?
Long and stressful story of the surgery plan later, this is what Jonathan's surgery entailed: an incision that starts underneath his right eye to the side of his nose, and down his cheek, to the middle of his lip. There his face was to be opened, and ALL of his teeth taken out on the affected side to reach to tumor as well as his complete upper jaw. Majority of his fibula (lower leg bone) was removed, to created a paste-like consistency with the bone to recreate and reconstruct a new eye sockey and cheek bone. While removing the fibula, they also removed an artery from his leg to perfuse his facial tissue with the sufficient blood supply it needed for removal of the tumor. A tracheostomy (incision to the windpipe for breathing through the neck) had to be placed as well, and a feeding tube into his stomach. A large skin graft from his thigh was removed, to cover his calf where his fibula was taken out. THIS SURGERY WAS EXTENSIVE, and threatening to Jonathan's existence. And as you can imagine, Jonathan and his family were overwhelmed with pure terror and fear.
THANKFULLY Jonathan made it through surgery, and without any complications. Danielle was with his every step of the way at Shands, and their sweet and beautiful newborn girl was too- in a hotel room with her Grandmother, in which Danielle was torn between visits.
SURGERY WAS 12 HOURS, and Jonathan had to be in ICU for a week, and the expectation was hospitalization for two weeks, but Jon was being so strong and doing so well, he was hospitalized for only one- and home to be cared for by Danielle.
The full recovery of being able to walk normal again is about 6 months...and this means no work, no playing with his active son, and help with the baby isn't as easy as he'd like it to be. But, he is doing his best.
Part of his recovery is getting his teeth replaced, which is a huge expense. Danielle is a full-time student, and a full-time mom. Until Jonathan can go back to work, their income is at a standstill.
So my intention with this is to help them raise money to get back on their feet, help with the outstanding medical bills, assistance with their mortgage, and most importantly to help Jonathan with any supplemental surgeries to reach his pre-surgery appearance. Which may be plastic surgery, dental implants, and possible chemotherapy or any other recovery treatments for his remission.
THANK YOU in advance, for anyone willing to participate with me and to help them ease this struggle...
Danielle is my best friend, an outstanding wife and mother of a four year old sweetheart of a boy named Ari, and a newborn beautiful baby girl named Freya. Jonathan is her husband, and also a long time friend of mine. He works his heart out to be a supportive and loving husband, and father. They are the essence of a genuine, hard working, and affectionate family.
But life came to frightening and questionable turning point....
When Danielle was 35 weeks pregnant with Freya, she got news on a strange ear and eye "infection" Jonathan was experiencing. The problematic swelling of his face and tearing of his right eye was not from an infection. It was from a tumor. A tumor located underneath his right eye, growing into the occular bone of his face.
Danielle and Jonathan were devestated to say the least.
Thinking about the new baby coming to this world. The son they are raising, and the life changes that he would endure in his life. All of their lives. Was this tumor spreading to other parts of his body? Was the tumor growing into his eye? Was it going to affect his brain? So much turmoil, and petrifying thoughts were spilling into their emotions and thoughts.
The tumor is an ossifying fibroma. A tumor that in the midst of 3 months grew from 4 centimeters, to the size of a man's fist. A panel of doctors, specialists, and plastic surgeons were throwing their opinions, and medical advice...what was the plan?
Long and stressful story of the surgery plan later, this is what Jonathan's surgery entailed: an incision that starts underneath his right eye to the side of his nose, and down his cheek, to the middle of his lip. There his face was to be opened, and ALL of his teeth taken out on the affected side to reach to tumor as well as his complete upper jaw. Majority of his fibula (lower leg bone) was removed, to created a paste-like consistency with the bone to recreate and reconstruct a new eye sockey and cheek bone. While removing the fibula, they also removed an artery from his leg to perfuse his facial tissue with the sufficient blood supply it needed for removal of the tumor. A tracheostomy (incision to the windpipe for breathing through the neck) had to be placed as well, and a feeding tube into his stomach. A large skin graft from his thigh was removed, to cover his calf where his fibula was taken out. THIS SURGERY WAS EXTENSIVE, and threatening to Jonathan's existence. And as you can imagine, Jonathan and his family were overwhelmed with pure terror and fear.
THANKFULLY Jonathan made it through surgery, and without any complications. Danielle was with his every step of the way at Shands, and their sweet and beautiful newborn girl was too- in a hotel room with her Grandmother, in which Danielle was torn between visits.
SURGERY WAS 12 HOURS, and Jonathan had to be in ICU for a week, and the expectation was hospitalization for two weeks, but Jon was being so strong and doing so well, he was hospitalized for only one- and home to be cared for by Danielle.
The full recovery of being able to walk normal again is about 6 months...and this means no work, no playing with his active son, and help with the baby isn't as easy as he'd like it to be. But, he is doing his best.
Part of his recovery is getting his teeth replaced, which is a huge expense. Danielle is a full-time student, and a full-time mom. Until Jonathan can go back to work, their income is at a standstill.
So my intention with this is to help them raise money to get back on their feet, help with the outstanding medical bills, assistance with their mortgage, and most importantly to help Jonathan with any supplemental surgeries to reach his pre-surgery appearance. Which may be plastic surgery, dental implants, and possible chemotherapy or any other recovery treatments for his remission.
THANK YOU in advance, for anyone willing to participate with me and to help them ease this struggle...
Organizer and beneficiary
Alexis VonRodenstein
Organizer
Ocala, FL
Jonathan Barrientos
Beneficiary