Jody Jackson and her daughter Kailey Jackson. Jody suffers from primary biliary cholangitis, and fundraisers are currently planned to help Jody and her family, after Jody recently underwent a liver transplant. (Source: GoFundMe)
Jody Jackson is dealing with a post-op infection but overall she is happy to be alive and recovering in a Toronto hospital from a liver transplant she received June 8.
“I’m accepting my son’s liver so everything is good other than the infection,” said the 49-year-old who has a rare liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis. PBC is a chronic condition in which the bile ducts in the liver are slowly destroyed.
Jody, whose blood type is AB Negative, lived with PBC for about ten years before needing a transplant.
“I met a nurse here. She’s 35 years in nursing and she said she’s never met an AB negative person. I’m the rare of the rare,” she said.
Luckily for Jody, her son Nate was a match and was able to give his mom part of his liver.
“He’s an incredible young man,” she said.
Nate needs to stay close to the hospital for his recovery and is leasing a place, but he won’t be able to work for up to eight months.
“My brother gave up 80-percent of his liver and so now he has to regenerate the rest of his liver and that’s a process as well,” said Kailey Jackson, who went to visit the family Friday morning.
Kailey tries to visit as often as she can but has to work to help keep the family financially afloat.
“It’s hard financially for sure,” she said.
Her mom is hoping to be home by October in time for her 50th birthday.
Until then, Jody will focus on recovery, visiting the doctor, having follow-up tests, and watching the bills pile up.
“Right now we’re financially paying for an apartment here in Toronto as well as our home at home, plus my medical needs here. So financially it’s been a huge struggle,” said Jody.
Adding to the expenses when she returns home is medication to ensure her body accepts the liver, which she’ll have to pay for out of pocket.
Kailey said her dad misses a lot of days at work to stay with the family and many have stepped up to offer support, including a GoFundMe page which has helped the family.
The Moose Lodge on Tecumseh Road West is hosting a pasta dinner on Tuesday June 28 between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and featuring a visit from Minnie Mouse.
Another family member is hosting a yard sale throughout the weekend at 4500 Concession 4 in Amherstburg, Ont.
“Everyone has been so amazing and supportive,” said Kailey.
The Justice Department has asked a court to unseal the search warrant the FBI received before searching the Florida estate of former President Donald Trump, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday.
A widespread power outage is currently affecting the downtown core in Toronto and officials say it may have been caused by a large crane that struck a high-voltage transmission line.
A national tracking system for health-care workers, with information on what training they have, where they're located and what their career plans are, would make a 'significant difference' in addressing future staffing challenges, the president of the Canadian Medical Association says.
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
A Canadian Armed Forces veteran has been charged with murder in connection to a mass shooting in Belize that left two people dead and eight others injured.
Animal services officers at the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth (HSKWSP) say they have witnessed an increasing trend of traps being set to capture or harm local wildlife.
The City of London has created a new pilot project that will allow permit vendors to operate on Dundas Place between Ridout Street and Wellington downtown.
The family of J.R. Smith, locked up in a Belize prison for nearly two weeks, is hoping the Canadian government steps up for the military veteran charged with murder in a mass shooting at a nightclub.
Canadians for Affordable Energy President Dan McTeague says gas prices will increase eight cents a litre in Ottawa on Friday, bringing gas prices to $1.749 a litre.
A Mississippi Mills, Ont. councillor has had her pay suspended for 90 days after breaching the municipality's COVID-19 vaccination policy by attending council meetings while refusing to disclose her vaccination status.
A widespread power outage is currently affecting the downtown core in Toronto and officials say it may have been caused by a large crane that struck a high-voltage transmission line.
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
An American teenager who was seriously injured in a drive-by shooting in Laval, Que. during a family vacation three months ago was finally released from hospital, but still isn't able to walk on his own.
A new study shows that religious minorities in Quebec, particularly women, feel less safe and less welcome in the social fabric of society since the adoption of the province's secularism law, commonly known as Bill 21.
A climatologist says the wildfires that have been burning for more than two weeks in central Newfoundland could be a sign of what's to come as the province feels the impacts of climate change.
Cybercrime is on the rise across Manitoba, and while new provincial funding is helping Winnipeg Police crack down on illegal cryptocurrency transactions, other forms of cybercrime are also threatening Manitobans.
The Edmonton Oilers shared memories of superfan Ben Stelter on Thursday. Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and head coach Jay Woodcroft held a virtual press conference to speak about the six-year-old.
Jody Jackson and her daughter Kailey Jackson. Jody suffers from primary biliary cholangitis, and fundraisers are currently planned to help Jody and her family, after Jody recently underwent a liver transplant. (Source: GoFundMe)
