Jodi's Ongoing Medical Battle

I have created this page on behalf of my mum.

It is difficult watching your very active thirty six year old mother's health deteriorate to the point where she is stuck in a hospital bed. Especially when you feel the health care she is receiving isn't facilitating her recovery. Twelve months ago my mother, Jodi Blomfield, was admitted into Northshore Hospital. Over 290 days of hospitalization later, she still had no proper diagnosis. For years she was told it's Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it was all in her head, it's women issues, or even that she was a drug seeker. I have seen my mum put on a brave face for my family through all of her misdiagnoses and struggles in the past year. Losing her mobility has been one of the hardest things to watch, especially when doctors provide no further support.

The current diagnoses are Multisystem Inflammatory Disorder, Bowel Inflammation, possible Pericarditis, Possible Arthritis, possible Vasculitis, right middle lobe inflammation (lungs), Crohn's, and definitively Thin Basement Membrane Disease. Thin Basement Membrane Disease is found in 1% of the population, sometimes quickly leading to end-stage renal failure. This alone changes our mum's life as she will have to forever constantly monitor this. Critical lifestyle changes have to be implemented now that mum, as young as she is, has build ups in her arteries that are irreversible. Still doctors say ‘We still do not have a full explanation for all of Jodi's symptoms.’ My 9 year old brother has experienced similar symptoms since birth and now I am experiencing similar symptoms. She needs better care and we need answers.

In Northshore Hospital alone, we witnessed 21 admissions. Mum's list of medical problems is growing as fast as her medication list. Prednisone led to weight gain of one Kg per day, increased pressure on her damaged joints, failing adrenal glands, Pericarditis, possible lung collapse on top of everything. Despite all these symptoms she was labelled as a drug addict by many doctors. Forcing her to wean herself off pain meds, accentuating the suffering just to prove she wasn't an addict. Finally, doctors began to take her test results seriously.

Mum was previously very active in my life and within the lives of others in the community. Driven in her professional life and constantly outdoors, being trapped in hospital led to negative effects on her mental health. During her hardest days she was denied access to a counsellor. With us having to travel 3 hours to Auckland to see her it was not a quick drive to cheer her up. Our relationship became primarily through a phone. Most days she was alone. From losing her dream job due to hospitalizations, to not being able to see her friends and family, she has been through thick and thin and we all need this to finally come to an end.

Mum had been getting exponentially sicker for 5 years prior to her first hospital admission and has suffered from bowel issues her whole life. Through this long struggle it’s time to seek private health care and get a diagnosis sooner rather than later. We are seeking help through this give a little page to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Our family wants her home permanently so she can start living her life again. This cannot happen until she has a proper diagnosis and healthcare.

Every small donation will make a massive difference in my mum's life, my life, and my family's lives.