Jody Sparks Love for Jody

Welcome to Jody's  CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support, words of hope and encouragement., and especially your prayers for Jody. Thank you for visiting. (Click read more) 

Jody had not been feeling well for a while, but they were generalized symptoms, and she had difficulty articulating how she felt. She went to a scheduled visit at the UW School of Dentistry on October 10.  They took her blood pressure and checked her oxygen level before her procedure. She was very low on oxygen, and the dental staff had her go directly to the emergency room. Jody was evaluated, and it was determined that she needed to be admitted to the hospital. There were no available beds at the UW, so she went by ambulance to Northwest Hospital, which is near Northgate in Seattle. 

Jody was originally diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. She was given antibiotics intravenously,  and her oxygen levels and other vital signs were monitored closely. Many tests were done, but it was difficult for the doctors to determine the cause for her symptoms, and why she was not responding to the antibiotics. Eventually she had two biopsies, and it was discovered that she has Stage 4 lung cancer, and it is very aggressive and not curable. The doctors told Jody and her family that chemotherapy would not be an option.  We are unsure how long Jody will live, but she has a positive outlook, and is not afraid to die. Jody knows that she will be with Jesus one day, and that gives her peace. 

Jody and her family members are very thankful for Bethesda Lutheran Communities, where she has been a client for most of her adult life. The Bethesda staff members have meant a lot to Jody, and we all appreciate the care she has received from staff over the years. 

As of the date of this journal entry, Jody is in her 18th day of her hospital stay at Northwest Medical Center. She will be transferred soon to a skilled nursing facility, but the exact place has not yet  been determined. We will share that information when we have it.


Thank you so much for your support and prayers. You are all very special to Jody, and she appreciates hearing from each of you.