On November 15, 2013 Jennifer Leslie Hodes, "Jenny", passed from this life into the arms of Jesus. She was 20 years old.







Jenny's journey began almost 21 years ago. She was born with a congenital left diaphragmatic hernia and severe scoliosis, both which affected her lungs. She endured over 40 surgeries, many which were spinal surgeries to create more room in her chest for her lungs to grow. We spent many years traveling to San Antonio, TX for her "rib expansion" surgeries, now known as VEPTRs. When we started in that program, it was still experimental. Jenny was the 17th person to ever have the surgery. We visited San Antonio at least every 6 months for 14 years. These surgeries are what gave Jenny's lungs the room they needed to function. Even with all of the surgeries, Jenny only had about 30% lung volume/function but it had been enough to keep her going. Once she was finished growing, around age 14, the surgery stopped and it was thought that things would remain stable. However, over the last few years, we noticed that Jenny was slowly having more and more trouble breathing. She was constantly having to stop to catch her breath.



Finally, this past year, she started needing her oxygen more and more and this summer she ended up in the hospital and back on oxygen all of the time. The diagnosis was worsening respiratory failure. That led to visits with all of her specialists in Orlando last summer. Her orthopedic doctor and other specialists believed that Jenny needed further surgery to expand the chest wall so the lungs could have more room. Basically the same surgery she had those many years in San Antonio. At that point, anything the doctors did was really "guess work". Jenny was a one-of-a-kind case and there really was no history out there for them to draw from. Failure to do the surgery would result in ongoing worsening of her respiratory status. So, on 10/9/13 Jenny had the surgery and a rod was placed on the right side of her chest and the rod on the left was expanded. Following surgery, Jenny had trouble getting her lungs to work well and we ended up in the hospital for 17 days. We went home on Oct 25th but within a few days Jenny was having difficulty breathing again. We went back to the hospital on Wednesday, 10/30 and were readmitted. That evening, Jenny started having more difficulty breathing and suddenly went into cardiac arrest. They brought her back and placed her on life support but she never recovered.



Jenny was a college student at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. She was a junior studying elementary education but her passion was to someday be a Child Life Specialist at Arnold Palmer Hospital so she could help kids who are hospitalized. Her practical experience would have been a huge help!!



Jenny loved people and loved to help others. She volunteered at many places over the years including Children' Miracle Network, Give Kids the World, Boggy Creek Camp, Arnold Palmer Hospital, Groveland Elementary School, and Real Life Christian Church. She also worked at Chick-fil-A in Clermont. Jenny made friends everywhere she went!!! Her zest and joy for life was apparent to everyone she met. She worked hard at everything she did. That is just who she was. And above all she would tell you that she loved God and that He was the One who sustained her throughout her difficult life.



Jenny is survived by her parents, Mike and Lisa Hodes and her younger brother Ben Hodes of Clermont, Florida. She is also survived by her grandparents Robert and Carolyn Foster and many aunts, uncles and cousins who all loved her dearly.



The family will celebrate Jenny's life on Saturday, 11/23/13, at Real Life Christian Church, 1501 Steve's Rd, Clermont, FL 34711- www.getreallife.com







The viewing will be from 9-10am and the memorial service from 10-11am. Everyone is invited to join us as we honor her life and rejoice in her homecoming with Jesus. The family requests guests wear to the memorial service pink or a pink accessory to honor Jenny as that was her favorite color.



Please visit: http://www.facebook.com/prayforjenny



http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jennyhodes











In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations/gifts be given to the Jenny Hodes Miracle Fund set up at First Green Bank,1391 Citrus Tower Blvd, Clermont, FL 34711, phone 352-483-9700. The purpose of the fund is to help pay Jenny's medical bills and expenses. Any money beyond that will be used to help others as we honor Jenny's legacy of serving.