‘Healthy’ woman lost all feeling in both legs and was left paralyzed from the waist down after doctors initially diagnosed her with a simple case of acid reflux

The 26-year-old ‘healthy and vibrant’ woman went to the hospital after she started suffering with pain along one side of her back during the pandemic. She was reportedly sent home with a simple diagnosis of acid reflux. Unfortunately, after her third visit to the hospital, the 26-year-old woman lost all feeling in both legs and was left paralyzed from the waist down after she was diagnosed with an aggressive type of osteosarcoma.

Jodie Cox went to the hospital after she started suffering with pain along one side of her back. The doctors sent her home with a simple diagnosis of acid reflux. The pain became even more excruciating, so Cox made another visit to the hospital. Cox claims she was sent home once again, according to BL.

In Jan. 2021, her boyfriend, Luke Watson, and the 26-year-old woman made another trip to the hospital after Cox struggled to stand steadily. Luke reportedly said that Cox started to lose feeling in her legs so he took her to the hospital.

Unfortunately, the 26-year-old woman never walked back out of the hospital. Doctors reportedly discovered a tumor in her spine.

Doctors told the 26-year-old woman that she had an aggressive type of osteosarcoma, which is a form of bone cancer. Within 18 hours, reportedly lost all feeling in both legs and was paralyzed from the waist down.

According to the reports, the cancer had led to a T10 incomplete spinal cord injury. The medical personnel also found small tumors in her lung.

The 26-year-old woman was then transferred to a different hospital for six rounds of an intensive course of chemotherapy and remained in hospital for five months.

Cox is currently in hospital undergoing her second course of treatment. 

Her boyfriend, Luke Watson, reportedly told BL: “Adjusting to life with paralysis has been incredibly difficult for Jodie, there’s more to it than not being able to walk.

She also suffers from nerve pain which is probably the worse part of it, she’s in absolute agony from the waist down. It feels like her legs are on fire and she can’t move. She has to rely on me a lot now, I had to leave my job to take care of her.

She has physiotherapy which has been helping with her independence, bone density and strength as well as increasing her chance of recovery. She can feel temperature and began moving her toes recently but doctors have said it’s unlikely she will ever walk again.”

A GoFundMe Page has been launched for Jodie and her family. “Jodie starts Chemotherapy, again today (8th March 2022). She was understandably devastated to lose her hair after having Chemotherapy last year & after growing it back for the past 8 months, she is now going to lose it again with the second round of Chemo.” her fundraising page states. You can follow her journey by visiting her Instagram page.

During an interview with BL, Jodie Cox reportedly said: “I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without all the support around me, especially from Luke, family and friends. That’s what keeps you going the most, when you are down they pick you back up again, the people that you have around you make the biggest difference. 

If anyone is going through a similar thing and want to reach out to have someone to talk to, or ask questions, I want them to be able to reach out to me, it helps you feel like you are not alone. I’m looking forward to getting back to normality, not having to live in hospitals and not think about being sick all the time and live how I used to live before. 

We will always ensure a full and thorough investigation is undertaken on any concerns a patient has about their treatment and, through this, we will seek to address any issues raised.”