Hey Everyone My name is Hilda Kendrick

I’m a retired Disabled Los Angeles police officer.

I’m known as the all around handywoman amongst family and friends. You name it I’ve likely done it from changing the oil in cars to building household items. The life of the party always making others laugh, telling it how it is to those who need to hear it and sharing life lessons I’ve learned because I am always one who likes to help and teach those who wish to listen and learn.

I’m use to being able to do it all, however in January of 2024 I had what should have been a straightforward surgery to put titanium plates in my neck as spacers since I no longer had any cartridge in my neck. So the surgeon placed three titanium plates in my neck between C4 and C7 to alleviate pain from lack of cartilage in that area went wrong. Immediately Upon waking from surgery I had lost the ability to utilize my left arm and my voice had changed. My concerns were continually dismissed by my surgeon and he insisted that given time (aprox 9 months) the nerves would miraculously wake up.

I took matters into my own hands after the dismissal and obtained a second opinion. They did their own imaging and upon seeing what had been done by the first surgeon said that they could try to place a rod to decompress what the first surgeon had done and see if that would correct at least some of the symptoms I was experiencing. That surgery was done in January of 2025 almost one year later due to wait times within the medical system.

It was not successful in the sense of stopping the loss of mobility I had begun experiencing since the first surgery in January of 2024. Due to this I was referred to Emory University Hospital Neurology to look into the matter further. I have been steadily losing my upper mobility within my arms over the past 2 years. I can no longer do basic things for myself due to lack of motor function. I am not one to ask for help normally but seeing a speciality at a university hospital is expensive even with insurance covering certain things, they wish to do extensive testing to see what the surgeries affected and if it is at all possible to regain some function.

And since I was informed that I possibly have ALS a.k.a. Lou Garrett disease, a couple of days ago I fell and broke my right arm at the shoulder. Now I have no use of my upper body. My spouse has to do everything for me.

I am asking for help in regard to covering cost of testing, transport to and from the university hospital and any surgeries that may be needed going forward. Also with the fall and broken arm I haven’t even more medical bills for the ambulance the fire department and the emergency room visit.