My name is Jennie, Destiny's mom. This GoFundMe is being set up to help Destiny with her medical costs/bills that have occurred with her sudden illness.

Here's her journey...

Destiny just turned 25 in Oct and was a first-year band director for the SAISD system. Except Destiny had been feeling ill for several months. Something wasn't quite right. She had been to the clinic several times and was diagnosed with asthma. But something just didn't add up. She had to use a cane because she got winded fast and it hurt to walk. She couldn't even walk up the stairs to her apartment. She could hardly stand at times. This was not like Destiny at all. One particular morning, Destiny was on her way to work. She came to my house and said, "Mom, I don't feel right, something's wrong, I'm just going to lay down for a minute." After about an hour, she was attempting to get up to go to work when she just fell onto the floor and couldn't get herself up. I rushed her to the ER. After an initial screening, they thought it was MS. So they admitted her. During her stay, she had CTs, MRIs, blood work, labs—you name it, she had it done. They soon discovered it wasn't MS. The neuro doc came in and said, "We found what's wrong. There is a bulging disk that's slipped into your spinal cord, in your thoracic spine. You need surgery, but we can't do it here. It's too invasive." It was affecting her mobility. But they sent her home with no pain meds and therapy. That's it. Yeah, it's true. So I took it upon myself and found a specialist for her in San Antonio. Their staff got her in immediately to see the PA, and with our first appointment, he said, "Yeah, we're calling the doctor now." She had lost some feeling in her lower extremities. Once the doctor examined the scans, he called and said, "The disk is heart-shaped, and the fluid in her spine is turning colors. It's not supposed to be like that." So they have scheduled surgery in Houston. They have to go through her rib, under her lungs to get to her spinal cord. It's a very, very invasive surgery. Since she was a brand new hire, she doesn't have enough time for FMLA. The medical benefits she signed up for are there, but since she's not working, they are going to have to start billing her to cover premium costs to keep the insurance. The GoFundMe is to help with expenses for premiums, to and from the medical appointments, surgeries, meals, gas, hotel, and her cost of living expenses. Anything will help. Although monetary donations help, we are also asking for lots and lots of prayers.