A 14-year-old girl who got an infection while on a field trip in Spain
When we first shared Destinee’s story with you, she was in a hospital thousands of miles away from home.
“The Eiffel Tower, because seeing it in movies is so much different, but seeing it in real life so much cooler,” Destinee Allen said.
This is one of Destinee’s favorite memories from her trip to Europe.
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She traveled there as part of an 8th-grade year international trip language Academy students take once they graduate, but the fun didn’t last very long.
“I ended up going to Madrid. I ended up getting worse and so they ended up taking me to a real hospital,” Allen said.
Within the first few days of her trip, Destinee picked up an infection that quickly escalated into something more serious than anyone anticipated.
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“They did say that she had an infection and that it made her very ill. Her organs were shutting down. She had pneumonia and just a whole bunch of health issues,” Whitney Williams, Destinee mother’s said.
Since Destinee has a heart condition, she turned septic.
Her mother Whitney flew out to Spain and found her at the hospital in the ICU. This scare also opened up past wounds. Just seven years ago, they lost their younger son, Cayden, to a heart condition.
“I had a fear that I wasn’t going to get her home,” Williams said.
Destinee and her mother spent two weeks in Spain not knowing when they were coming home.
Last week, Destinee was finally discharged and allowed to fly back and after more than eight hours on a plane and multiple delayed flights, they finally made it home.
“I was happy to be home and see my family,” Alle said.
“I’m very blessed, as a mom, to watch your child go through something like that and to see them smile, it’s like an overwhelming, joyous feeling,” Williams said.
Her mother said they had an appointment with her pediatrician Monday and there is still a road ahead to a full recovery from her infection. She said they are grateful to be out of the hospital and back home in San Diego.
Her mother said it may be a month before she fully recovers.
