Amber's Medical Expenses

My name is Amber and you may have heard of my recent escapade into the desert that almost ended in disaster. If not, here are the first two articles that surfaced about it:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/denton-student-rescued-after-five-days-in-arizona-desert/424751751
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/denton/2017/03/22/stranded-5-days-arizona-wilderness-denton-woman-hikes-11-miles-call-help

As of right now, the story will air tomorrow on ABC Good Morning. Here is the story as I conveyed it on Facebook as an explanation to my friends and family.
"Hey guys. Since everyone keeps asking, I'll post the explanation here.

I was on my way from the southern rim of the Grand canyon. I put Havasu Falls Trail Head into Google maps. I had 70 miles to empty not including reserves. I go down the highway leading from the rim and it says turn right before I thought it was the right road. I decided to trust Google and turn onto this ratchet dirt road. Google said I'd only be on it 40 miles before the next highway where I figured I could get gas well before the danger zone. Anywho. 35 miles in, it says to turn on a road that doesn't exist. I figured it may have washed a bit of the road away since they were primitive dirt roads. So. I turned anyway and figured I'd see the road momentarily. It was getting dark. I came up to a fence with no roads in sight. Panicked since gps stopped working, too. So I Panicked and tried to find the road again. Finally found it but was at 0 to empty. Parked by the first man made structure I found and decided to wait til daylight. Turns out my reserve was exhausted, too.

So I spent five days constructing various signs to help someone find me. Including an SOS sign out of rocks about four feet by ten feet. That wasn't working so I made a "HELP" sign on the third day that I got to about 20-30 feet tall for the letters. I also tried a signal fire but since everything was so dry, it burned too clean. I also made a road barricade after a truck driver drove past me without noticing. I had a flashing headlamp that I turned on every night. I rationed my food and water and when they found me I still had 16-18 days left. However, I got tired of waiting to be rescued.

I had no signal and no gps. So I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and hiked a total of 21-22 miles. I had to hike 11 miles east from my car just to get signal to call 911. Even then, the call dropped after 49 seconds and I had to pray they got enough info to find me. The helicopter found me about two hills away from my car on my hike back. Idk if it was a mile. Maybe less.

So they put me on the care flight and hooked me up to fluids and oxygen. On the bright side, I guess I got to cross riding in a helicopter off of my bucket list. Now I'm at a hotel in Flagstaff awaiting family and an escort. So yeah. Trauma and stuff."

I am currently fund raising for the projected costs of my hospital visit as well as damage to my vehicle (a result of my ill-advised panic-driven shenanigans that first night.)

UPDATE: My father says that the estimation he received from insurance was 3300. I have updated the goal to reflect that.

I know I am asking a lot and I am sorry. I am doing my best to get by for myself but I hadn't planned for something like this. If you don't agree with crowdfunding, feel free to move on. If you think I am stupid (which I definitely made a stupid mistake) or a liar then visit the Lowell Observatory website or the National Parks website and donate to them and channel that toxicity into something positive. If you can't donate, don't worry. If you want, you can just share this campaign. Anything and everything is appreciated.

For your convenience for donations to LO or NPS
https://lowell.edu/donate/
https://www.nps.gov/getinvolved/donate.htm

UPDATE: I posted this originally on my Facebook but I'll put it here as well:

Just for those of you who need to know it:

Stranded with no way out =/= camping regardless of how well I prepared with my supplies.
I was able to keep my phone charged via the cigarette lighter. In my car it charges even if the car is off.
I had a compass and I am fantastic at reading maps but I made the mistake of not bringing a map this time. I had my compass.
Almost everyone has run out of gas at some point, mine just happened to be supremely inconvenient.
It was not a matter of simply turning around since I wasn't aware how to get out and I was legitimately lost.
My parents had been wrongly reassured that I had deviated completely from the itinerary I had posted. There was no search for this reason.

So, yes, I made silly mistakes. However, I also maintained composure when I found myself in an unfortunate situation. Don't bother sending negative messages. I guarantee that by now I've already read it or something similar.