It started as an ear infection, or so we thought - easy enough to treat. She finished three different courses of antibiotics. The next day she awoke with pain in her knees, a headache and a stiff neck. Something wasn't right. After a spinal tap, she began to complain of pain in her chest, although a chest x-ray turned out to be clear.

The next morning she was pale and breathing so rapidly they had to put her on oxygen. Another x-ray showed something in the bottom of her lungs. The doctor thought perhaps she had a pulmonary embolus. After an ambulance ride to Maine Medical Center, she was admitted and later transferred to the intensive care unit.

She fought very hard to breathe on her own for another day and a half. She was placed on a ventilator. There were complications from this and we received a call to come to the hospital because they didn't think she would make it. She rallied and slowly began to improve, but she was still a very sick young lady.

A diagnosis of Wegeners Disease was eventually made. Wegeners Disease usually occurs in people in their fifties and usually starts in the kidneys; however, it attacked Amy's lungs with a vengence. Wegeners is an autoimmune disease. For whatever reason, her immune system was triggered by something and her body started attacking itself. This disease is treated with steroids and chemotherapy. Her chances of remission are 80% to 90%, but it could reoccur any time.

Because Amy was so sick, her bone marrow was working well and she needed blood transfusions, platelets and fresh frozen plasma.

Amy is a fighter and has continued to steadily improve. There are many people we need to thank - her healthcare providers, our places of employment at Gulf Oil and VNA Home Health Care and our wonderful friends, family, pastor and church family.

Amy has a long way to go to recovery but, with everyone's support, it should be a good recovery.

Amy Vogler is a 14-year-old patient from Maine.

Patient Stories