Doctors hope coma eases brain swelling
An Augusta Christian swimmer is in an induced coma at the Medical College of Georgia after suffering a seizure at school Jan. 24.
Augusta Christian swimmer Katie York has been hospitalized with swelling of the brain for more than a week.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Katie York, who was featured in The Columbia County News-Times Athlete Spotlight on Jan. 12, has been placed in a coma to ease swelling of the brain, resulting from a yet to be determined illness, according to an Internet Web log set up by her family.
Doctors originally believed York had contracted a variant of viral encephalitis but that belief has since been ruled out after spinal fluid revealed no trace of a virus, according to her older brother, Paul York.
Since being admitted to the hospital, York has continued to have problems with seizures and has developed pulmonary pneumonia.
"It is real difficult to deal with," said Augusta Christian senior Kristin Wallace, who, along with her classmates, has been e-mailing York. "You hear about people getting sick like this all of the time. But you never think it is going to happen to someone you know. We just have to pull together as a school and pray for her well-being."
York swims year-round for the Aiken-Augusta Swim League and has been a standout at Augusta Christian.
The junior won a state title for the school in the 100-yard backstroke and finished third in the 200 individual medley as a sophomore. She finished second in both the events at the South Carolina Independent Schools Association State Meet in October.
York also is a standout student, being named to the Scholastic All-American team by USA Swimming. Her course load includes Advanced Placement Biology, honors Spanish and honors English. She mentioned Wingate as a school she would consider swimming at in college.
"Katie is very talented as a swimmer and a great person," said Aiken-Augusta Swim League teammate and Evans sophomore C.J. Hendry.
To allow friends to monitor Katie's status, Paul set up the Web log with daily updates. The address is http:// katieyork.blogspot.com.