For most of her life, Kathy Goebel considered herself busy, active, and deeply engaged with the people around her. She was comfortably immersed in family life and her Northeast Georgia community.
Even as a full-time caregiver for her husband, Kathy kept pace with daily responsibilities and the joyful chaos of children, grandchildren, and everyday routines. “Nothing suggested my body was about to completely shut down,” Kathy said.
In April 2024, Kathy started to feel more tired than usual. “I didn’t feel well, but nothing specific,” she said. “It would have been easy to brush it off.”
Then, she woke up one morning, and while getting ready, she noticed something she couldn’t ignore. “My eyes were yellow,” she said.
Within hours, the changes accelerated. Her skin color shifted, moving became difficult, and even walking took effort. “It felt like my body was shutting down,” Kathy said.
By the time Kathy got to her doctor’s office for bloodwork, it was clear something was wrong. “The nurse took one look at me and told me to go straight to the hospital,” she said. “But getting there was not simple.”
It was a cold, rainy day, and the hospital parking lot was full. As Kathy searched for a space, a troubling realization set in. “I remember thinking, ‘I can’t walk from the parking lot to the door,’” she said.
Weak and unsteady, she spotted a hospital transport worker nearby. “That woman was a blessing,” Kathy said. “She told me, ‘You park here. You might get a ticket, but it won’t matter.’”
Kathy was admitted just a few hours later. Tests revealed her liver enzymes were dangerously elevated, even though they had been completely normal just weeks earlier.
Kathy’s hospital stay quickly became complicated. Severe liver inflammation caused her body to hold onto fluid. Her belly filled up, pressing on her lungs and making it hard to breathe. “I couldn’t catch my breath,” she said. “There was simply no room for my lungs to expand.”
She underwent multiple paracentesis (drainage) procedures to relieve pressure. At the same time, her platelet count dropped, which delayed important tests. Her kidneys became less stable and her tiredness grew worse. “If you’ve never experienced true fatigue, it’s impossible to explain,” she said. “It feels like an elephant sitting on you.”
During her hospitalization, Kathy developed internal bleeding caused by an ulcer that emerged amid the intense inflammation and physical stress on her body. “I fainted in the bathroom,” she said. “That’s when everything became even more serious.”
A liver biopsy, which had been delayed several times because her platelets were so low, finally gave doctors a diagnosis: severe sudden-onset autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare chronic disease when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy liver cells. Over time, this immune-driven inflammation damages the liver and interferes with its ability to function properly.
For Kathy, further tests showed advanced liver damage, classified as stage three to four cirrhosis. “I went from feeling healthy to facing a life-threatening disease in what felt like days,” she said.
Doctors started her on high-dose steroids right away. “I tolerated them, and I’m grateful for that because many patients can’t,” she said. “I knew this medicine was going to save me, so quitting was never an option.”
After almost a year, she switched to azathioprine (an immunosuppressive medication), which she still takes today.
Leaving the hospital didn’t mean life went back to normal. Losing strength and feeling constantly tired made everyday tasks much harder. Physical therapy became a must for her recovery. “I dreaded it,” she admitted. “But it was exactly what I needed.”
Today, Kathy keeps a close eye on her health, getting bloodwork every three months to stay ahead of any potential changes. With a proactive mindset, Kathy has found a new sense of stability—living life fully while managing her condition. “I’ve seen firsthand how quickly things can change,” she said. “But it’s given me a new appreciation for life.”
Now, family, faith, and connecting with others who have AIH help keep her grounded. “You don’t have to look far to find people facing even greater challenges,” Kathy said. “That gives you perspective.”
Even with uncertainty, Kathy stays grateful. “I’m blessed,” she said. “I’m alive.”
