High School Senior Succumbs To Pneumonia-Caused Infection

LAKE OSWEGO, OR — The Lakeridge High School senior class was noticeably short one student upon its return from Spring Break Monday.

After fighting a pneumonia-related heart infection for three days, Nina Heidgerken passed away peacefully at Oregon Health & Science University March 31. She was 18.

According to journal entries posted to CaringBridge.com by Nina's family, she was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland March 27 after a bout with pneumonia took a dire turn. Nina's mother Laura explained that her daughter began complaining of a stomach ache and difficulty breathing, prompting her and her husband Todd to take Nina to the ER.

"The ER nurses immediately realized she was in need of instant help and worked quickly to stabilize her," the Heidgerken's wrote. "They ran a few tests and rushed her up to the ICU. Once there her blood pressure dropped below 60 at least 6 times in which CPR and epinephrine had to be administered. Her organs were failing; heart, kidney, and lungs."

After connecting Nina to several machines, doctors also found a blood clot blocking blood flow from her heart's left ventricle.

On March 29, after showing some signs of promise following a handful of intense procedures, Nina was transferred to OHSU for continued treatment and monitoring; but two days after her initial admittance to hospital, Laura wrote that Nina would most likely not survive her illness.

Three days of tests and procedures left Nina's family feeling like they were on a roller coaster of emotions, Laura wrote. Prayers from family, friends, and even complete strangers helped sustain both her and her husband, she said, but in the end God had his own plan.

"Our precious daughter has gone to be with Jesus. She is at peace," Laura wrote March 31. "Every medical device and intervention was tried, but they simply didn’t work. We turned our focus to keeping her comfortable, and she passed very peacefully."

Speaking to KPTV-Fox 12 Oregon, Nina's uncle Thane Cleland described an outgoing, generous, kind-hearted young woman who was quick to be friendly.

Cleland told the community “To remember how much (Nina) cared for people, how much she loved other people … she devoted her life to being a servant and she’s in a better place now,” KPTV reported.

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