I would be remised if I did not extend a sincere thank you to Health Sciences North of Sudbury Ontario for saving my life said Canadian landscape artist Pierre A J Sabourin
Friends and family may recall that I grew up in a professional hockey environment following in the footsteps of my father Robert (Bob) Sabourin. When I was 17 I played hockey for the Sudbury Wolves and was injured during a game in Guelph which almost cost my life, My spleen had been ruptured and I was saved from death by emergency surgery at Guelph General hospital in Guelph Ontario in 1971.
What makes this story important is the loss of my spleen, the organ which purifies the blood. Over the years I began to develop an auto immune deficiency disorder which diminished my bodies natural immunity to fight infection virus and disease , making me susceptible to illness.
Also without a spleen to purify the blood my arteries began to clog and gradually I began to lose my strength and mobility in my arms and legs from suffocation.
The lack of blood flow and oxygen to my body had become so severe in 2014 I was unable to lift or carry for more than 10 seconds without resting, In 2017 I lost mobility in both my legs and could not walk more than 7 paces without resting. In Feb 2018 another near death experience with a 45 day influenza B fever and was saved by my friends in Killarney who got me to the hospital. In October of the same year a small abrasion on my foot became infected and was saved from amputation after 10 days x 24 hrs of intra venous antibiotic.
Hot Mushers Rule in Killarney Provincial Park with Pierre A J Sabourin
I am forever thankful to the emergency physicians of Health Sciences North and the Sudbury Vascular Laboratory for saving my life. I was diagnosed with arterial occlusive disease requiring a bifemoral arterial reconstruction in plastic from my heart to both of my legs. The 5 hour surgery was performed by Dr. Santosh Pudupakkam and Dr. Rodney Willoughby of the Sudbury Vascular Laboratory and Dr. Danielle J. Dion resident physician of Health Sciences North. I am forever grateful…thank you
There are many people who participated in my diagnosis , surgery , recovery and rehabilitation these last 24 months. I am thankful of their knowledge, dedication and goodness. I know I will have missed so many but this does not diminish my respect I have for the Health Sciences North team of Sudbury Ontario who helped save me.
Dr. William j McMullen, Dr.Jennifer Moore, Dr. Danielle J. Dion,
Dr. Subramanya Sastry Bhagavatula
CCAC Community Care Access Center
LHN Local Health Integration Network
Bayshore Nursing
Sudbury and Killarney paramedics and ambulance service,
Killarney Health Center
emergency registration, emergency nursing recovery nursing of Health Sciences North, home care nursing, cardiac and surgery rehabilitation YMCA Gova Plus rehabilitation transportation. Cardio Vascular laboratory and the Kirkwood Center.
I am currently in my 9th month of post operative healing and rehabilitation from the bifemoral arterial reconstruction and will continue rehabilitation with Health Sciences North for the next four months.I am under the care and supervision of Dr. Pudupakkam and Dr. Bhagavatula in Sudbury Ontario and pleased to report I have been able to walk for 60 consecutive minutes three times now however am still unable to lift or carry. I am hopeful to regain my strength and mobility said Sabourin the 65 year old Sudbury native. i’m especially thankful of my patrons, family and friends who stood by me during this arduous period of my life , and to my love Trish Jokat for her strength and love to see me through. peace and love to all sincerely
Pierre AJ Sabourin
Pierre AJ Sabourin 