CPR training helped save his life

Times Reporter

 

Determination and a will to live. Those are the first set of words which come to mind when thinking of Ken Sauve and his wife Judy. Ken is well known in the county as the councillor for Div. 2. At the beginning of September Ken suffered a heart attack while at his home. 

“I don’t remember anything about it, I was pretty well right out of it and Judy and Mike kept me going with CPR until the ambulance got here and they took over and then STARS came right to the yard here, picked me up and flew me to Calgary,” said Ken.  

He was in the hospital for two weeks, most of that at a Calgary hospital. 

The night will forever be etched on Judy’s memory, even if Ken doesn’t really remember it. She woke up when she heard their horses, it was about 1:20 a.m. said Judy.  Ken was on the couch and she mentioned hearing the horses to which he said they were ok. Then he told her he didn’t feel good. She immediately wanted to go to the doctor and have him checked out when he said it was in his chest and his arm. 

She was putting gas into the car when Ken lost consciousness. Judy pulled him out of the car and began CPR.  Their son Mike lives five minutes away from their home so she called him, telling him to come over and to call 911.  

“We did CPR. I started before Mike came, right away, and Mike came and we traded off and the ambulance came and stabilized him. STARS landed in the yard and took him to Calgary,” said Judy. 

The flight to Calgary only took 20 minutes. Often even just 20 minutes is too long to wait when some one’s life is at risk. Fortunately for the Sauves this wasn’t one of those times.  

“It was a whole team of people that saved Ken, for sure. It’s such a good luck story,” said Judy. 

When Sauve arrived at the hospital doctors realized there was a blockage and so they put in a stent. It’s an apparatus they put into the blockage to open up the vessel so the blood can flow again. Then they cool off the patient for several days, and keep them in a deep sleep to preserve their neurological before gradually waking the patient up. It can take anywhere from 72 hours to longer for the patient to wake up. 

“When he woke up, he was good. But it was quite traumatizing waiting for him to wake up,” said Judy.  

“I’m feeling good, just cautious of what I can do but I feel good. We go for a walk everyday and stuff but I’m not overdoing it or anything,” said Ken.  

Before his heart attack he was quite active and even still played hockey, which his doctor said he can return to after some time and when he is in better shape again. 

“We’re very blessed, because he’s with us and he’s good and getting better everyday,” said Judy. “I think we have to emphasize everybody knowing how to do first aid and CPR.”

Living in the country it is even more important for people to know CPR because the ambulance often can’t make it in a matter of minutes. Thanks to the training Judy had from when she worked at the hospital and the training Mike had through work, they were able to save Ken’s life. Without it he wouldn’t have made it. 

Ken had no risk factors; he was healthy, active, good blood pressure and doesn’t smoke. His only risk factor was his family history. 

While Ken may not have returned fully to work and everything he did before the heart attack, his doctor said he would be able to as long as he takes it slow. 

He has decided to run for re-election for Div. 2 in Wheatland County.      

“When I campaigned the last time I had done it all myself. But there are people helping me knock on doors and pass out pamphlets this year because it would just make too long of days for me. That’s about the only difference there is as far as my campaigning and stuff,” said Ken. The other councillors offered to help out but it is friends and neighbours who want to see Ken re-elected that are helping out. He returned to his chair at the council chambers on October 5, looking as healthy as always.