Unvaccinated pregnant woman from northern B.C. clings to life in COVID-19 ICU
A pregnant mother of two from Fort St. John, B.C., who was airlifted to hospital for COVID-19 treatment on Thanksgiving is now on a ventilator, clinging to life some 1,200 kilometres from home.
Krystal St. Pierre is six months into her pregnancy, and unvaccinated. Her husband Dwayne Binette, who is also unvaccinated and contracted the virus as well, is telling their story to try to convince others not to make the same mistake.
“Back then we were against vaccination, we kind of didn’t want to do it and have something harmful happen. We didn’t understand if it was safe or not for her being pregnant,” said the oil patch worker, who added, like many of their friends and neighbours in the north, they were “dug in."
After their concerns were addressed at a prenatal appointment in early October, the couple was talking about booking vaccination appointments. But then they both got sick.
“By Monday the 11th, Thanksgiving, she could barely move around, her breathing was laboured so we decided you’d better go to the hospital,” said Binette.
The 39-year-old was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital that night, and deteriorated quickly. St. Pierre’s pregnancy complicated her treatment options.
“They tried a technique called prone position, where they flipped her upside down and supported her on her shoulders and her hips and let the belly come off the lungs, let the child give her more room inside. And it had never been done in B.C. before,” said Binette.
But it didn’t work. Doctors were left with the last resort for critically ill COVID pateints: an ECMO machine that does the work of the lungs. St. Pierre is also on a ventilator, in a medically induced coma. She’s been transferred to Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, where her husband was told the vast majority of people in her condition don’t survive.
“For me, it was upsetting to find out your wife only has a 10 per cent chance of surviving,” said Binette through tears. “It’s pretty hard to deal with.”
His distress is compounded by regret.
“I am 100 per cent confident that had we been vaccinated a couple of months ago, we would not be in this position. That Krystal’s life would not in jeopardy right now,” he said.
Binette is now urging the vaccine hesitant, especially those in northern B.C., to speak to medical professionals and get the shot.
Fort St. John, B.C., resident Krystal St. Pierre is clinging to life in hospital after catching COVID-19. Her worried husband said she's six months pregnant and unvaccinated.
“People should look at it as, even though you may not understand it, you would do anything you can to save your family members life in any other circumstance. So why wouldn’t you do it now?” he said.
Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier, who’s been a fierce advocate of vaccination in the north, is glad Binette is speaking out.
“It’s got to be just gut wrenching. And for Dwayne to be able to have the strength to tell this story and maybe convince one more person to be vaccinated, good on him,” said Bernier.
While St. Pierre is in the ICU at Royal Columbian, her husband and two children, who are in quarantine in Fort St. John, can only see her on FaceTime.
“Even though Krystal is in a coma and she can’t respond, we can still talk to her and tell her we miss her and we love her,” he said.
Bernier said their story of separation is not unique.
“We have had over 60 people medevaced out of the north to various into different parts of province where they can find a bed. And almost every case the loved ones are not able to be with them,” Bernier said. “Lucky, some are pulling though.”
St. Pierre’s best chance may be delivering her baby girl early. Now that she is 28 weeks pregnant and the baby has a good chance of surviving the premature birth, a C-section is being considered.
“It would actually increase Krystal’s odds of survival, it would be better for her. So I leave it in the doctors hands, they are the professionals,” said Binette, who is trying to remain optimistic.
“I just can’t wait to see my baby girl and have my wife back.”
Correction
Oct. 23: This story has been updated from a previous version to correct the spelling of a name.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.