Laurentian University student graduates from ICU patient to ICU nurse

After battling Lemierre’s syndrome that left her in the ICU, nursing student Alex Kowalski graduates tomorrow as a registered nurse & will return to HSN.

Laurentian University is spotlighting remarkable graduates as convocations are underway – and one student is eager to cross the stage after a difficult battle.

Alex Kowalski has spent four years studying nursing at LU. However, it was not always smooth sailing. During her second year, she was rushed to the hospital with difficulty breathing.

Life-threatening diagnosis

“I ended up spending about a week in the ICU, and then I was transferred to the surgical floor, where I was discharged home, and I had a very long recovery in front of me,” said Kowalski.

Kowalski was diagnosed with Lemierre’s Syndrome, which caused a clot in her internal jugular vein, that turned into a lung infection before sepsis.

The comfort of strangers when family was far away

Kowalski is a Kapuskasing native, and her family was not able to arrive at the hospital right away. She told CTV News that the staff at Health Sciences North filled that comforting role for her during her most vulnerable time.

“I just remember it’s very cloudy because obviously there’s very strong medication involved. But he (Dr. Sauve) held my hand during painful procedures and it really meant a lot to me because my mom is five hours away,” Kowalski said.

She also shared how a nurse named Tristan advocated for her at times when she was in pain.

From saying no to applying for a job in the ICU

“After my hospitalization here (at HSN), on my way out while I was being discharged, a nurse asked me if I would ever come back to work in the ICU, and I said no,” said Kowalski, noting that, at the time, she never wanted to come back.

“I didn’t want to see this place again.”

“(Then) I was applying for an external job in the summer and one of my choices was the ICU,” the grad said.

“We knew right from the get-go that Alex was going to be one to keep our eye on,” said Dick Blum, one of the ICU clinical managers at the hospital.

“There was never any question whether we wanted her to stay. It was, you know, whether she decided this was going to be the place she landed.”

Steven MacNeil, another ICU manager at HSN, also praised Kowalski’s transition.

“It’s great to see someone transition from the student role into soon to be one of our nurses.”

Story of closure, empathy

Thursday, Kowalski will graduate as a registered nurse before returning to the hospital’s intensive care unit to start her new job.

“I think it was more so kind of closure for me,” she said.

“I came in, and now I’m taking care of people who were in my position at the time. So, I really feel like I can really empathize with them and I really know how it feels. So, in a way it does make me, or it will make me a better and more empathetic nurse.”

Kowalski said she is feeling almost back to normal, but her lungs are not functioning at full capacity. She told CTV News she hopes her story will raise awareness for the rare syndrome that presents as a cold but can be incredibly serious.