McCrimmon was near death, days after Royal win

OTTAWA — Don McCrimmon, who was named owner of Ontario’s top Holstein breeder’s herd, is hoping to be released from Ottawa General Hospital in early December, after his pancreas failed.

After a glowing performance at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto last month, the Dalkeith owner of prize Holsteins woke up one morning in intense pain and later began vomitting. A neighbour drove him to hospital in Hawkesbury. After a week he was transferred to the Ottawa General on Friday, Nov.16. He spent one week in intensive care, said his sister Florence. "We thought we had lost him."

McCrimmon owns the herd, which finished third for breeder’s herd last month at the Royal, Canada’s premier livestock show. He owns the top herd in Ontario, as the grand champion was from Nova Scotia and reserve champion went to a Saskatchewan herd.

"He was ecstatic," said Florence, who questions now whether her 47-year-old brother will be able to maintain the farm, as he lives alone. He milks 35 cows.

While he is in hospital, six men are running the farm for him, she said. When Florence pulled into the yard one day, she saw eight pick-up trucks and friends and neighbours doing chores. "That’s what the rural community is like," she said. One day seven men sat around McCrimmon’s kitchen table to hold a conference call while McCrimmon was in intensive care. He was so weak they were told only to ask questions he could answer in one word.

McCrimmon was featured on the front page of Farmers Forum’s November issue after one of his cows earned grand champion and another, grand reserve honours, in Kemptville at the Eastern-Ontario Western-Quebec Holstein show, the former Ottawa Winter Fair.

Doctors say McCrimmon can no longer be expected to have so many projects on the go at his farm. Half of his pancreas, which regulates blood glucose levels and breaks down digestible food, is no longer operating. However, on Nov. 28, McCrimmon’s first day eating solid food, he was keen on getting back to work as soon as possible.

He took care of his farm but not of his health, Florence said. "He never saw a doctor."