A Patient's Memories Shared

If you’re fortunate to live to the age of 81 you have a long list of memories to share. That is certainly the case with Doug Hoag a Hospice patient since December 16^th with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.)  Doug and his wife Jacquie live in Norwich and will celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary in April. “I don’t know how she put up with me this long,” comments Doug. When I inquired how they met, Doug said in a mischievous tone, “we met in bed.” It’s not as saucy as you think. Jacquie was 15 years old and a patient in Bassett Hospital recovering from an appendectomy. Doug’s mother shared the bed next to her. So when Doug visited his mother, little did he know that he was also meeting his future bride.

Doug is an interesting fellow. He’s been a roller skating rink master, worked at the I.L. Richer feed mill, and retired as a master electrician from The Vet’s Home. However, his passion is tied to his hobbies. Doug trained dogs for 28 years, both show dogs and guide dogs for the blind. In total he’s trained more than 300 guide dogs, mostly Labrador Retrievers, with the help of local 4H kids. “At one time 28 kids were raising and training dogs. Our graduates were placed all over the country, and as far away as Israel.” Doug’s other hobbies included carpentry, fishing, hunting, reading, and photography. He loves his camera and is currently being assisted on a project by our Social Worker Christine Fitch. They are transferring photos from floppies to his computer which will store his prized images forever.

Doug and Jacquie started their family soon after they wed. They enjoyed raising two sons Kevin and Brian. “Sunday was family day,” says Jacquie; and like a seasoned married couple, Doug continues, “in the summer we’d take our 16 foot boat with its 85hp engine over to Cooperstown to fish and water ski with the boys.” Unfortunately, few long lives are free of tragedy, and the Hoags faced a tough one a few years ago when their 53 year old Brian died of cancer. “It took him quick,” says Jacquie. “He was gone in just two years. It’s not the way life is supposed to be, but we had to work through it. Faith helped a lot.”

Cancer also took Doug’s sister, and 8 years ago Doug received 39 radiation treatments and 16 rounds of chemo for a malignancy at the base of his tongue. It was grueling and painful treatment; Doug grips his neck when he describes the horrible radiation burns to that part of his body. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer in vain because the cancer has not returned.

Now Doug fights another disease. This time he knows he won’t win. He’s realistic and says he takes one day at a time. Although he is tethered to his oxygen concentrator, it doesn’t keep him from moving about the house. He got up several times to grab a photograph he wished to show me, and he makes his breakfast of oatmeal and blueberries most mornings. He appreciates the care he receives from Hospice. “It seems like one of you ladies is in and out of this house all the time.” Before Hospice, Doug had multiple admissions to the hospital with pneumonia. He says he feared never making it home again but then P.A. Kevin Steckline asked the Hoags if they would consider having Hospice help bring Doug home. They were both very surprised. They thought Hospice was only for cancer patients. (Oh how we’d like to permanently do away with that myth.) They readily agreed to the referral as a result Doug celebrated Christmas at home.

 “Since Hospice arrived I’ve gained six pounds,” says Doug. “My appetite is good. I eat as much as I can hold. You have also straightened out my medications which have made me feel a whole lot better.”  On the day of our visit Theresa listened to Doug’s heart and lungs, and checked his feet and ankles for swelling, which is minimal, a huge improvement since coming on the program. She also reviewed all his medications, and asked if any refills were needed. She will call one in when she get back to the office, and the medication will be delivered right to the Hoags front door in a few days. Most importantly, she asked if there was anything more Hospice could be doing to make Doug or Jacquie more comfortable at this time. They said they were more than satisfied. With the clinical part of the visit completed, Teresa left to see other patients while I stayed a while longer. We chatted, we chuckled, we watched the birds swooping in and out of their backyard feeders, and gave the Hoag’s 10 year old cat Charlie Brown lots of love.

When I left it was time for Doug’s lunch and a nap, to be followed by some late afternoon reading while snacking on a few pieces of his favorite Gertrude Hawke chocolate. All in all, it was a good day in the Hoag household.