Memorial fund for Russ Hooge
Donation protected
As most of you are aware Russ Hooge passed away on Aug 6, 2018 after a long hard battle with stage 4 colon cancer. The following is a letter written by one of his many caring doctors:
I met Mr. Hooge in my clinic. Forty-eight years young with a beautiful wife, April. He was a lion of a man, tall and muscled. His voice, however, was soft and kind; he made only brief eye contact. He smiled shyly. He had metastatic colon cancer and he and April were there to discuss his care, his future, how to best live now. He was acutely aware that his illness was serious.
Mr. Hooge over the years faced many challenges from the time he spent in Desert Storm. Despite this and to his amazing credit, he had lived, loved and worked a full life. He was beloved in his community; raised two amazing children that both chose a military career. They were truly all the things we hope for in an American family.
I helped care for Mr. Hooge, with a team of many doctors and nurses for months. Despite aggressive treatment his cancer progressed. His liver turned to a boulder stuck inside his abdomen, protruding below his ribcage as hard as the floor beneath you. He developed other masses, most prominently a large tennis ball of cancer growing from his clavicle. He lost weight, became drawn and thin in his face-though still beautiful with that shy smile-while his belly and legs became swollen from the failure of his liver, full of fluid.
After it it was clear that the chemotherapy was no longer helping and the symptoms and pain and challenges of travel became too much, Mr. Hooge chose hospice care in his home. He made peace with his world and his life and elected a natural death when his time came. He planned his funeral and arranged his burial. He did, in short, all the good things one who must face the biggest challenge does, with bravery in his heart and April by his side. Finances had been very challenging for Mr. Hooge and April. April had to quit her job to care for him. Mr. Hooge was profoundly disabled. The costs of living however did not stop. Cars were sold, bills were cut and trimmed, the discussion of what needs to be done for the future was creeping up sooner than later. All the right steps were taken to stay above water, but Russ’ advancing cancer was coming faster than they imagined.
While planning for his funeral, Mr. Hooge learned that his life insurance plan, a plan he had bought long before he got cancer, would be void if he did not live until August 9, 2018. It was July. He was incredibaly ill. Knowing that he had to do all he could to provide for those he left behind, especially April, knowing she would lose their house if not, so he took himself off hospice care and revoked his “do not resuscitate”. His goal now was to stay alive...stay alive!!! Make it until August 9th!!
we saw him July 31 in clinic. My partner commented that he did not know how a man who looked as ill as Mr. Hooge, was alive, was walking. He was living on will alone. He had stopped taking much of his opiod medications that he desperately needed for the cancer eating his body, he kept going by moving from chair to chair listening on repeat to the “Rocky” theme song, it was a miracle he was here. Our team, a group of people set on making patients comfortable, could of course understand his motives. We had never heard of a better reason to stay alive...for just a few more days.
The evening of July 31, Mr. Hooge worsened. He was admitted from home to North Oaks in Hammond. He was found to have bacteria in his blood, his legs were swollen, cracking and bright red. The lower half of his body was dying (perhaps from his liver no longer allowing blood flow through it? Perhaps from a large clot?) releasing dangerous electrolytes into his bloodstream. The North Oaks team heard his story and was on board They would do what they could to keep Mr. Hooge alive until August 9th. August 9th!! We were all praying; sharing the story with all we knew cared for him. Hope for Mr. Hooge was living 9 more days! We knew the odds were impossible.
He fought. Boy did he fight. Initially able to walk and communicate, he worsened. He was placed in ICU, put on medicines to keep his blood pressure going, put on a machine to keep his blood pressure going, put on a machine to keep his lungs breathing, put on dialysis to try and clear the electrolytes and chemicals being released from his dying body. His children were flying in. His daughter made it to that side. He died. He was brought back to life. He died. He was brought back to life. He died. He was brought back to life....
And then he died again. And he was not able to be brought back. His son was in the airport and his daughter and wife were with Russ. He died. And it was August 6th.
And now we worry. And now for the sake of 55 hours that he did not live, Mr. Hooges hope to assure April a home is gone unless we help and help we must!!
If you are able, we ask that you donate to help this family that has done so much, for not only for others in our community, but also for our Country. No donation is too small.
Thank you you again for your love and support.
I met Mr. Hooge in my clinic. Forty-eight years young with a beautiful wife, April. He was a lion of a man, tall and muscled. His voice, however, was soft and kind; he made only brief eye contact. He smiled shyly. He had metastatic colon cancer and he and April were there to discuss his care, his future, how to best live now. He was acutely aware that his illness was serious.
Mr. Hooge over the years faced many challenges from the time he spent in Desert Storm. Despite this and to his amazing credit, he had lived, loved and worked a full life. He was beloved in his community; raised two amazing children that both chose a military career. They were truly all the things we hope for in an American family.
I helped care for Mr. Hooge, with a team of many doctors and nurses for months. Despite aggressive treatment his cancer progressed. His liver turned to a boulder stuck inside his abdomen, protruding below his ribcage as hard as the floor beneath you. He developed other masses, most prominently a large tennis ball of cancer growing from his clavicle. He lost weight, became drawn and thin in his face-though still beautiful with that shy smile-while his belly and legs became swollen from the failure of his liver, full of fluid.
After it it was clear that the chemotherapy was no longer helping and the symptoms and pain and challenges of travel became too much, Mr. Hooge chose hospice care in his home. He made peace with his world and his life and elected a natural death when his time came. He planned his funeral and arranged his burial. He did, in short, all the good things one who must face the biggest challenge does, with bravery in his heart and April by his side. Finances had been very challenging for Mr. Hooge and April. April had to quit her job to care for him. Mr. Hooge was profoundly disabled. The costs of living however did not stop. Cars were sold, bills were cut and trimmed, the discussion of what needs to be done for the future was creeping up sooner than later. All the right steps were taken to stay above water, but Russ’ advancing cancer was coming faster than they imagined.
While planning for his funeral, Mr. Hooge learned that his life insurance plan, a plan he had bought long before he got cancer, would be void if he did not live until August 9, 2018. It was July. He was incredibaly ill. Knowing that he had to do all he could to provide for those he left behind, especially April, knowing she would lose their house if not, so he took himself off hospice care and revoked his “do not resuscitate”. His goal now was to stay alive...stay alive!!! Make it until August 9th!!
we saw him July 31 in clinic. My partner commented that he did not know how a man who looked as ill as Mr. Hooge, was alive, was walking. He was living on will alone. He had stopped taking much of his opiod medications that he desperately needed for the cancer eating his body, he kept going by moving from chair to chair listening on repeat to the “Rocky” theme song, it was a miracle he was here. Our team, a group of people set on making patients comfortable, could of course understand his motives. We had never heard of a better reason to stay alive...for just a few more days.
The evening of July 31, Mr. Hooge worsened. He was admitted from home to North Oaks in Hammond. He was found to have bacteria in his blood, his legs were swollen, cracking and bright red. The lower half of his body was dying (perhaps from his liver no longer allowing blood flow through it? Perhaps from a large clot?) releasing dangerous electrolytes into his bloodstream. The North Oaks team heard his story and was on board They would do what they could to keep Mr. Hooge alive until August 9th. August 9th!! We were all praying; sharing the story with all we knew cared for him. Hope for Mr. Hooge was living 9 more days! We knew the odds were impossible.
He fought. Boy did he fight. Initially able to walk and communicate, he worsened. He was placed in ICU, put on medicines to keep his blood pressure going, put on a machine to keep his blood pressure going, put on a machine to keep his lungs breathing, put on dialysis to try and clear the electrolytes and chemicals being released from his dying body. His children were flying in. His daughter made it to that side. He died. He was brought back to life. He died. He was brought back to life. He died. He was brought back to life....
And then he died again. And he was not able to be brought back. His son was in the airport and his daughter and wife were with Russ. He died. And it was August 6th.
And now we worry. And now for the sake of 55 hours that he did not live, Mr. Hooges hope to assure April a home is gone unless we help and help we must!!
If you are able, we ask that you donate to help this family that has done so much, for not only for others in our community, but also for our Country. No donation is too small.
Thank you you again for your love and support.
Organizer and beneficiary
Laranda Andrews
Organizer
Central, LA
April Hooge
Beneficiary