Support Doug's Fight Back to Health

Hello everyone,

I am reaching out to you on behalf of my soon-to-be in-laws, who have faced an unbelievable four months of grief, trials, and tribulations. Doug suffered a life altering medical emergency on February 22, 2024 and it is only by God’s grace is Doug still here with us. If that was not traumatic enough, on February 27, 2024 Darlene’s baby sister left this earth to join their mother in Heaven. Additionally, their beloved Penny developed a mass that will need to be surgically removed.

Early in the morning of February 22nd Darlene came home from spending the night with her dying sister, Lisa, to find Doug not feeling well but trying to sleep; not long after Doug called for Darlene to take him to the Emergency Room thinking he had a kidney stone. Soon after arrival Doug began to go into shock and a CT revealed a ruptured iliac artery aneurysm in the left artery and another aneurysm in his right artery. This was just the beginning of a nightmare the family wasn’t sure they would see a happy ending to, a failed laparoscopic surgery ended in Doug needing his abdominal cavity surgically opened. Over the next three weeks in ICU Doug received 18 liters of blood, suffered a kidney injury requiring a stent and dialysis, had multiple cardioversions, and remained intubated; just before a decision had to be made to give Doug a tracheotomy or not he woke and was able to be extubated. While this was great news it was only the start of so many ups and downs. Doug lost nearly all his motor skills in those three weeks- no longer able to move let alone use his limbs he faces a long long road to being independent again. In April Doug was able to be taken off of dialysis to everyone’s relief, another answered prayer. Doctors at Catholic Medical Center were grasping at straws on how to close this massive wound, and after many debridements Doug was transferred to Beth Israel in Boston where they were finally able to complete a skin graft. Things were looking up, a rehab center in Salem, NH accepted Doug to start his long road to recovery and things were going great until they weren’t. On Sunday June 2nd Doug spiked a high fever and had to be transferred not once but twice before ending up back at Catholic Medical Center with a massive infection, needing to have his kidney stent replaced and 16 days of IV antibiotics, it wasn’t all bad news though during this hospital stay we learned that the right iliac artery aneurysm will be repaired on July 8th. Doug is currently at St. Joseph's Hospital in their acute rehabilitation unit and making strides every day. He is now able to feed himself and today was able to be on his feet for the first time in over 4 months!

Doug is the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back without a second thought. He is the guy that stops on the highway in a blizzard to help a stranded motorist, shows up with the good diet coke in the good cup from that one place you love just because he is in the area, the one that sees a need and quietly meets it seeking no recognition. He is the one kids can’t wait to show their missing teeth to, the church tooth fairy. Doug embodies the true spirit of selflessness, I’m sure everyone that has known Doug has a story to share of his kindness.

Doug has always been the primary breadwinner for his family, and this unexpected health crisis has placed a heavy financial burden on him and Darlene. They have had to close Doug’s business and it is unlikely he will be able to reopen it anytime soon, if at all. Darlene took a leave of absence from work to be with Doug as he continues to heal and help him in daily activities. Since Doug was self-employed he did not have health insurance when this all began; there are medical bills from the period before Wellsense kicked in. While Doug and Darlene qualified for some assistance, Doug's disability application could still take upwards of eight months or more. They still have utility bills, gas and maintenance for Darlene’s van, their mortgage, Penny’s surgery and other daily living expenses.

Despite the immense challenges he faces, Doug remains remarkably strong and determined in his recovery journey. His driving motivation right now is to be able to walk his daughter, my fiancé, down the aisle at our wedding this fall; something every father looks forward to. His resilience and positivity inspire all who know him. However, the financial strain is overwhelming, and he needs our support now more than ever.

Please consider making a donation to support Doug and Darlene as they navigate this challenging journey towards recovery. Your contribution, no matter the size, will help Doug and his family through this difficult time. Your generosity will help alleviate the financial stress of his mortgage and daily expenses, allowing Doug to focus on his recovery without the added worry of financial instability. Your prayers are also greatly valued and will provide strength and hope during this difficult time. Thank you sincerely for your generosity and support. Together, we can provide him with the financial stability he desperately needs right now, allowing him to focus on healing and getting back on his feet.