Bell Block retiree Dorothy Isaac was stunned when her doctor told her at the end of last year that he had referred her to Hospice.  Her condition was terminal.  But a few months later she is full of praise for what the service has done for her and her husband Glan.

“The doctor said there’s nothing more we can do for you and we’re referring you to hospice.  I was shocked.”

Ironically Dorothy, who has uterine cancer, had always believed in what Te Kahu Pairuri Hospice Taranaki stood for and like many in the community regularly supported the service with donations.  That belief has now become a reality.

“We’ve always donated to Hospice and have been receiving the newsletters for a long time.  It’s a good cause.  Now I’ve had the experience myself you can see what they do for people.”

She’s had a few bad patches, but a recent increase in her painkillers has meant she’s feeling pretty good at present.

“I’m cooking a couple of nights at the moment, and doing a few little jobs.  I can’t be mollycoddled.  But I’m not overdoing it.  I am being careful.  And they are keeping a surreptitious watch on Glan”.  Dorothy smiles.

“The service we’ve had makes me feel quite humble” Glan says.

A short time back when she told the nurses she had hurt herself getting out of her bed, a medical bed arrived the same day.  “They had the electric bed up here just like that.  They are on the end of the phone for you 24/7”.

Glan has his king single next to her in the bedroom “so at least we’re in the same room”, she says.

Taking pride of place in the lounge is the comfy big chair with its specialist pillow which also arrived from hospice.  The chair is a plug-in electric model and she’s become expert at moving it through its paces.  It helps her to stand up and she can also lie it back and enjoy a snooze.

Hospice has provided her with other aids.  There are not one but two walkers, one to give support around the house and the other which folds up and goes in the car.  She also has a wheelchair.

The community nurses who come to visit are all on a first name basis and she loves the consistently high standard of support she receives from them.  “They give brilliant service”.

She has recently joined the hospice Day Programme on Wednesdays and Fridays, located at Te Rangimarie in New Plymouth.  “I’m told to get plenty of rest when she is at hospice for the Day Programme” 86 year old Glan says.

The couple are astounded the volunteer drivers think nothing of coming all the way out to Bell Block to collect her and take her to and from the hospice so she can attend.  They have interesting speakers and delicious meals are provided.  Dorothy was looking forward to the visit from Americarna drivers and their magnificent machines.  Little did she know she was to meet and have her photo taken with Greg Murphy.

Her daughter, a pharmacist in Whangarei, rings her every day to check on how she is.  Dorothy is looking forward to her visit shortly.

Gardening is now off the agenda along with her beloved bowls.  “My biggest disappointment is I’ve got no bowls.  I played 28 years and enjoyed every minute of it.  It’s two years since I haven’t been able to do it”.

She collected her share of trophies over the years as a member of the New Plymouth Bowling Club and she takes great pleasure in the knowledge that as a selector she helped pick a top performing interclub team.  She was also a rep indoor bowls player.  She was the one who introduced Glan to bowls and he laughs describing the good times he has at the Fitzroy Club.  “Now you can’t keep him away” she jokes.

The cancer came out of the blue.

“I had never been in hospital until I went in for my hysterectomy.  I did have my tonsils out when I was young.  I am 76 now, so that’s not too bad.  I’ve had a good life.  You have to take the good with the bad”.

Thank you Dorothy and Glan Isaac for sharing your story with us all.