Derry man with COPD shares his recent positive experience at Foyle Hospice

George Millar, 61, a former schoolteacher from Eglinton, moved to back to Derry to get married and become a father after working some years in Scotland and England.

George was born suffering with asthma and developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in later life. He said the

condition was “full-blown” by the time he reached 40.

“I was teaching at that time but things started to slow down for me; my mind was willing but my body wasn’t,” he said.

“As the years progressed, the condition seemed to worsen. I had chest infection after chest infection. I think I’ve had every antibiotic in the book. Sadly, every time I take a chest infection, it’s like your lungs having a heart-attack; they’re scarred and they’re damaged and that, over time, is not a good thing.”

George was spending a lot of time in hospital and was prescribed oxygen but he continued getting chest infections.

“It got to the stage then that I was so exhausted, my immune system was so low and I was so tired at home that I had the Community Respiratory Team come to me. Then, I was diagnosed with yet another chest infection and put on another antibiotic. After this, Foyle Hospice nurses were contacted; they called out and had a chat with me, started me on new medication and invited me to come into Foyle Hospice to get myself sorted.”

George said he had preconceived ideas about Foyle Hospice before arriving: “My first thoughts about Foyle Hospice were very ignorant, in a sense. I have always associated Foyle Hospice with the word ‘cancer’ – I wasn’t aware of all the services the Hospice provides and the facilities they have to offer. After sitting talking with one of the Foyle Hospice community nurses, she explained exactly what they do here and I agreed to go in.

“When they told me they had a bed for me, I felt very privileged because I know there are only nine beds here. I was made to feel very welcome, from the minute I came through the door. Everyone is very warm and approachable. There is someone with you all the time, you’ll never be lonely in here.

"Everyone of every discipline will put their head around the door to say hello or see if there’s anything you need; it’s just like a home from home. It just feels like being in a big house and everyone here is working together as a team. There’s no feeling of hierarchy or that anyone is better than anyone else, they are all there to achieve the same goals and targets and their core aim, number one, is looking after their patients.

“As soon as I came in here, I felt a warmth, I felt security and comfort, I felt a sense of belonging and I knew I was in the right place.”

“Guidance, knowledge, support and strength”

George’s care plan was discussed with him and he was told it could be reviewed and amended to best suit him and enable him manage his symptoms better to return home.

“Within a week I felt that my breathing was much more under control and I’m gaining confidence in self-care. I found that, with medication and support, I can do more things for myself. It’s educational; you’re being given the guidance, knowledge, support and strength to attain targets. As long as you work with staff here, there’s no reason you can’t attain those goals.”

George said that it was particularly empowering to receive person-centred care and be involved in all decision-making about his treatment.

“You are part of the plan because you are the focus, you’re involved the whole way,” he said.

“Everything is explained to you about what they intend to do and you, as a patient, have an input about what you want and what is going to make you happy. You’re not being told what to do.”

George urged anyone with negative feelings about hospice care to “dismiss all those thoughts” and, with a smile on his face, likened his experience at Foyle Hospice to a holiday.

“I have a patio door here; I can go out and sit in the sunshine when it’s good. It’s all self-contained, you don’t have to leave your area, your food and medication is brought in and the doctor comes in.

The only people I have seen since I have been here have been my own visitors and the staff, it’s all very quiet and confidential.”

He added: “You would get the feeling you’re on holidays in the sense you’ve got your own private apartment, like a villa, and your patio out the back, having the cleaners come in and having your meals brought to you…it’s like an all-inclusive package!”

George said that the Foyle Hospice team have worked together to help him manage his symptoms and return home with the further support of other healthcare and social care professionals.

“I’ve been referred to an OT (occupational therapist), physio, social worker – all of those things have been looked after and that takes a lot of pressure off you. That’s the resources the Hospice can offer, I don’t have to run around making phone calls, it’s all laid out for me.

“I felt that the Hospice was a no-go, I thought it was only for cancer, I thought if you go to Foyle Hospice you’re going to pass away – I was unaware of the support the Hospice can offer people who have life-limiting illnesses, such as mine.

“It was interesting to find out that this place isn’t so much to do with death, there’s life after the Hospice and they’re here to give you the strength, the courage and the confidence to push on with their help.”

If you would like to find out more about the range of services available at Foyle Hospice, please visit www.foylehospice.com or call 028 71351010.