John H.

About John H.

I am writing this for my mother, Susan Hoffman, who lives in Ooltewah, TN 37363. She was the primary caregiver for my father, John Hoffman. About 6 years ago sometime around Christmas, my dad received the official diagnosis that not only did he have prostate cancer, but it was aggressive/advanced. We also learned that it had spread to his pelvic bone. When the treatments his oncologist used were no longer effective, my dad was told he can do chemo or clinical trials. My dad chose clinical trials at Sarah Cannon in Nashville, TN, and had been through about 3 in the past 2-3 years. My parents had also purchased a vacation home in FL and my dad knew it was my mom’s preferred place to be. He would apologize to her for keeping her from it and my mom never wavered or made him feel bad – always saying they will get back there and that his treatments and health were more important. My mom attended every appointment and treatment with my dad. My dad was a light and made everyone he met smile. On 1/25/18, my dad suffered a massive stroke that impacted his entire right temporal lobe. My mom was with him when the stroke happened and was quick to recognize the need to call 911. The stroke was caused by a clot the doctors think was a complication from his Stage IV prostate cancer. He was already weakened from the cancer and a 3 week hospitalization with double pneumonia in December 2017. When he returned home after that hospitalization my dad continuously said that food didn’t taste right and would take 2 bites and say he was full. She got him just about anything he wanted to try to encourage him to eat. My mom was the one who had to relay his wishes of not wanting wanting to be on life support and was the first one to tell him she will be OK. She stood by him and loved him fiercely everyday of their 42 years of marriage. She continues to be his biggest champion by loving and supporting me and his sister who are not handling the loss of my father nearly as well. My dad created an amazing life and family and that is how he will continue to live on, but the pain of losing his physical being is taking a toll on all of us in our own way. My mom is truly a champion for my Dad and I’m so grateful I’ve had both of them as my parents.

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