Page 55 - Robeson Living Fall 2018

the doctors said, but, we said, God has the final say,” Phoe- time of need, especially because it was a place they felt
be added. comfortable as they openly used their faith to deal with
their situation.
The phrase “but God,” would turn into a family motto as
Harold started improving instead of declining. Repeated- “They believe in the power of prayer,” she said. “It was
ly, the odds said one thing, but God would say something nice to know that we could say we believe in God and God
else,” Phoebe said. has the last say, and they supported us in that.”
Gathered in one of the sitting rooms on a recent May after-
“Hospice House was a godsend,” Harold said. “People were noon, just a few doors down from the room he stayed in as
so helpful. I didn’t want to go to Hospice House, but the first a patient, Harold Harris looks like a well man. The trache-
night I got here was the first sleep I’d had in a long time. otomy is long gone, as is the feeding tube, and he’s back
The next morning I asked my wife to see what it would cost around his normal weight, after going from 229 to 139
to stay here for a year. The ladies were so good to me, they pounds at one point. He sports a combination pacemaker
sort of spoiled me.” and defibrillator and will gleefully tell you about how he
shot three games of basketball with his kids recently, al-
Harold was at Southeastern Hospice House for three weeks most certainly against doctor’s recommendations.
before being moved back home to Pembroke on May 31,
2016. He continued to get hospice care at home for another “I feel good,” he said. “There’s a lot of things I’d like to
month before the family revoked the request so he could do that I can’t, like lifting stuff, but I don’t have any prob-
start seeing physicians again for regular care. lems. God’s been good to me, that’s the only way we can
explain it. But these are some precious people, they’re
“We can laugh about it now,” his wife said. “He was in such right at the top of my list of good folk. I can’t imagine
good spirits even when he thought he was dying. Finally doing this job every day. It takes some extremely special
one day, Dr. Godfrey Onime called me outside and he said, people to work here.”
‘Mrs. Harris, what are you going to do with him? He can’t
stay here, he’s too well.’” Dr. Onime is the medical director
of Southeastern Hospice House. Bethany Christian Fellowship
307 S. Jones Street
In addition, Phoebe praises Southeastern Hospice House Pembroke, NC
Physician Dr. Robin Peace, who also practices at Southeast- Invites you to join them as they celebrate the
ern Medical Clinic North Lumberton, as one of the doctors 40th Anniversary of Pastoral Ministry for
who first gave them medical hope that her husband might Pastor Charles P. Locklear.
recover. According to Phoebe, Dr. Peace made a point to This celebration will take place on September 30th, 2018.
run some blood work, which showed surprising news.
Morning Service at 11:00 a.m. with lunch to follow.
The afternoon service will be held at Berea Baptist
“She said, ‘Mr. Harris, it’s not a whole lot better, but it’s not Church at 3:00 p.m.
worse,’ and she put him back on his medicines,” Phoebe
said. “She was such a blessing. God gave her the perfect Churches that Pastor Charles has been privileged to
name.”
Pastor have been asked to come and be part of the after-
noon Service.
Phoebe said she wished that more people understood how You have a cordial welcome to come and celebrate with
helpful and supportive the Southeastern Hospice House Bethany on this special occasion.
care can be.

“They didn’t just take care of the patient, they took care
of my family,” she said. “We were all coming in and out.
It was the end of the school year, so it was a crazy time at
home, and things like, in the middle of the night, to be able
to go to the kitchen here and get coffee, or be in these little
sitting rooms, or to sit in the gazebo ... it was all about com-
fort. It was just amazing.”

The family gives all of the credit to God, but they will al-
ways be thankful for Southeastern Hospice House in their