The African weaving bird is known as an incurable lover to his mate. Charles Coble built a home for his wife Wilma Coble in Richmond County that was what he envisioned.

But death was coming. Angels visited in his room and only he could see them. Life was good to Mr. Coble but it was ending and there wasn’t anything he could do.

“Ten out of 10 of us are going to die and I am one of them,” Jason Perakis remembers his stepfather Charles Coble saying.

Charles grew ill and a tumor took over his body and weakened him.

“He said, ‘I’m sorry to be such a burden,’ and I said ‘I love you, you could never be a burden,”’ his wife said.

Charles gave her a wink that had often made her feel at ease. She watched him sleep that November and didn’t know that was the last time that his eyes would be open.

During this troubling time from diagnosis in August to the end, Wilma did not go through it alone.

Wilma Coble now realizes that Hospice is the connection between your loved one, the doctor and the pharmacy.

“All you must do is let them know your needs and they will deliver,” she said.

The “girls,” as Charles would affectionately call them, were a team of caregivers from Hospice. He enjoyed their company and conversation. They always brought joy and happiness to him which was his greatest medicine.

“The girls taught me to have quality time with my husband to enjoy our garden, our rooms and learn to talk about our good life together,” Wilma remembers.

“We appreciated their professionalism and how well they treated him during his time of need,” said Perakis.

Charles believed in progress, love and creativity. “We were in love and we lived a full life,” said Wilma.

“Hospice is here to serve our friends, neighbors and families,” said Lisa Ledford, business development coordinator for hospice. The local hospice is available for home visits, home care and has an in-house facility for those in need.

“I’ve dealt with Hospice on a personal level as well, I traveled the path,” said Ledford.

Hospice does not get reimbursement for room and board for the on site patients.

“Last year” $197,000 was used in charity care,” Ledford said. But, they do get reimbursed for home care and nurse visits. Hospice worked with 221 patients and families last year, and help those in need with six months time or less to live.

“Our first goal is to have pain and symptoms under control within 24 hours,” Ledford said. Hospice believes in living a quality of life no matter what the illness the patient may have. “We do not want anyone to suffer with end of life care.”

Hospice depends on the support of the community around it.

“It’s a support system, the community supports us and we want to give back,” Ledford said.

There is a misconception that Hospice only handles cases of individuals with cancer.

“That is not the case, those diagnosed with cancer account for only 46 percent of the cases we handle,” Ledford said. “The rest include heart disease, kidney disease, dementia and a variety of other illnesses.”

Hospice offers different levels of care dependent upon the patients needs. “Volunteers are very helpful, they provide the patient with comfort and security, volunteers started Hospice and they are keeping it alive,” said Ledford.

Hollie Nivens can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or by e-mailing at hnivens@yourdailyjournal.com.