In 1997, I met a spiritual giant. I was interviewing for a job in his medical office. His name was Dr. Paul Perry, he's big on ignoring the C that stands for Clarence. He was soft spoken and tended to mumble. I wasn't smart enough to be intimidated then. Once I learned more about him, it was too late, he was just Dr. Perry to me. My sister says that he has an understanding about women's pain that men just don't have. He started as an Ob/Gyn then began to have a passion for helping women in chronic pain. He studied, researched and eventually 'wrote the book' (literally) on pelvic pain. He dropped the Ob part of his practice, so that he could become a pain specialist. He built an Ob/Gyn practice staffed by Godly men and women. He is world renowned for his studies in pain management and founded the International Pelvic Pain Society. Women have come from all over the US and Europe just to see Dr. Perry in Birmingham, AL. And this is just the medical part of his life.He became an advocate for the sanctity of life that begins at conception. He put his medical reputation on the line to be one of the first doctors in Birmingham to take a stand against abortion. When I mention his name in the medical community, people recognize him as a Christian and ask if I'm referencing the doctor with scripture on the wall of his waiting room. He began to study the book of Romans and taught in his home church of Briarwood Presbyterian as well as his own staff. He had multiple four inch binders filled with this study as he led us not just verse by verse but also word by word.
He became a grandfather when I worked for him. He wore a large round pin with Stone's (his first grandchild) picture. When Davis (the second) came, he printed off pictures and taped them to the cabinets in his exam rooms. Surely his patients wanted to see those beautiful patients. They know him as 'Poppy'.
He is a RABID 'Bama fan. His favorite color is crimson and even had his car special ordered to match. He proudly wears his crimson blazer to church every Sunday during college football season. At a Christmas party game, he believed his epitaph would read, "Roll Tide!"
This picture is a great one of him, but doesn't look like him to me. To me, Dr. Perry is wearing green scrubs with a white jacket over it. A gold cross is always around his neck. In a portrait of 'Poppy', by one of his grandchildren, Dr. Perry has red lips and a gold cross around his neck. He tap danced at the one Christmas party I missed. He signed my paychecks for almost six years and still signed my mother's. He fussed when we couldn't read his writing, because he surly couldn't. That's what he paid us for. We teased him mercilessly, and it was rare that we could pull a practical joke on him. He, along with the other doctor's, made me so mad and hurt at times. Then, he would lift me up and encourage me. He cared for me and assisted in two of my surgeries. There is no one else I would want in my O.R. than he and his partners. I always knew that he was praying for me as he cared for me. He has witnessed to everyone he came in contact with, from world renowned physicians to the housekeeping staff.
And I'm going to his memorial service this afternoon. At the beginning of this year, they found metastatic, germ cell lung cancer. This mighty man was immediately ready to go home. Through prayer and fasting, he decided to fight. But after two rounds of treatment the cancer had not diminished, but grown. At that point, he left the hospital to sit on his back porch surrounded by his family. We all wondered why he had believed God's will was to fight, but learned that the day before he left the hospital, he witnessed to one more person. One more soul.
C. Paul Perry went home Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 7:30 am CST. He is rejoicing with the Lord and Savior that he so loved. And we are trying to figure out how to live in a world with out Dr. Perry. I'm not ashamed to say that I don't know how. I can say that Heaven now has one more person that I just can't wait to see. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Perry, you can visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paulperry .
And just for you, Dr. Perry, this Mississippi State fan will say, "Roll Tide!"
Lara
10 comments:
because i love him so much, it doesn't even hurt this mississippi state bulldog, to say 'roll tide' right along with you.
That is beautiful Lara!
This is Dr. Perry's daughter and I really appreciate your tribute to my Dad. One question, how come everyone always mentions his grandchildren but not his children? I love my nephews and niece but he also had two sons and a daughter and we miss him terribly. I know heaven has gained a treasure but I have lost my hero.
Elizabeth, you are absolutely right. I cannot begin to imagine the path that you are walking now. Please know that my family and I are thinking of and praying for you and your brothers each day. You knew him better than any of us, and as his staff, we all were aware of how much he loved and adored you. He couldn't have been prouder of the three of you. I'm so sorry that you have to walk this path. I know that you are held in the palm of our Lord's hand. There are no right words that I can give you, and I'm big on saying the right thing. But I am praying for you and I know our Holy Spirit is ministering to you even when you can't feel Him. Thank you for honesty and for the gift of sharing your father.
Lara
It is bad to say but I have just found out about Dr Perry, while looking the number up for one of my friends. I have been reading the beautiful posts and feeling overwhelmed and beside myself. May God continue to be with his family. Dr. Perry was a God-send to me. I loved this man as if he were my own family. In April 2001 he performed a complete hysterectomy on me at the age of 29. I knew after my 2nd child I would not have anymore children but Dr. Perry was the only one who actually listened to me and showed genuine concern to address each of my health issues. He released me from his care in 2003 and turned me over to an ob/gyn. There are doctors all over the world but to me there is only one man who truly earned that title and that was Dr. Perry. He will be greatly missed! God Bless his Family!
Today one of the moms I work with saw Dr. Childs for the first time. It took me back 25 years to when I taught Dr. Perry's son at Briarwood and began going to his practice as a patient. He was an amazing, Godly man. I'm so sorry to learn of his passing, but so thankful for all the lives he impacted.
I had the honor of working for Dr. Perry for 3 years. I was also a patient of his and I can honestly say that I have never met such a wonderful doctor, that truly cared for his patients. Dr. Perry had to do surgery on me, and two weeks out from my surgery my mother passed away very unexpectedly! Dr. Perry prayed with me, and sat and talked with me on the loss of loosing a parent! I will never forget the compassion that Dr. Perry showed and the time he took out of his very busy day to help me to understand Gods will. I know the pain that his kids and grand kids feel from loosing such a wonderful father/grandfather. But now you have a loving guardian angel looking over you! So to Dr. Perry, my boss, my doctor, my witness of God, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me in so many ways! I know that I will see you again in Heaven! God bless your family!
Cindy W.
I'm so happy that God created Dr. Paul Perry. I had laparoscopy surgery in April 2007. Dr. Perry prayed over me with my family right before they wheeled me into the op room. My dad was floored!! I said, "See, daddy, I told you about him. I'm in good hands, hands guided by The Great Healer himself!". Dr. Perry found that I had stage 4 endometriosis and that I had only had a 5% change of pregnancy prior to the surgery and a 95% change after. I had my little Tommy Boy in March 2009!! I often think and pray for Dr.Perry and his family. I praise God for making him. I just want to let his family and friends know that he is not forgotten.
Many Blessings!
Amanda Clements
As I read your words, Lara, I felt Dr. Perry's spirit move through me. I knew that he passed away but I was just looking for a paper he wrote about pelvic pain. I stumbled over this blog. I'm now 42 yrs old. I met Dr. Perry 25 yrs ago. My mom read an article in a magazine that featured Dr. Perry. I wish I could remember which publication it was but she made an appt for me. I had stage 4 endometriosis and a huge chocolate cyst on my right ovary. The blood supply was compromised so I lost that ovary. I had severe chronic pelvic pain. He also diagnosed and treated me for fibromyalgia. He LISTENED to me. He HEARD me. Two years later, my bladder was adhesed to my uterus and my left ovary was adhesed to all of it in addition to adhesions in my cul de sac. I literally could not walk upright. In all, I had 6 surgeries. Dr. Perry actually referred me to another surgeon because we were at the end of the road. I had the choice of going to grad school or getting pregnant. I was only 25 and didn't even have a boyfriend. I chose to go to pharmacy school. It was a life changing decision but it was the best decision for me. Dr. Perry listened to me, he prayed over me, he guided me, he loved me, he cared for me as a young woman and never ever judged me. He gave me and thousands of other women a voice. I thank God for Dr. Perry and I thank all of of you for keeping his memory alive. ❤
Dear Suzanne,
Believe it or not, we just found out about Paul's death today, July 11, 2022. We have returned to Birmingham and Rick is working on improving communications at The Alumni Association. He is now on the formal "In-Memoriam" list and hopefully we can do more in the future. We know you still miss him as he was an exceptional person and doctor. If you get a chance, please drop us an email (gloriadeshazo@att.net) so we can reconnect.
Rick & Gloria deShazo
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