My first experience at Beebe Healthcare happened Nov. 3, 2022. That was the day I had a colectomy performed by Ramakrishna Tatineni, MD.

As a bit of background, I am from a "medical" family. My mother was a labor and delivery nurse in New York who went back to school in her 40s, earned her master’s degree and became the director of nursing at the hospital where she worked. Throughout her career, she was a proud advocate for nurses and the profession of nursing.

My brother is also in healthcare. He is an orthopaedic surgeon in Virginia who also proudly served our country in the Air Force for 14 years. So, I grew up listening to stories at the dinner table regarding scenarios, both good and bad, that happen in a hospital. I also know what it means to be an unsung hero, because I am a retired teacher. From that experience, I know it's important to acknowledge when things are done right.

I’m writing today to say thank you to all who were involved in my care at Beebe. Thank you especially to Dareth Penuel who ran a great nursing team, the wonderful gentleman in pre-operative care who was a ball of energy and made me smile, and nurse Jessica Pfeiffer, who efficiently took over and got things rolling in the operating room. Also, while I don't know exactly which lovely nurse inserted my pre-surgery IV, I’m grateful that she noticed my distress (I began to cry thinking of all that could go wrong) and sweetly gave my arm a squeeze of reassurance.

After surgery, I awoke in the Intensive Care Unit and was taken to Room 316 where I spent two nights and three days. 

The first thing I noticed in ICU was that one after another, the nurses and technicians who came in to greet me looked fresh and healthy, and every one of them was smiling under their masks. My first amazing duo was Josie Melson and Lauren Fleetwood. They were so kind, and they clearly enjoyed the work they were doing. They got me up and walking my first day; they were sympathetic about my catheter not coming out and gently woke me up throughout the night for vitals or meds. They cared. They made my post-op bearable. The next amazing duo was Breanna Lindsay and Madi Irwin, who were equally attentive, empathetic and efficient. They too woke me gently throughout their shift, apologizing for any noise.

By Nov. 4, I was doing my walk-abouts with frequency and determination. I was truly impressed with the staff but wanted to go home. I met my last nurse, Kristina Briones, on Nov. 5. Kristina made sure I was being discharged with all the proper goods and paperwork. She answered my questions and assured me that I would be able to handle my recovery at home. She was also very caring when it came time to take my stomach drain out. Acknowledging it was painful, she paused and let me breathe through my discomfort.

These nurses and nursing duos were among the many who cared for me, including Dr. Stephen Fanto, Dr. Louis Costa, Catherine Murphy, Susan Davis, Evan Leitner, Lauren Trapp, Lisa Collord, Christine Eikenberry, Mariella Smith, Arlenys Torres, Jefferson Willis, Grant Kuns, Rennae Williams and even discharge planner Jennifer Edgar. I sincerely thank you all.

I am very happy with Dr. Tatineni and the surgery he performed. However, I will recommend Beebe Healthcare because of the staff it employs. Because it was my room, 316 is my new favorite number.

As a community-based, not-for-profit healthcare system, Beebe Healthcare depends on the generous support of the community it serves. To make a gift to celebrate the excellent care you or a loved one has received at Beebe, visit Beebe Medical Foundation at beebemedicalfoundation.org/cec or call 302-644-2900. Want to share your story? Contact Amanda Neal at aneal@beebehealthcare.org.