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Sidney Bell: When I think of Beebe, I think of the smiles

March 12, 2019

A day spent outdoors, with the breeze blowing and the sun shining on his face, that’s the best kind of day for Sidney Bell of Ellendale.

Bell, a Vietnam veteran and self-proclaimed ‘not a go-to-the-doctor guy,’ prefers to spend his time tinkering with an engine, feeding his horses, or working on a project with his close-knit group of neighbors. Bell lives on a small farm where he enjoys spending time with his wife, caring for his animals, and living a quiet life.

“When I got back from Vietnam, I had some post-traumatic stress that I had to deal with, but at the time, they didn’t really talk about it like they do now,” Bell said. “I had to get on with life and ended up working as a corrections officer.” He met his wife, Debbie, in Rehoboth Beach. Debbie was a nurse, and for the majority of her career worked in long-term care facilities in Delaware and Maryland.

Even the bravest people can feel nervous when it comes to surgery. Sidney had some concerns when he was told he would need an operation to repair a hernia.

“I think there’s always some uncertainty when you don’t know what to expect,” Sidney said. “When my primary care doctor said it was a hernia and needed surgery, I certainly didn’t know what to expect. I knew I needed to get it taken care of.”

Sidney went to Beebe’s Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus for his hernia surgery, and he said: “I remember feeling anxious, and while I tried to pay attention to everything I was told, it was difficult. One of the nurses must have noticed, and she stopped and put her hand on my arm. She told me everything was going to be great. That personal touch and her taking that time really helped me relax.”

Sydney’s hernia turned out to be more complicated than a typical hernia repair, but he said, “The team at Beebe was by my side the entire time. I felt taken care of. I trusted in their experience and knowledge. In the end, I had a great surgery experience from start to finish.”

After Sidney was taken to recovery following the surgery, he felt relieved. “Everyone in the recovery area was so nice to me. Everyone was smiling and asking me how I was doing,” Sidney said. “I was relieved that I decided to have the surgery when I did, because it did end up being more of a problem than I wanted to admit.”

Sidney went home and is back to living his life – tinkering around his farmette near Ellendale and helping neighbors with projects.

Learn more about Sidney’s experience and Beebe’s Surgical Services at www.beebehealthcare.org/sidney.

To learn how you can Celebrate Excellent Care and donate to the I Believe in Beebe Campaign through Beebe Medical Foundation, call 302-644-2900 or go to www.beebemedicalfoundation.org.

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