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Kudos for efficient and accurate care at Beebe

September 21, 2021

I noticed an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach one Sunday in early August. I knew something was wrong but wasn’t quite sure what it was. I imagined that I was feeling what my grandmother used to refer to as “the grip.”

Although not horrible, the pain on my right side continued throughout the day. By evening, my wife took my temperature, and it registered at 103 degrees. I decided to rest overnight and see how I felt in the morning. By 6:30 a.m., I knew I needed medical help. My wife and I checked Beebe’s Walk-In Care hours and because they did not open until 9 a.m., we decided to drive to the emergency department in Lewes.

The emergency department was not overcrowded, and the staff could not have been nicer, more compassionate, or more efficient. They quickly took my insurance information, and I was ushered back into medical care. By about 9:30 a.m., I was informed that I would get a CT scan. The speculation was that I had a kidney stone, a gall bladder issue or appendicitis. None of these diagnoses sounded appealing, but at least I felt I was in good hands!

Roughly an hour later, my diagnosis was confirmed – I had appendicitis. My appendix would need to be removed, and my surgery was scheduled for that evening. I was a little shocked by the diagnosis because I’m in my 70s. I guess I assumed appendicitis was something that happened in your teens or early 20s. As it happened, I got lucky around 12:30 p.m.; there was a surgery cancellation, and they were able to fit me in for my procedure. I was moved into a room, met with the anesthesiologist and with Dr. Ramakrishna Tatineni, and headed into surgery – all within five hours of arriving at Beebe!

The laparoscopic procedure was a breeze. I woke up with three small incisions, a tube in my stomach and in the care of nurse Shelsea Morris. Shelsea was great. Competent and caring, she was also patient with my post-procedure loopiness. Later that evening, my care transitioned to Michael Patrick, who was equally as competent, caring and efficient. I enjoyed chatting with Michael, a former Navy corpsman, and I felt very comfortable in his care.

The next morning, the nursing team had me up and moving about, and I was released from Beebe around 3:30 p.m. My follow-up appointment was later that same week, and the tube in my stomach was removed. I just cannot say enough good things about my experience at Beebe. Every team member was knowledgeable and, most importantly, accurate. I truly received great care from everyone I encountered.

Thanks to all at Beebe for an excellent and efficient experience!

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