On New Year’s Day, I was involved in a serious automobile accident. The driver’s door of my vehicle was so mangled that I had to wait for the emergency medical team to arrive and extract me. I had an open leg fracture and a severe head laceration. My friend Chris, who was with me in the car, received facial injuries and a concussion.
When I was brought to Beebe’s Emergency Department, I was in quite a state of shock. Although I am 18 years old, I really wanted my parents with me. Unfortunately, my parents were not close by, but the Beebe ED staff in Lewes was absolutely fantastic. They all took such good of care of me, keeping me calm and informed until (and even after!) my parents arrived. I cannot say enough about how safe and secure they made me feel. I literally felt as if they were all there just for me, even though I knew the ED was busy. Their kindness really mattered, and I’m writing today because I wanted to thank them all.
Jacquelyne Marshall, RN, was on the day shift, and she was beyond sweet and caring. Morgan Ramos, RN, and Jennifer Whaley, RN, also cared for me in the ED. Jeffrey Freeman, my night nurse, was simply excellent. His demeanor and kindness toward me were appreciated as the weight of what happened began to sink in. Aside from being pretty banged up, I would need surgery on my damaged leg. Jeffrey Voorhees, PA, and techs Loretta Reed, Ike Wharton and Nigel Thomas were my angels. Joydeep Haldar, MD, was also part of my amazing ED team.
My surgery was performed by David Sopa, DO. It took a metal rod, 10 screws and two metal plates to repair my tibia. Even with the intensity of the surgery, the great care I received at Beebe continued. The surgery and post-operative team were excellent. I would like to thank Dawn Roach, RN, in the operating room; Louis Costa, DO, Brian Hughes, CRNA, Scott Knowlton, DO, Mary “Molly” Kucharski, ENIT, RN, and Sarah Miller, RN, in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit; orthopaedic nurses Akash Patel, RN, Jyoti Deol, RN, Tatim Kane, RN, Brenna Johnson, RN, Renee Veasey, RN, along with Kayla Calhoun, Stephen Rualo, MD, Michael Kalil, DO, Patricia Bradley, OT, Jessica Glass, PTA, Brenda Hackett Brown, PT, and Natalie Heller, COTA and registered dietitian, for taking such great care of me.
I was discharged from the hospital Jan. 4 thanks to help from discharge planners Destiny Thompson and Crystal Luckhardt, and I went home. Physical Therapist Anita Wisniewski from Beebe Home Care came to the house to help continue my therapy. Home Care’s Michele O’Hara, RN, was so wonderful as well. She helped me settle in at home and taught me how to take care of my incisions and staples. She also came back to my house to remove the staples.
I am still in physical therapy because of the nature of my injuries, but I am feeling well enough to write this sincere thank you to Beebe for all the excellent care I received. This accident was traumatic, and recovering from it is still a daily effort, but I am grateful that I was cared for by such an incredible team at Beebe. If I missed anyone, I apologize – thanks to all who were involved in my care!
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, visit Beebe Medical Foundation at beebemedicalfoundation.org or call 302-644-2900. Want to share your story? Contact Amanda Neal at aneal@beebehealthcare.org.
