Beebe is a jewel at the beach
Like many couples planning for their retirement and subsequent “golden years,” Ed Fitzpatrick and his wife had a lot to look forward to, and much to be practical about. They knew the next area they chose to live in would have to offer them a better quality of life, good medical facilities and an affordable cost of living.
“We were both ready to move on to the next phase of our lives,” recalls Fitzpatrick, “hoping it would be filled with feeling like ‘every day is a Saturday.’ At first we thought Coastal Carolina would be our destination, but then my second heart attack changed our views about the 12-hour plus drive it would take to reach family. That’s when Delaware came to our rescue. Lewes offered everything we wanted, and it was an easy commute to our two sons in New Jersey.”
Due to Fitzpatrick’s cardiac history, his wife insisted that that they move in close proximity to Beebe Healthcare, which they did Nov. 2, 2015. Their decision to do so would prove a most invaluable one in their retirement strategy. “Everything seemed to be going great,” recalled Fitzpatrick.
However, just three days into the excitement of moving to their new home he awoke to nausea and excessive sweating, unable to take just a few steps. Having already been through similar symptoms, he feared something was seriously wrong.
“Beebe Healthcare and its medical team came to my rescue,” he said. “My wife was able to get me to the Emergency Department just in the nick of time. Within a few minutes of our arrival, I fell unconscious.” During this period Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the two upper chambers of the heart beat erratically. As a result, Cardiologist R. Alberto Rosa, MD, inserted a temporary pacemaker in Fitzpatrick’s chest to help normalize his heartbeat and stabilize him.
“My next recollection was awakening in ICU where I had been assigned the best shift RNs possible. They treated me with kindness, provided soothing answers to my questions and offered thoughtful words of encouragement,” he recalled. “Over the next three days, Dr. Rosa treated me with amazing skill and thoughtful conversation about the necessary procedures leading up to my surgery to implant a permanent pacemaker. From our first conversation, I knew I was in the care of a five-star professional. When I asked if I could continue to be his patient for this second surgery, Dr. Rosa left an indelible mark on my memory after answering without hesitation, ‘You already are.’ ”
“Thanking Dr. Rosa is easy, but making a donation in recognition of his excellent care is an honor,” Fitzpatrick said. “The hard part is making sure he knows just how grateful I am and always will be for taking a first encounter patient and giving me and my family the opportunity for many more ‘every day is Saturday’ days. I am equally grateful for the way my ICU nurses cared for me, especially Theresa Saari, Kristin Hurley and Pam Davis. They treated me like family and are the finest in their field that I have personally encountered. Lewes, and the community within Sussex County, is fortunate to have Beebe Healthcare. It is a jewel at the beach.”
As a community-owned, not-for-profit healthcare system, Beebe Healthcare depends on the generous support of individuals, corporations, businesses, and private foundations. All gifts to Beebe Healthcare, large or small, are tax deductible and are channeled through Beebe Medical Foundation.
To make a donation, honor a Beebe Team Member or learn more about how to Celebrate Excellent Care, contact the Beebe Medical Foundation at 302-644-2900 or foundation@beebehealthcare.org.
