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Stories

Sidney Bell: When I Think of Beebe, I Think of the Smiles

A day spent outdoors, with the breeze and sun shining on his face, that’s the best 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 on 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 his 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.

Surgery Was a Great Experience

Even the bravest people can feel nervous when told they need to have surgery.

Sidney had some concerns when he was told he would need surgery 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 arrived at Beebe’s Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus for his hernia surgery. “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,” he recalled. “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. “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.”

Sidney was taken to recovery following the surgery.

“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 back to living his life – tinkering around his farm-ette near Ellendale and helping neighbors with projects.

Learn more Beebe’s Surgical Services.