Former patients, Mr. and Mrs. Bell donates chairs and gives a little token of appreciation to the nursing staff at St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital for their tender loving care.

October of this year proved to be a very “trying” month for Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Bell, who are returning residents of five (5) years after living in London, England for the past 40+ years.  Mr. Lloyd Bell, a retired Senior Security Officer of Scotland Yard and his lovely wife, Mrs. Caseita Bell, a retired Nurse and Mental Health Social Worker, are a very active couple who pride themselves on doing water aerobics three mornings a week at Flava Beach.

In October, Mrs. Bell, who had not eaten, became hyperglycemic and slipped into a coma.  She was rushed to St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital (SABRH) by her neighbours and a very nervous husband, who was afraid that he was losing his wife of over 40 years.  She was brought to Accident and Emergency (A&E) where she was revived, treated and able to be released early the following morning.  Later that same month, Mr. Bell was simply not feeling well.  He went to see Dr. Auden who sent him to get an x-ray.  Upon reviewing the results, Dr. Auden requested that Mr. Bell be admitted immediately for further tests.  Mr. Bell was admitted for five days to the Male Medical Ward, due to the seriousness of his illness.  While in the hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Bell experienced the treatment by the doctors and nurses and they were extremely pleased.  They admitted that they had heard “things” about SABRH that were not very favourable, and so, after Mrs. Bell was revived from her coma and found herself in A & E, she was very apprehensive.  Although her experience was not unpleasant and she recalls very good care from the nurses and doctors around her, her stay was very brief.  Her husband on the other hand was admitted, so now they would really get a lengthier experience of treatment at SABRH.

Mr. and Mrs. Bell were so enamoured by the treatment Mr. Bell received.  Mrs. Bell says that Mr. Bell came home very spoiled, as he requested to be awakened for lunch and attended to for dinner.   Mr. Bell boasts that he was very well taken care of and recalls, with a smile, that one morning a nurse checked his blood sugar and found it to be extremely low (2.7).  She advised him that she would be back shortly and returned with a slice of bread pudding to feed to him.  Mrs. Bell exclaimed that she was extremely pleased with the care her husband received and was very happy to experience, firsthand, that what she had heard was contrary to what her and her husband went through.

And so, Mr. and Mrs. Bell thought it only fitting to return to the hospital to not only to say thank you, but to share their story, show their appreciation and bring gifts.  They have donated chairs to the Male Surgical Ward for visitors to sit with their loved ones, and also brought a little treat for the nurses who so caringly nurtured Mr. Bell back to health.

Contact:
Michaelaine Lee
Public Relations & Advocacy Officer
North East Regional Health Authority
872-0506 - Cell/ 795-0102 – Office
Michaelaine.lee@nehra.gov.jm