Supervisor Riley Hospitalized Again--but ‘not Serious’ : Diabetes: ‘The doctors think they just have to adjust his insulin levels,’ his aide says.

For the second time in five weeks, Orange County Supervisor Thomas F. Riley was admitted to Hoag Hospital for observation Wednesday because of concern over his diabetic condition.

“It’s not serious at all,” said Riley aide Christie McDaniel. “The doctors think they just have to adjust his insulin levels.”

McDaniel said Riley, 79, has been testing his blood-sugar count at home daily and found the level Wednesday to be at 400--far above his normal range of 100 to 200.

“They think if they double the (insulin) dose for a day, it’ll even things out,” she said.

Riley, a retired Marine Corps general, was admitted to the hospital late Wednesday afternoon and may be released by 11 a.m. today.

Riley had been hospitalized last April 1 partly because of concern about his diabetes. During his stay, it was discovered that he suffered from bronchitis. The supervisor has had emphysema and asthma for years and had quadruple bypass heart surgery last year.

While Riley soon returned to work, McDaniel said he has still been “feeling a little weak from the bronchitis.”

Riley’s hospitalization last month accelerated speculation among local politicians that his health might force him to step down early from his South County seat and that state Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) would be appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to fill out his term.

But McDaniel said: “It’s fully anticipated that he will complete the term through December, ‘94, and there’s been no indication from him or his doctors that it would be appropriate to do otherwise.”