Spare UCI Hospital the Budget Ax

* For the first 40-odd years of my life, I’ve been fortunate not to suffer any serious physical ailments requiring emergency attention. At least, not until one recent morning, when I suddenly became ill and got an unscheduled trip to UCI Medical Center in Orange. I spent approximately seven hours in the emergency and radiology departments discovering I have a kidney problem of some sort.

I’d like to share some thoughts with my fellow Orange Countians about the emergency room at UCI Medical Center. While receiving the expected needles, IVs, and prodding and poking, I was aware of what was going on beyond my partially drawn curtain in the large, crowded room of beds, equipment and people. Under controlled pandemonium, and amid the moans of trauma and undiagnosed pains, was a small army of women and men (mostly the former) who provided intelligent, caring and professional medical assistance to a variety of recipients without regard to our status of class, age or color.

At once, I was extremely grateful and proud. Grateful that we can afford to dispense medical comfort to help ease our human conditions, and proud that we do so without regard to any other factor except need.

To every nurse, aide, technician and doctor who work in the confines of that room, thank you very much.

Incidentally, I don’t know if the county’s current fiscal crisis in any way imperils UCI Medical Center but, (to UCI administrators), please spare this facility from significant budget reductions. After all, if you or a family member were stricken, would budgetary considerations or available medical care come to mind?

PAUL T. DEQUATTRO

Laguna Beach