Fellow Ladera Ranch Residents,

In late January, I was rushed to the Mission Hospital for the second time in as many months where, the second time, I underwent emergency surgery. I’m undergoing a full recovery and am back at my job publishing the Ladera Times. However, I mention this situation for two reasons:

First, each hospital stay lasted a week as I underwent many state-of-the-art and exotic tests and treatments and, finally, major surgery. I can’t imagine what all this cost, but I’m guessing many thousands of dollars which, fortunately, is covered by the health insurance provided by my wife’s employer.

I don’t know what I would have done had I not had health insurance, but I’m guessing that I would have probably gone to the emergency room, underwent the treatment, and, since I couldn’t afford to pay such a high bill without insurance, passed the costs on to people who do have insurance in the form of higher hospital bills and higher insurance premiums. In the end, people who have insurance are already paying for people who don’t.

But that’s not the worst of it. Some 40 million Americans, most of whom are children, are not covered by any health care plan and, as a result, don’t get the routine medical examinations and treatments those of us with insurance take for granted. We simply must find a way to ensure that all Americans have adequate health care. It’s not a liberal or conservative thing, but the humane thing to do.

My second reason for mentioning my hospitalization is to remind everyone of what a precious jewel we have in Mission Hospital, located just around the corner from Ladera Ranch. Having raised four children, coupled with our own health issues, my wife and I have been in and out of dozens of hospitals and I can tell you from personal experience the care and attention I received during my two stays at Mission Hospital was the best I have every received.

The nurses, administrative staff, technicians, and doctors attended to my every need. You would have thought I was staying in a Five Star hotel. They were highly competent, caring, kind, compassionate, and, most of all professional. I would love to mention each by name, but there were simply too many attending to my needs. Two that I will mention are Registered Nurse Andrea Flandrois, and my surgeon, Doctor Marvin Atchison of the Saddle Valley Surgical-Medical Group, both of whom live in Ladera Ranch .

The genuinely congenial and friendly atmosphere went far in speeding me to a full recovery. These professionals truly love what they are doing, which uplifts the spirits of the patients. If you find yourself in need of hospital care, trust me when I tell you that you’ll receive the very best care the health industry has to offer.

Jim Schmitt, Editor and Publisher