Response to Dick Feagler op-ed, Cleveland PD

(Note to readers: See Feagler's article here.)

Dear Mr. Feagler -- if you ever want to experience what 'free' health
care is like, I encourage you to come to Hungary for your next operation
or medical visit for a pre-existing condition, like diabetes. Bring
Hillary.

I am a native of Cleveland and have lived in Budapest since 1991.
That's long enough to be able to tell you that I would never wish the
Hungarian, 'free', socialized healthcare system on my worst enemy -- or
on you. Come, have your gall bladder taken out at St. John's hospital
in Budapest. You will only have to share your room with 12 other people
with various illnesses, including folks in the last stages of cancer who
are literally screaming with pain. 'Morphine, you asked? What
morphine, Mr. Feagler. Didn't you know our morphine quota ran out two
months ago? He'll be gone soon, anyway...' Oops, there are only 11 of
you in the room now. I didn't notice that two people had passed away
earlier today -- and no one else seems to have noticed either -- despite
the fact that there are no curtains between beds and everyone is exposed
to everyone else, whether you're dying or just trying to maneuver the
bed pan to the right place.

BTW, when you do come to Budapest for that operation, don't forget to
bring dishes, utensils, towels, toilet paper, juice, crackers, etc.,
because none of those are provided at the hospital. And, since the
meals are a bit on the 'lite' side, (a roll with butter for breakfast, a
bowl of soup for lunch, and a slice of mystery meat for dinner), you'll
want to make sure that a friend or relative brings you real meals a
couple times a day so that you can keep up your strength during the
recuperation period. We all know how important a healthy immune system
is after an operation, especially with that nasty staph infection
problem they can't seem to shake off at St. John's.

After a day or two in the hospital, it's always nice to take a hot
shower. The bathrooms and toilets, circa 1898, are down the hall --
sorry about the line. I realize there are no doors on the stalls, no
seats on the toilets or toilet paper, but remember when I told you you'd
have to bring that? No handles on the water taps? Sorry. 'Must be
those damn gypsies again, stealing anything they can get money for down
at the junkyard...'

Oh, and then there's the medication. Budapest hospitals don't always
have what you need on hand during and following the operation. So
you'll want to make sure you get everything on the list they hand you a
couple days before the operation. (I hope you have a friend who owns a
pharmacy or know someone who does...)

A visit to the maternity ward reveals 13 women in one room: some are in
full labor (again, no curtains); some are nursing their newborns for the
first time, while still others have just had an abortion or their third
miscarriage in as many years. Life, death, and the murder of innocents
play out in the same space, for all to witness and process.

After having given birth to my only child in Budapest in 1999, my
husband and I promised ourselves that we would never subject ourselves
or our newborn to 'free' health care. Ever. Not having many options,
we did what anyone who had experienced both the American and Hungarian
healthcare systems would have done: we joined the AMERICAN Clinic in
Budapest, now known as FirstMed Centers. It's not 'free', Mr. Feagler,
but as we all know, you get what you pay for.

Julianna Gulden
Budapest, Hungary