Chapter 17: Inside the UC Medical Center

On time at 8:15, we Vinkes left for the UC Medical Center. We found Dad learning to eat breakfast one-handed. He was much more “with it” today and apologized again for worrying us. Tara and I hugged him tightly and promised we were just glad he was going to recover from his terrible injury.

Dad’s surgeon arrived and reassured us that he was doing very well and that she would expect to discharge him “the day after tomorrow” barring any infections or complications.

After she left, a man in a business suit appeared, describing himself as an attorney for Sacramento Power and Light.

“I’ve been asked to look in on you and make sure you have what you need.”

“Mr. Andretti, we have a lot to discuss,” said Mom. “I’m going to ask our daughters to step out while Martin and I have a frank discussion with you. Girls, please hang out in the waiting room, I will catch you up later, I promise.”

Grumbling, Tara and I left Dad’s room.

Out in the hallway, a doctor intercepted me. He studied my birthmark and abruptly said, “Port wine stain, very prominent. Young lady, I am Frederick Colby, Associate Professor and Vice Chair of our Dermatology Department. These people are our medical students. Would you do us a tremendous service and let us meet with and talk with you? I think you might get some very useful information out of it.”

It was better than another morning stuck in a waiting room. “I’m Nora Vinke, this is my beloved sister Tara. She needs to hear anything you tell me today. Let’s notify the waiting room about where you are taking us so my mom can find us later.”

We all moved down the hall to “Seminar Room 12.” Dr. Colby led a jargon-filled discussion of my stain with his students. Uncomfortably, he used his phone camera and Bluetooth to put up a hugely magnified image of my stain on the room’s flat screen.

“Ms. Vinke, may I ask, is there a reason your birthmark has gone untreated all these years?”

I explained what I knew about events in my early childhood. The health insurance denying coverage for a “cosmetic” procedure. My mother’s difficult pregnancy (with Tara) and long recovery, and the resulting loss of her income. Tara didn’t know these stories and looked stricken.

“So, you had to go through your school years with this prominent birthmark? That must have been quite difficult.”

Tara spoke up. “Doctor, you have no idea. Nora was tortured and isolated her whole time at school. She has just graduated from high school after hiding in the library every day during lunch periods. She never had a friend of either sex. She never went on a date. or a dance. All she had was just me, and our parents. I honestly don’t understand how she became such a good person after so much adversity and abuse.”

I couldn’t help it, tears were now running down my face.

Up until then, Dr. Colby had been very businesslike and technical. Now he was softer, more sympathetic, and offered me tissues.

“Ms. Vinke, I am very sorry to have upset you. I can’t do anything now about how you were mistreated, originally by the health care system and later by your peers. But I can offer you some helpful information for the future.”

Mom had slipped into the back of the seminar room. She was already angry, but when she saw how upset I was, Tara also, she looked ready to erupt.

“There are many laser treatments that are highly effective on PWS lesions like yours. May I ask, are you going to college?”

“I have been admitted to UCLA.”

“That’s great, congratulations. My colleague, Tracey Melendez, is a personal friend and a great dermatologist down south at UCLA Medical Center. And she has a state-of-the-art pulse-dye laser, perfect for treating you. No, don’t worry, your student health benefits combined with some grants should make the treatments very affordable, even for a student.”

“I know Tracey would jump at the chance to fade away your birthmark and make a big change in your life. She might even publish an academic paper about your case, and others she has laser treated. Please, please, go see her. I will write a referral for you on my personal letterhead. And when you return to Sacramento, come see me so I can photograph your improvement for my own satisfaction, and my files.”

“Students, as I have said before, these birthmarks are best laser treated while the children are very young, ideally less than 30 months old. For your patient’s families, find any possible way to arrange treatment through the health care and insurance systems, to prevent a lot of pain later in life. Are you Mrs. Vinke?”