Minirth Meier Clinic West

They come for all kinds of reasons. Some have been abused by parents or spouses. Others are recovering from the physical and emotional ravages of alcoholism or drug abuse. For some, dysfunctional families have made life miserable. They share their Christianity. And they share the fact that, after years of struggling with church teachings that either denied their problems or blamed them on lack of faith, they have come out of the closet to squarely face their pain.

They come for all kinds of reasons. Some have been abused by parents or spouses. Others are recovering from the physical and emotional ravages of alcoholism or drug abuse. For some, dysfunctional families have made life miserable. They share their Christianity. And they share the fact that, after years of struggling with church teachings that either denied their problems or blamed them on lack of faith, they have come out of the closet to squarely face their pain.

Michael John Reddix, the month-old child of a Yorba Linda couple, died Sunday at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles after getting a heart transplant last week. A hospital spokesman said Monday that the baby died of lung problems, not a problem with the transplanted heart. "The cause of death was severe pulmonary complications," said Tim Bradley, a spokesman for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. "The heart was functioning well." The baby had been on a heart-lung machine since his birth Feb. 8 at St.

For Gerald and Valerie Reddix of Yorba Linda, time is both the friend and enemy of their critically ill newborn, Michael John. Michael has been on a heart-lung machine since his birth Feb. 8. He has a defective heart that cannot be surgically repaired and is a candidate for a donated heart. Time theoretically increases the chances of finding a donor heart. But his father said each day also strains the infant's tenuous life. "We don't know how much time we have," Gerald Reddix, 38, said Tuesday.

Family therapist Greg Cynaumon, a retired Anaheim police officer, has been named host of "Family Forum," a 15-minute daily radio program on KBRT. The Anaheim resident will concentrate on his views of family issues. Cynaumon, author of "Single Parent . . . Troubled Kids," is director of clinical relations for the Minirth-Meier Clinic West in Newport Beach.

"Healing Hidden Hurts That Haunt Our Health, Hope and Happiness" is the title of a workshop being presented today by Rhea Zakich at United Methodist Church of Garden Grove. The workshop is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $20. On Sunday, a retirement celebration will be held for Bishop Jack Tuell of the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church. The celebration will be co-sponsored by the church's Long Beach and Santa Ana districts.

"Striking a Proper Balance: The Role of Religion in American Politics" is the topic of a panel discussion Thursday sponsored by the American Jewish Committee, the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Orange County, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, the Jewish Community Center of Orange County and the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The moderator will be Prof. Benjamin Hubbard of Cal State Fullerton's religious studies department.