IVANinNJ

Yes, from all the research I have done, I am convinced Dr. Ballantyne is THE man at Hackensack. My surgery with him is in exactly 36 hours from right now. Here is his website: ADVANCED LAPAROSCOPIC, TELEROBOTIC & BARIATRIC SURGERY His practice is very busy, and like most busy surgeons there are alot of hoops to jump through before he will even have a consult with you. The first step is to go to his next seminar. I am planning on a 23 hour hospital stay, and the procedure itself should be just under an hour. Feel free to contact me off list, I will share whatever specifics I can with you.

I agree with you, this is very omen-esque. Get copies from all the tests that were done so far, then take some time to do some further checking into the Doc in Lake Charles. Then see who else is in driving distance. This is a long-term relationship you are starting. Having someone within immediate reach for fills, follow-ups and concerns over the next few years is just as important as the initial procedure.

Mari Ann, It's great that you are ready to go right in on Monday, when calling out sick would seem like the easy way to go. Congratulations on your attitude, go gettem. So, now that your supervisor is done crying, Monday morning would be a good time for her to make an example of your coworker and send the message that a hostile work environment will not be tolerated. I saw you are in the medical profession, so if you work for a large company like a hospital or long term care facilty, or the City, there is likely an extensive policy about such behavior, which in this case is just begging to be exercised. If your supervisor takes the easy way out, she will bring you both in to the office so the other one can appologize to you and then have you shake hands and walk out like nothing ever happened. You may want to be ready for whichever route your boss takes. Sweeping the incident under the rug allows the vulgar one to strike again at you or someone else. Please don't tell me she's the president of your union

Hi, I am also an EMT and just wanted to add some random thoughts. If you buy a "medic-alert" bracelet, try to avoid the ones that look like fancy jewelry, those may be passed off as jewelry and not noticed until later or not at all. In a serious emergency, a necklace or wrist bracelet will be noticed well before an ankle bracelet. If you have other health problems, consider subscribing with a company that will provide you with a bracelet/necklace that has their "800" number on it with a patient ID number, with no specific medical information. In an emergency the medical staff calls the 800 number and they provide a detailed medical history, your medications, insurance information, doctor's names, and emergency contact information. Aside from the obvious advantages here, the information can be continuously updated by you, so the information is always current and you don't have to keep buying new tags when your conditions change. The mere presence of a tag will prompt an experienced medical professional to check a wallet for more information.

Hi, I am 84 hours and 12 minutes away (but who's counting). (July 18th)

Hi, My name is Ira and I am in Bergen County, NJ. I am hoping for a date in July for my band. The pre-requisite tests are just about complete, and "last meal syndrome" is winding down also. I welcome direct emails. Thanks to everyone for the excellent info I have already gotten by reading the older postings! Dr. Ballantyne / Hackensack University Medical Center QualCare