If you went for a informational seminar on one of the "top doctors" in your area (say, Atlanta...) but there practice and the hospital they perform in was in a bad area, would you still consider them for your surgery?

My response? No.

This happened to me. I went for a seminar for Dr. Titus Duncan/Dr. Hobson Peachtree Surgical Center & Bariatrics. I didn't even go to the seminar. I missed the turn into his office (which the seminar was actually at a different location, but I didn't realize that until I already went to his office building). I went down two blocks and there were housing projects and all kinds of scandalous looking folks walking down the street. There were homeless people (which isn't unusual for Downtown Atlanta regardless of whether the area is nice or not). It just looked so... uuh... ghetto.

I thought to myself "Do I really want to come here for appointments, surgery, fills, etc???" I thought about it then I decided that honestly I never wanted to come back to that area again in my life. I'm sure the doc was great and all... but there are like 70 bariatric surgeons in the Atlanta area... way too many to choose one where I feel the need to lay a gun in the passenger seat before getting off the highway.

What are your thoughts?

<sorry if this should have gone under the docs and hospitals section, that section appears to be more area/doctor specific versus general discussion.

First I agree that if for any reason you are not comfortable with the doctor/office/location, etc. I would say don't go. Trust your instincts.

On another note - please be mindful of the wording you use. I get tired of people referring to lower-class neighborhoods with "projects" (which are government funded housing) and certain types of "people" in them as "ghetto"....the "ghettoes" of today used to be the thriving points of every city and then things drastically changed. I appreciate your post, but please be mindful of your language. I was offended. Thank you,

I just want to comment on your post because sometimes I think people take offense to something as being a "racial" statement.

My husband has no problem saying that he and his sister were raised in the projects/ghetto for years by his single mother. They are white. I think sometimes people take things personally when it's really not about race.

He says the fact is he was raised in the projects and that people don't really know how that feels but I don't think he thought we are white people living in the projects--- it was just "we" (black or white) live in the projects. I hope you understand what I'm saying and I understand what you are saying as well.

I just want to comment on your post because sometimes I think people take offense to something as being a "racial" statement.

My husband has no problem saying that he and his sister were raised in the projects/ghetto for years by his single mother. They are white. I think sometimes people take things personally when it's really not about race.

He says the fact is he was raised in the projects and that people don't really know how that feels but I don't think he thought we are white people living in the projects--- it was just "we" (black or white) live in the projects. I hope you understand what I'm saying and I understand what you are saying as well.

I just want to comment on your post..

I am white ( like that matters...)

Could you please point it out where the poster u quoted said anything about race? I guess I missed the part where they said the ghetto was a specific race?

Many hospitals ARE located in rough parts of cities-----everywhere. When you think about it, most of them were built at least the original parts of them, many years ago----and at the time they were built in the busy part of town. But as most cities have done with the advent of suburbs, and shopping malls----the downtown areas die off, and the area becomes seedy as buildings empty out, and the money moves to the fringes of the city. It is the same way in our small rural area. For years you had to drive by the roughest clubs, and get past the hookers to get to the hospital. The city has really worked hard to revamp the area, and put in a large medical plaza----so the Dr.'s are close to the hospital, and things are looking up---but it took decades for them to make a move to better things.

I agree, that surgeon choice, as well as cleanliness etc, of the facility is of the most importance. But also that if you are going to be afraid to go, then it is not the place for you.

Kat

First I agree that if for any reason you are not comfortable with the doctor/office/location, etc. I would say don't go. Trust your instincts.

On another note - please be mindful of the wording you use. I get tired of people referring to lower-class neighborhoods with "projects" (which are government funded housing) and certain types of "people" in them as "ghetto"....the "ghettoes" of today used to be the thriving points of every city and then things drastically changed. I appreciate your post, but please be mindful of your language. I was offended. Thank you,

I Heard that! it would be sad if thats the only Doctor in that area who can "HELP" you but do as you please and do whats best for you but there are somethings you can keep to your self!.

Find a surgeon you like, the rest is secondary. I can't say enough good things about my experience with Drs. Hart and Johnson, Emory Johns Creek, or Atlanta Bariatrics. They are my team and they could be anywhere in the city and still be my #1 choice.

However, they are located in the new and shiny city of Johns Creek, just outside Suwanee.

They have a seminar at the hospital every month.

There is nothing prestigious or flattering about having fat surgery. Get over it, go to the doctor that can bring you through surgery the safest way possible.

If you are looking for a nice part of town over the best possible doc, you might not be ready for banding. Your thinking isn't right just yet.

I just want to comment on your post..

I am white ( like that matters...)

Could you please point it out where the poster u quoted said anything about race? I guess I missed the part where they said the ghetto was a specific race?

Enigma said, "people" in her (Enigma was female, right?) post. This implies that the conflict as something to do with humans. Why else would someone be "offended" in this situation? It was, also in my opinion, a misunderstanding.

Jeez people are just too goddamn sensitive these days. Enigma, you took the word "people" and tried to accuse the person of a racist remark (through implication)

If I am wrong, I apologize. Goddamn people are too sensitive.

(im white btw. not like that matters)

Ok, I am going to put my 2 cents in...

I am a "white" nurse and I work for a company covering 8 hospitals in Nashville, TN. By no means is this Atlanta. But most of the hospitals are downtown, near the projects. Everyday when I go to work, I see homeless people pushing their shopping carts down the road (in fact, they knock on my window when I am in a particular fast food drive-thru). There are "ghetto" areas around the hospitals. I have been fortunate to have had the experience in taking care of people in every socioeconomic bracket, every race, every religion..etc etc. I can honestly say that sometimes I feel safer in these areas than I do where I live (in the country, out in the middle of no where). If at anytime at the hospital you feel uncomfortable you can ask the front desk to have security walk you out. There are probably more dangerous people behind you in line at Walmart.

I must say that this was a very interesting post. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

From the words in the title, I figured someone would get offended or upset, so I couldn't resist reading. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Lots of yous and finger pointing and telling others what to do, oh my. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

So kaytiebugs, I believe the reason others were offended is because typically a "ghetto" is a place where minorities live. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Personally, I wasn't offended (and I am black). Everyone is entitled to an opinion and shouldn't have to sugar coat his/her feelings out of fear of offending someone by saying the word Ghetto. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

To your question about using the doctor, I would say I would have at least met him/her. I have found that the best people of a trade sometimes work in not so great of conditions. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

It may be the case that in that particular location the Dr. gets a very high amount of patients; whereas another dr. in a much nicer part of town may get only 1/2 the clients. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Personally, I would base my decision about seeing a dr. on the qualifications of that dr. not the aesthetics of his office building. <o:p></o:p>

...you know the saying..."don't judge a book by its cover"

Edited July 27, 200818 yr by Heft_Bandit
spelling

Sounds to me like you feel uncomfortable visiting the location where this doc practices. Don't go there then.

I can't say visiting an area where poor people live would be a deterrent to me personally. I was one of those people as a child. HOWEVER, if the area is known to be awash in drugs/dealers, hookers on the streets, and high crime rates then no way would I visit on a regular basis.

On the other had, I probably wouldn't choose a doc who practices in an area where I can't afford to park, either!

Like a previous poster said, don't go there if it will give you excuses not to follow through with your plan of care. Go where you feel comfortable.

Enigma said, "people" in her (Enigma was female, right?) post. This implies that the conflict as something to do with humans. Why else would someone be "offended" in this situation? It was, also in my opinion, a misunderstanding.

Jeez people are just too goddamn sensitive these days. Enigma, you took the word "people" and tried to accuse the person of a racist remark (through implication)

If I am wrong, I apologize. Goddamn people are too sensitive.

(im white btw. not like that matters)

You are also 20 years old. Just 20 years ago Ghetto may have had a bit different meaning than it does today. I can't say I was insulted when I read the OP, but I did think it lacked in taste or class. I can assure you, I am not overly sensitive. I have a hunch your meaning of the word may be a bit different from the meaning just 20 years ago. I just don't like the word, personally. I think there are much better words to use that are not without class or dignity one may use.

Have any of us not felt the sting of being judged in some way based on our weight?

Yes, probably alot of us have felt judged. However, many of us here have made the choice to change ourselves because of it. That's why we sit here posting on a LapBand site! :teeth_smile:

I wasn't offended by this, but I can see how many people could be. A lot of individuals find the word "ghetto" offensive...no matter what race they are. Instead of saying that word I would have said it was in a not so nice part of town.

As for the other part...if I would go there...If I knew what the doctor was like and he was an amazing doctor who was nice and caring. Hell yes I would. A lot of hospitals are around not so decent areas of neighborhoods. No reason that the hospital isn't good.

But all in all the original poster should be more careful next time. :teeth_smile:

My two cents, take them for what they are worth.....

The OP didn't say ghetto full of white people, ghetto full of Mexican people, ghetto full of black people, ghetto full of Puerto Ricans. Just ghetto with some unfavorable looking people. After my parents divorce and my dad's choice to stop house payments, we moved to the projects. Were there some unfavorable people there, yes, were they all of one race, no. It took some time, but my mom finally worked us out of there. She now owns her house, and is sometimes scared of a particular neighbor's friends more so now then when living in the projects.

When speaking with her, we will sometimes laugh and joke about something that happened when we lived in the "ghetto". I do not see the ghetto as belonging to one race or another, just a place I would rather not live in again.

My point, until someone put race into the conversation, I never saw it as a race issue, rather an issue of lower class/ higher crime. Ghetto is a word that, IMHO, is used quite liberally anymore, and depending on how/where/when you grew up has several meanings. I don't see a need to take it personal, it painted a picture of what the OP wanted us to see when thinking about her post. Should she have used different wording? I can't answer that, would it paint the same picture for you if she had said the doctor's office was in a shady neighborhood? Or maybe that the doctor's office was in a fairly undesirable neighborhood, would that have done it for you? I know, how about it being in a low income part of town?

<cite>Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)</cite> - Cite This Source - <cite>Share This</cite> <!-- google_ad_section_start(name=def) --> ghet·to <script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[ var interfaceflash = new LEXICOFlashObject ( "http://cache.lexico.com/d/g/speaker.swf", "speaker", "17", "18", "<img src="http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/speaker.gif" border="0" />", "6"); interfaceflash.addParam("loop", "false"); interfaceflash.addParam("quality", "high"); interfaceflash.addParam("menu", "false"); interfaceflash.addParam("salign", "t"); interfaceflash.addParam("FlashVars", "soundUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fcache.lexico.com%2Fdictionary%2Faudio%2Fluna%2FG01%2FG0138100.mp3"); interfaceflash.write(); // ]]> </script><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://cache.lexico.com/d/g/speaker.swf" id="speaker" quality="high" loop="false" menu="false" salign="t" flashvars="soundUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fcache.lexico.com%2Fdictionary%2Faudio%2Fluna%2FG01%2FG0138100.mp3" align="top" height="18" width="17"><noscript></noscript> Audio Help /ˈgɛtoʊ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[get-oh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun, plural -tos, -toes. <table class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">1.</td><td valign="top">a section of a city, esp. a thickly populated slum area, inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or other minority group, often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures, or hardships. </td></tr></tbody></table> <table class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">2.</td><td valign="top">(formerly, in most European countries) a section of a city in which all Jews were required to live. </td></tr></tbody></table> <table class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">3.</td><td valign="top">a section predominantly inhabited by Jews. </td></tr></tbody></table> <table class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">4.</td><td valign="top">any mode of living, working, etc., that results from stereotyping or biased treatment: job ghettos for women; ghettos for the elderly. </td></tr></tbody></table>

<hr class="ety">[Origin: 1605–15; < It, orig. the name of an island near Venice where Jews were forced to reside in the 16th century < Venetian, lit., foundry for artillery (giving the island its name), n. deriv. of ghettare to throw < VL *jectāre; see jet¹]

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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.</cite>