Thursday, February 28, 2008

It has been 2 years!

I can't believe it. But Surgical Artistry is now two years old. We have had our free standing plastic surgery office in north east part of Modesto for two years. Time flies. What have we accomplished? So much in the world of plastic surgery world/ vein world/ acupuncture world. But on the non medical side: Websites got diversified:
Bacchus Restaurant
Galletto Restaurante
Vito's restuarant - Modesto

http://www.newtomodesto.com/modesto-chinese-restaurants/
includes Imperial Garden

Golf in Modesto

Airport Modesto

Where is Modesto, CA

Visia Webinar (Canfield)

http://www.canfieldsci.com/Imaging_Support_Webinars_sched.asp

Webinars for the Visia machine at our Plastic Surgery Modesto Office.

updated to include free icons from the web

Free Computer Programs and tools on the web that integrate into our medical practice is a website that has a listing of great computer tools that we use to run our plastic surgery office. These programs are available free on the web. We just updated this page to include a listing of free icon websites. These icons are useful in making webpages and for our computer systems to separate out important files.

http://www.askdrwu.com/computerprograms.htm

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Botox

Stay tuned for "generic" botox - botulinum toxin.

Briefly - more info at http://www.modestobotox.com

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Advice to a budding Plastic Surgery PA (Physician Assistant)

My advice to a budding Plastic surgery PA to learn before graduation (whether you want it or not):

Learn lasers, learn injections, learn skin care/facial rejuventation (retin A, Hydroquinone, UVA UVB), learn about spider vein treatments (sclerotherapy and lasers), and of course learn about how to do plastic surgery procedures, especially the ones that have two sides:
Tummy Tuck, Breast Aug, Breast Reduction.
Learn how to sew really nicely and fast.
Your best stitches will be an interrupted deep dermal stitch, and a running subcuticular stitch.
You have to have a goal of sewing better and faster than the surgeon you're watching when you're a student PA.
Learn to wear a headlight.
Learn both instrument and hand ties (for sutures). The instrument tie will be more important for you as a plastic surgery PA. You will eventually tie with the instrument faster than some can tie with their hands.
If you want to do much micro surgery or ocularplastics, you'll need to get used to and buy surgical Loupes (but this is low on the priorities right now).
Learn about the muscles of the face, abdominal wall, and chest wall. Learn about their nerve supply and blood supply. Also learn about the muscles / nerves / blood supply of the upper extremities. Many plastic surgeons are also hand surgeons.

Ask Dr Wu Plastic Surgery General Surgery Leg/Face Veins Expert Skin Care Acupuncture

Friday, February 22, 2008

Director of Development - Modesto Symphony

Director of Development - Modesto Symphony
Reply to: job-554061629@craigslist.orgDate: 2008-01-28, 8:28AM PSTDIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT JOB DESCRIPTION Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association JOB TITLE: Director of Development DATE: January 1, 2008 REPORTS TO: President & CEO SUPERVISES: MSOA Development Administrative Support Staff & Volunteers JOB SUMMARY: The Director of Development is responsible for the development, management, implementation and evaluation of an overall fund-raising program consistent with the Association's needs and goals. To that end, the Director of Development manages staff and volunteers in planning and executing all annual, sponsorship, capital, endowment, and planned giving programs, as well as fund-raising events and benefits. The Director of Development is also responsible for making grant applications to federal, state, and local government agencies that provide arts funding; and researching and applying to private foundations and corporations that provide arts grants. The Director of Development will recommend fund-raising policies and procedures to the President & CEO and Board with the goal of building a year-round development program that demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Fund Raising •Plan, manage, and implement all phases of the Annual Fund campaign; oversee the solicitation and acknowledgment process, maintenance of records, and establishment and disclosure within IRS guidelines of donor benefits; monitor progress and make adjustments as needed. •Develop a comprehensive case statement for support of the Association, based on long-range plan; update annually. Work with Board to develop and direct year-round program to cultivate new prospects and seek out new funding opportunities. •Develop and implement a corporate sponsorship program; research and identify potential sponsors; prepare proposals and work with Board to identify matches between Association's program and each company's interests. •Prepare grant applications for corporations, foundations, and government agencies that provide arts funding; research all grant possibilities and write reports and back-up materials to support each application; follow up on each proposal. •Work with volunteers to plan all special fund-raising events and benefits; participate in establishing the budget and oversee the execution of each event. •Oversee the development and production of all materials used to support the Association's fund-raising events and campaigns. •Develop an ongoing planned giving program; work with Board to identify, cultivate, and solicit prospects. •Provide strategic guidance and planning to all committees of the Endowment campaign; develop campaign prospect list; organize and participate in leadership solicitations; meet with volunteers to review strategies and track progress; attend committee meetings as needed. Budgeting and Planning •Assist the President & CEO and Board in establishing appropriate goals for the Annual Fund and all other fund-raising campaigns deemed necessary (endowment, capital, planned giving, etc.) each year. •Develop a plan for achieving those goals and establish a master calendar that outlines all fundraising events and campaigns; coordinate all activities with the Association's master calendar. •Develop budgets for each event and campaign; monitor the progress of each, and adjust plans when necessary. •Work closely with the President & CEO and other designated staff in long-range planning for the Association; prepare budget projections as needed. Board of Directors •Staff the Development Committees of the Board and other volunteers enlisted to participate in the development program. •Report to the Board and Executive Committee on progress of all fund-raising events and campaigns; provide other reports and statements as requested. •Develop Board and volunteer leadership through participation in Board committee meetings and ongoing donor cultivation efforts; participate in identifying and recruiting new leadership. •Recommend fund-raising policies and procedures to the President & CEO and Board with the goal of building a year-round development program that demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. Administrative •Organize staff and volunteers to carry out all fund-raising campaigns and events; evaluate effectiveness of each campaign. •Oversee the maintenance of all donor files and records; develop and administer all donor benefits programs in accordance with IRS guidelines. •Provide periodic progress reports on all campaigns; prepare listings and financial statements as needed by the Board and staff. •Serve as part of the senior management team to assist the President & CEO in setting and implementing administrative and artistic policies established by the Board. •Hire, train, manage, and evaluate the performance of all development staff, including interns and volunteers. Other •Develop and maintain internal and external contacts to optimize fund-raising efforts. •Maintain ongoing contact with contributors, corporate sponsors, and business and community leaders. •Support Board and staff efforts to solicit in-kind contributions. •Keep abreast of recent research on fund raising; maintain a collection of current fund-raising resource materials. •Attend other civic and cultural events in the community; represent the Association by speaking at public events as requested. •Perform other duties as assigned by the President & CEO. ABOUT THE MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION: The mission of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association is to serve as a professional organization that constantly strives to provide the highest standards in musical performances to attract the broadest audience from the region. The vision of the MSOA is to attract the most extensive audience demographic by aggressively eliminating the financial, cultural, and social barriers that have existed in the orchestra industry. Established in 1931, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra became a fully professional ensemble in 1977 and currently celebrates its 77th Season of service to the region with a progressive 40-member Board of Directors and a nationally recognized management team. Including the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the MSOA presents over 40 concerts and events that encompass Classics subscription programs, education concerts, Friends & Family concerts and a new Pops series. The current MSOA budget is $2.2 million. Additionally in 2007-08, the MSOA celebrates its inaugural season with our new Music Director, David Lockington, within our new home at the Gallo Center for the Arts. ABOUT MODESTO: The birthplace of George Lucas, his classic movie American Graffiti and home of the internationally renowned E & J Gallo Winery, Modesto is the 15th largest city in California and the seat of Stanislaus County which boasts a population of over 500,000. Water, Wealth, Contentment and Health describes Modesto; known as one of the greatest agricultural areas in the nation which also offers the diversity and facilities of a metropolitan city. Centrally located on Highway 99 and easily accessible throughout California, Modesto rests halfway between San Francisco and Yosemite National Park, nestled in the hear
Compensation: $45,000-55,000 Full health benefits and generous Paid Time Off
This is at a non-profit organization.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.PostingID: 554061629

Friday, February 15, 2008

San Ramon - a passing dreamy moment

East bay, California. Cities include Danville, San Ramon, and more. We were thinking about a satelite Plastic Surgery office out there: Imagine: San Ramon Plastic Surgery... Well, we did the research and the drive is just too much. I think it would be a nice place to live, or a nice place to have a second home, etc.

San Ramon Plastic Surgery Research that we did into the town/location/housing.
Dr. Tammy Wu
San Ramon Key words: ie: San Ramon Valley Times

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Breast feeding after Breast Reduction Surgery

I found this in a heap of answers that Dr. Wu had answered before. These are of course in general terms are are not designated for specific patients or readers.

While the ability to breastfeed may be decreased with the surgery, reports in the plastic surgery literature has shown that women are still able to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery should they choose to do so.

More breast surgery (mainly augmentation) answers at:

http://www.breastguide.com
http://www.askdrwu.com

Monday, February 11, 2008

Study: Acupuncture may boost pregnancy

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer - Fri Feb 8, 3:14 PM PST

Copied directly from:

http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/acupuncture_fertility.html

Please contact us: Modesto Acupuncture

Study: Acupuncture may boost pregnancy

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer - Fri Feb 8, 3:14 PM PST

It sounds far-fetched — sticking needles in women to help them become pregnant — but a scientific review suggests that acupuncture might improve the odds of conceiving if done right before or after embryos are placed in the womb.
The surprising finding is far from proven, and there are only theories for how and why acupuncture might work. However, some fertility specialists say they are hopeful that this relatively inexpensive and simple treatment might ultimately prove to be a useful add-on to traditional methods.
"It is being taken more seriously across our specialty," and more doctors are training in it, said Dr. William Gibbons, who runs a fertility clinic in Baton Rouge, La., and is past president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. "I have not seen proof ... but we wouldn't mind at all" if it turned out to work, he said.
The analysis was led by Eric Manheimer, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and paid for by a federal agency, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Results were published Friday in the British medical journal, BMJ.
Acupuncture involves placing very thin needles at specific points on the body to try to control pain and reduce stress. In fertility treatment, it is thought to increase blood flow to the uterus, relax the cervix and inhibit "fight or flight" stress hormones that can make it tougher for an embryo to implant, Manheimer said.
The analysis pools results from seven studies on 1,366 women in the United States, Germany, Australia and Denmark who are having in vitro fertilization, or IVF. It involves mixing sperm and eggs in a lab dish to create embryos that are placed in the womb.
Women were randomly assigned to receive IVF alone, IVF with acupuncture within a day of embryo transfer, or IVF plus sham acupuncture, in which needles were placed too shallowly or in spots not thought to matter.
Individually, only three of the studies found acupuncture beneficial, three found a trend toward benefit and one found no benefit. When results of these smaller studies were pooled, researchers found that the odds of conceiving went up about 65 percent for women given acupuncture.
Experts warn against focusing on that number, because this type of analysis with pooled results is not proof that acupuncture helps at all, let alone by how much. IVF results in pregnancy about 35 percent of the time. Adding acupuncture might boost that to around 45 percent, the researchers said.
The authors include doctors from the Netherlands and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. One is an acupuncturist but had no role in any studies that were analyzed.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has no policy on acupuncture. "There's been a lot of conflicting research" on its usefulness, said spokeswoman Eleanor Nicoll.
"It looks like, from the body of evidence out there, that some patients benefit," said Dr. James Grifo, head of the infertility program at New York University.
However, Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, director of infertility treatment at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said other studies, reported at recent medical meetings and not included in the published analysis, did not find it helped.
"The jury is still out," he said, but added, "It's unlikely that acupuncture does any harm."
Dr. Ann Trevino, a 37-year-old family physician who recently moved to Houston, is pregnant, and a believer. She had three unsuccessful pregnancy attempts with intrauterine insemination before trying acupuncture with IVF at a fertility clinic in San Antonio where she used to live.
"I had been reading about acupuncture, probably like every other patient on the Internet. I was just willing to do anything possible to improve our chances," she said. With acupuncture, "I just felt very warm and relaxed" when the embryos were placed.
Dr. Francisco Arredondo, who runs Reproductive Medicine Associates of Texas where Trevino was treated, said he started offering acupuncture in October, after patients requested it and because some studies suggested it helped.
Acupuncturist Kirsten Karchmer said she places about a dozen needles in the ears, hands, feet, lower legs, abdomen and sometimes the lower back. It costs $500 a month for treatments twice a week, and patients typically go for three months, she said.
IVF costs around $12,000 per attempt, so a treatment that improves its effectiveness might save money in the long run, Manheimer said.
___
On the Net:
http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmj/february/ivf.pdf

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Huge list of popular piano sheet music (popular music)

Popular music - sheet music - free sheet music. All within a click.

http://my-piano.blogspot.com/

includes some broadway tunes / show tunes / and even some video game sheet music.

thank to the link Lilianna.

Modesto Symphony Romantic Overtures Modesto Review (Friday Night Concert)

This is copied directly from the Modesto Bee
Please contact me if you would like this to be removed.

staff (at) surgerytoday.com

Orchestra's 'Romantic Overtures' impressive
By STEPHEN THOMAS
last updated: February 09, 2008 03:58:27 PM

Before opening this weekend's concert, Maestro David Lockington and the Modesto Symphony took a moment to honor Donelle Page, long-time harpist and personnel manager for the symphony who recently passed away. They did so with an unscheduled performance of Ralph Vaughn Williams' "Greensleeves" featuring one of Donelle's students, who performed the prominent harp part in the piece with confidence and elegance. Donelle will be sorely missed by music lovers in our region for a long time to come.
Violinist Lara St. John took the stage next to begin the printed program with a performance of Tchaikovsky's much-loved violin concerto. That Ms. St. John is a soloist of great individuality and fiery technical skill was immediately evident from the opening bars of the first movement. As the piece progressed, however, I began to feel distracted by her apparent need to impose sometimes gimmicky quirks to her interpretation which did not always serve the music well. While her tone could often be rich and beautiful, it was just as often suddenly scraping or whispering. She often traded a sustained musical line in her phrasing for a sudden dropping off of sound in the name of spontaneity, losing in the process a necessary sense of organic architecture.
I can't blame her for wanting to do something different from the crowd of violinists who play this iconic work, but by the end of the first movement I was not convinced that her efforts were producing an entirely sincere or effective musical result. I hoped perhaps the simple melody of the Canzonetta might encourage more linear continuity, and though there were many intimate moments, I still wished for more natural phrasing as a matter of course.
Ms. St. John's approach to the third movement, however, evoked a playfulness and sense of "hide and seek" that worked quite effectively. I had to smile when the concert patron sitting next to me let out a giggle at one point when the violin part was particularly coquettish. Music is ultimately about helping people access and understand human emotion, and undoubtedly, Ms. St. John accomplished that for many in the audience on many occasions throughout the performance, not least with the sheer excitement of her virtuosity.
For me, however, the really impressive aspect of the violin concerto, was the orchestra's unfailingly tasteful sound and appropriate balance. Credit is due both to the players and to Maestro Lockington, who managed nearly flawlessly the soloist's many capricious tempo changes. They provided a reliable foundation for Ms. St. John's more flamboyant and idiosyncratic interpretation.
The orchestra continued to shine in the second half with the Brahms Symphony No. 2. Here the sound was rich and warm, never forced, and evoked the sense of being embraced in a "sonic hug." The tone welled effortlessly from the celli in the famous lyrical theme of the first movement that sounds like the famous lullaby, and invited that sense of semi-sweet melancholy so often present in Brahms. There were many notable solos in the wind parts, particularly Roy Pollock's horn offerings, which warmed the soul. As Romantic symphonies go, the Brahms doesn't rely on the big brass sound that often ramps up the drama, but when called upon, the brass delivered the goods in this performance. The whole finale builds up in one long march to the final trombone chord that our symphony's players nailed dead on for a thrilling conclusion.
The "Romantic Overtones" concert will be performed today at 8 p.m. in the Rogers Theater, Gallo Center for the Arts, 1000 I St., Modesto. Tickets are $30 to $65. 338-2100.


end...

Surgical Artistry is a proud sponsor of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra

Sutter-Gould Insurances

Just to clarify. Surgical Artistry takes Sutter Gould insurance for Plastic Surgical work which falls under insurance related coverage.

Details of Sutter-Gould Insurances (click the link)