To my dear friend and colleague Midge Haramis, who has assisted in every one of my Case Files books. She recently retired from McGraw-Hill after working there for nearly 47 years. She started as an editing assistant and held other positions in the College Division, and then had roles in the McGraw-Hill Professional Division as Administrative Assistant to the Vice President, Assistant to the Director of Electronic Products, Administrative Assistant and Editorial Assistant in the Computing and Electronics Group, and Administrative Assistant to the Computing Marketing Manager, and finally landed as Senior Editorial Assistant in the Medical Editorial Department, where we met. Midge is caring, compassionate, the consummate professional, and has a wonderful sense of humor. She is indeed the heart and soul within the fibers of the pages of each of my case files books. Like a magician, Midge coaxes the millions of rascally details of book publishing to fall into place—allowing my works to breathe life and joy.

–ECT

I am grateful to all my teachers, colleagues, and patients who have taught me so much over the years about the care of sick patients.

–THL

To the incredible staff, medical students, residents, and colleagues at Westchester General Hospital. To the outstanding medical students of the M.D. Certificate Program of the American University of Antigua in collaboration with the Florida International University at WGH. To Dr. Peter Bell, Dr. Eneida O. Roldan and Dean John A. Rock for creating and allowing me to administer the program. To Mr. Alfredo "Fred" Sanchez, for his ever present friendship, assistance and support. To my parents Manuel and Teresa Suarez who gave me the world, and most especially, to the two moons of my life, my daughters Alexia Teresa Suarez and Melanie Nicole Suarez, who are my treasures.

–MS