I had a Modified Radical Mastectomy of the left breast March 12, 1978 due to breast cancer. Later that same year, I had reconstructive surgery done using a Dow Corning silicone breast implant. It would last a lifetime they said..... well after thinking about that statement, I guess they were not lying; this silicone will be with me until my dying day, that's for certain.

After my breast reconstruction surgery, I began having problems right away, burning pain in my breast, side and left arm. I seem to have become a whole different person after that surgery. I began to feel surreal; always sick, in pain, erratic in all that I said and did. I was unable to have a conversation with anyone for more than a few seconds without having an emotional outburst. I would break into tears, sweats, feel faint or go into a strange angry rage. I didn't seem to have any self control and couldn't organize my thoughts. It is hard to explain all of this because I was recovering from breast cancer at the same time and I didn't know what was normal and what wasn't. My life became Hell for me and my children.

Today, looking back on that time, I know that my implant must have ruptured immediately after being implanted, because I have never known one moment of feeling good or how it feels to be without pain since, that day in November 1978.

I couldn't raise my left arm for over two years, today I still can't do many things with this arm, I just make do, as best I can.

I began to have bazaar illnesses that came and went and came back again. Doctors had no idea what was wrong with me and never once did any of them connect my leaking implant to any of these illnesses. I did tell every doctor I went to, that I thought my implant was leaking too.

I spent thousands of dollars on hospitals, doctors, medical tests and medications; it was just like throwing money down a dark hole. Money I did not have, money I needed to put toward my children's needs. I had become so depressed and emotionally distraught, not to mention financially ruined; that one of those doctors kept me on Prozac for 10 years. No wonder I was suicidal. I can't tell you how many times I was misdiagnosed, it is amazing that I have survived at all. Meanwhile..... my children suffered as much, if not more, than I did.

According to one study -The "Harvard Nurses Study," officially titled Silicone Breast Implants and Connective Tissue Disease : "Conclusions about silicone poisoning were based on "classic auto-immune diseases" and symptoms.As are all of these studies. But silicone poisoning is a new disease, which does not show "classic" autoimmune symptoms.

Below I have a list of some of my symptoms, there is still lots more and I will add it as I rewrite this and remember it. I finally had my poison, ruptured silicone implant out in 1997 and a "SAFE, WILL LAST A LIFETIME " SALINE one put in. I still did not know any of the facts about these breast implants so I got me another one !

I had been told that my ruptured implant was just an isolated case, so I went on believing the FDA, AMA and all of the doctors who were willing to keep telling me it was ok....There was a time that I was more than willing to give the doctors the benefit of a doubt concerning what they knew and when they knew it, but now... I don't think so. I thank GOD for the Internet and all of the brave souls who are telling their story's. I am becoming rapidly informed and hope to get the attention of others who may be thinking about implants.

My Saline implant is leaking now and I must see one of these surgeons and have it out, but only after I figure out where to get the money to have it removed. I will just be lopsided from now on, all of the pain and suffering is not worth it and I would never have opted for this if I had known the truth. It does no good to survive breast cancer only to have a product like this, cause so much pain and suffering, it will probably take my life as it has so many others, but I will not go quietly.... I will spend every moment of my remaining time on this earth exposing the truth about DOW and the crimes they have committed to women and children.

There is a lot that needs to be said in this narrative and I will add some to this, but I am writing a book and much of it will be found there too. I want to tell my story fully and how I have been treated by The Dow Corning Settlement Facility. Something legal needs to be done about them. They answer to no one. The Claimants Advisory Committee was appointed to oversee their operations but there needs to be an Ombudsman and careful scrutiny of their activities. They do as they please and I doubt that any of those doing reviews or supervising the activities there; have the credentials to be reviewing confidential medical records. The employees treat us claimants as if they have a personal vendetta against us; makes me wonder if they get huge bonuses every time they deny a claim.... I am serious about that ! There will be more on this, you can bank on it.

Some Diseases I have been diagnosed with:

Hypothyroidism, Osteo-arthritis, Osteoporosis, Degenerative Bone/ Joint Disease, Connective Tissue Disease, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Anxiety, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hemorrhoids, GERD Disease, Diverticulosis, Hernia, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Breast Cancer, Sleep Disorders, Migraine Headaches, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease... There are more which I will add later *

Every Day

When I wake up, sometimes I can't even get out of my bed. I am stiff and movement is painful. Often, I am numb. My shoulder joints have severe pain because of Connective Tissue Disease, I have no cartilage in most of my joints and my shoulders are a real source of pain.

I must keep something to drink at all times of day and night because, my throat becomes dry and I am unable to swallow, I have no Silvia and I choke! I often wake up in the middle of the night strangling because my throat seems to close up and I can't breathe. I keep Vicks in my nose at all times because my nose is dry and I have trouble breathing. About 5 times a day, I apply Artificial Tears (eye drops) to my eyes and I apply AXE Brand Oil to my aching muscles to soothe pain and for relief of headaches.

I still take medications every day, but can't afford to take all of the ones I had been taking. My prescription drug bills were running me over $ 1,000.00 per month up until 2006, at which time I could not even afford food, so that settled that. I have much to say on this subject and will cover it in my book, but I will say that; It took me 7 months to get EMERGENCY FOOD STAMPS from the State Of Texas. I have no hope of ever getting help from social service or Social Security.

Symptoms I have or have had that I relate to Silicone-

Lumps and masses in breasts and under arms / Swollen breasts, tender to touch , pressure in chest cavity / Pain in breast and muscles across chest, back and shoulders / Shortness of breath, progressively becoming worse, effort to breathe / Chronic cough and respiratory problems- difficult to recover from cold, flu, bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses /  -Unexplained rashes that become open sores, containing hard knots in the center. Beads of silicone coming to surface and pop out as beads of plastic. I have scars all over my upper body: back, arms, shoulders and sides from these rash / sores that appear often and in mass. / Hot spots on skull and different parts of my body which move around / Weakness, trembling and feeling faint. Often feverish and nauseated /  Chronic Fatigue / Unreliable energy - hyper-active, alternating with no energy at all. Often too weak to get up out of bed. / Severe pain in bones, joints, and muscles. Fibromyalgia, Osteo-Arthritis, Degenerative Joint Disease, Degenerative Bone Disease more on this -*** / Tingling, Pain and Numbness in a total limb or half of body, numb hands, numb face, numb fingers, numb lips. Numbness and pain in shoulder joints and cervical spine, knees, feet and toes. I have cut myself and do not realize it until I see the blood dripping or smeared. /  Dry eyes, dry ears, dry mouth, dry vagina, dry skin with itching and burning. / Large blood clots from nose /  Dark red bloody wax from ears, wake up and ears have bled on pillow / Headaches / Morning stiffness with pain / My hair falls out in clumps. /

 In 1994, I had a serious and suspicious episode with my Lungs. I saw one Doctor Rollins who treated me by keeping me knocked out... Best I can remember, I was in so much pain and could not breathe, he kept me on strong codeine and in bed. it was the only way I could breath without severe pain in my lungs. I had a severe cough and often coughed up a strange looking substance. I will give this more thought and update .I need to refer to my notes and talk to my family-***

Severe and chronic diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and bleeding hemorrhoids for more than 20 years.

Loss of memory, unable to concentrate, confused and often could not remember how to do the most menial of tasks; things I had done all of my life. One example: I couldn't remember how to turn on my computer or access a file folder. I have been a computer expert of sorts for more than 40 years, beginning as a programmer back in the days of DOS. I have worked with computers since I was 20 years old, and couldn't remember how to turn on my PC.*** Along with this was a feeling of insanity that has decreased in the past couple of years. I truly felt insane for many years.

Profuse sweating  / Depression from chemical imbalance  / Loss of teeth, All of my teeth erupted for no apparent reason. /  Blurred vision alternating with 20/20 vision. Unable to get a good prescription due to ever changing vision. / frequent eye infections, have had long strings of slime removed from my eyes...Not allergies either../  

I had a vaginal hysterectomy in 1981 where the surgical report stated that there was a large mass of unidentifiable stringy web like substance all over my insides... I had several colon problems at that time too and had "abbesses" surgically removed from my colon on two occasions. More on this -***

Auto-immune deficiency - every little cut or scratch becomes infected, difficult to recover from cold, flu, bronchitis, injuries, surgery.

Injuries become magnified and worse instead of healing rapidly. Each injury takes longer to recover from.

Severe allergies to things never allergic to before, including medications, supplements, food, and food additives, plants, flowers, dust, pets. Hyper sensitive to smell of chemicals, cleaning additives and pesticides.

Shooting pains in different parts of body /  Bulging and collapsed disks in my back / Sciatic severe pain / Loss of balance , Dizziness /  Loss of depth perception, constantly bump into things, trip, fall down /   Severe muscle spasms and body cramps, including major organs  / Extreme nervousness, often emotional, erratic and irrational. / Bizarre symptoms that appear and disappear / Extremely low blood pressure for several years after breast reconstruction. / Extremely low blood pressure alternating with very high blood pressure since about 1999. My blood pressure is high now, and am having trouble keeping it down. /  Sky high cholesterol and triglycerides for several years now./ Blood-clotting problems after surgery /

Have silicone capsules forming near my underarms. My Mammogram done about 1997 (I will check my records on this) showed silicone from my ruptured left breast implant had found it's way to my right breast. I had 3 or 4 large silicone lumps in my right breast. Now, today they have moved on leaving damaged breast tissue in my right breast. I had worried about these lumps and went to see my surgeon, taking the mammogram pictures with me. We looked at them together, he said " that's not cancer". I saw these pictures on his lighted screen and ask him what they were if not cancer. He replied " I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, BUT THEY AREN'T CANCER" then I was dismissed.More on this -***

Severe muscle cramps, muscles twist like pretzels without warning - side and back of thighs, chest muscles, feet, calves. / Twitching in my limbs, like little electrical switches are turning off and on. / Often when I lay down, I have this strange feeling of what I can only compare to " hot water running through my blood vains" It is most unusual and I can't really explain it very well, but frightening. /