The FDA has published a new informational breast implant pamphlet. They are luckily very graphic, as a picture is worth a thousand words.

Those with silicone-filled breast implants from the Dow Corning settlement should begin getting checks in June 2004. The women will collect $2000 - $300,000 depending on severity of illness and symptoms.

With Me

In April 2005, I completed my first Nationwide campus speaking tour, “Extreme Measures”.

I am nearing my 2 year post-explant date.

My medical insurance paid for my explant surgery!

Since its creation in March of 2004, tens of thousands of people have viewed this website. I’ve been contacted by hundreds of visitors and it’s been a pleasure getting to know everyone via email.

Little Things

• In May 2004, I turned 22 and thanks to my awesome boyfriend, had the best, most perfect birthday of my life!

• I've regained my ability to take notes in class.

• I cut my hair shorter so it would be easier to fix...and it IS!

• I realize now I really miss my long hair and am growing it out (I never would have cut it if my hands and arms weren't so painful).

• I have been able to do Pilates-type stretches some days in my bed and also have been walking a little!

• I woke up one day and had the energy to jump on the big trampoline.

• I have not been having to go to the doctor as much as in the past!

• I've gone clothes shopping (AND TRIED THEM ON) about 3 times in the past few months.

• My goal since last year was to be able to be a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding. It was accomplished this April.

• My boyfriend started grinning profusely while we were in church. He then informed me that I "almost kneeled" and that I sat and stood with everyone else. When he first came to church with me 6 months ago, I could barely even sit the entire time.

• Although I have not had debilitating pain in my knees in the past, they have recently become extremely sore and are affecting my everyday life. I have trouble trying to use the restroom and sitting in the bath tub is no longer an option. My boyfriend even helps me stand (he literally picks me up) when he's around…but I'm painfully on my own most of the time. No one outside my family would ever know I have trouble sitting/standing, as when I go out in public, I try my best to hide everything so I appear perfectly normal.

• I walked to our local parade from a normal parking spot fairly far away (instead of having to be dropped off closer)...the parade was at 10am...I was ACTUALLY functioning well enough to get myself dressed and out of the house in the MORNING!

• I made myself a peanut butter sandwich on 3 different occasions! I'm never able to prepare food because my hands/wrists/fingers hurt so bad! My hands are so weak that I have trouble twisting the jar open and I have trouble with coordination, so spreading the peanut butter is difficult as well.

• For the first time since we've been dating (almost a year now), I was able to fix my boyfriend's plate of food instead of having him fix mine!

• I've been able to open some of my medicine by myself a few times.

• I've gotten to play with and enjoy my 3 year-old sister more often (and the number of times she asks me, "Does your arm hurt?" has even decreased :)

• Lately my jaw has been opening wider! I can now put two fingers, sideways into the opening. It's now much easier to eat Subway sandwiches and just about everything else!

• My biggest food feat has been opening up a Tuna Kit by MYSELF!!! It took a fork and some creativity, but I got the can and all the ingredients open, mixed it, and even opened the cracker packet (with my teeth…but it counts!) I wonder how much my hand strength has decreased through all of this? I once was so strong that people always turned to me to open things and carry heavy objects.

• There is now a rather large, fluid-filled lump on my wrist. It is very painful to move my hand/wrist/fingers and typing is now a big problem.

• I have been so tired lately. I'm sleeping a lot more than I was. For me, "sleeping more" means I get at least 12 hours of sleep at night (however, more than 12 is always better). And I take at least a 2-3 hour nap during the day as well. When I wake up, I'm still tired and I watch tv until it's time for bed again. On a better day, I also add a little exercise.

• Vioxx has been recalled and so now I'm trying a drug called "Mobic". It doesn't seem to work very well, not nearly as well as Vioxx did and Celebrex didn't seem to work for me either. I'm just happy I haven't suffered any negative affects from the Vioxx, as I've taken high doses for a long time now.

• Prednisone is no longer a part of my daily pill regimen! All of my doctors have been trying to wean me off of this drug because prolonged use can cause all kinds of internal problems. After 2 years of taking it, I'm finally done and my body seems to have readjusted (getting off the drug was EXTREMELY painful for all of my joints and muscles).

• I've been losing weight. It definitely could be due to the fact that I've been off Prednisone for the past month. I am now 3 lbs. away from my lowest weight, when I was 16! It is a welcome change because after my breast augmentation, I gained 30 lbs! I worked hard to control my weight and I got it down…SOME. But the weight seemed to just drop off immediately once my implants were removed. In fact, I woke up from surgery and MTV's camera woman even commented on how "thin" my face looked.

• I really do NOT like swallowing all of my pills! One of my many symptoms includes trouble swallowing and throat pain. My doctors don't quite understand how much it hurts to swallow so many pills. I wonder if my throat has actually decreased in diameter? I once was able to swallow 4 large pills at a time. Now even one large one can hurt badly, and if I take as many as I'm supposed to, I'll be swallowing probably 40 a day!

• Lately I've caught myself watching infomercials for exercise methods and equipment. I wish that I could work out like I use to, even if I could just take a couple of Pilates classes a week! At one time I was able to work out for 6 hours a day and felt great! Now I have trouble walking to the end of my driveway and back without overwhelming body pain.

• Bed sheets are heavy. I've retired mine, as it's difficult enough to pull my comforter off of my body (it has a duvet cover on it) without getting tangled up in my sheets. My arms have little strength and the pain restricts their movements. As it is, I do not just pull my comforter down and climb out; I have a new method. I roll my cover off of me using my body, then roll myself back (the cover is no longer on), and use my stomach to sit up and lift my body out of bed. I'm just happy to have figured out something that works! I get out of my bed at least 3 times every night to go to the bathroom (I use to be able to sleep through the night before I became sick).