My story began way before I ever implanted.  I remember the first time I saw a naked woman. I found my Step-father’s Playboys. I was extremely curious and instantly thought that when I grew up If I wanted to be beautiful - I needed big large breasts. 

Growing up, the girl's changeroom are filled with conversation about getting boobs, your first bra, your period. It's like a race to get all those things so you can feel grown-up. When you don't get to experience growing large breasts, you feel less than, it is like you haven't really hit womanhood. I grew up wearing padded bras and hiding my flatter chest. I always wanted implants. I had actually written it down on my bucket list. It seems insane to me now. 

I became pregnant with my first two babies and was really excited when my small B's expanded into D's. Boobs at last! Unfortunately, they eventually went away, and I was left with stretched pancakes.  I felt horrible and had low self-esteem. I decided to save my money and go for it. I was going to buy myself some boobs.

I made the appointment with a Plastic Surgeon who my friend had used. I went to that appointment excited, but also really nervous. I brought a list of questions with me:

1. Are they safe? 

My surgeon told me he would put in the new type of implants " gummy bears" I would never need to replace them. He showed me a video of them being run over by a truck. I was impressed! He told me he has a perfectly healthy patient who has had her implants from the 60s. 

2. If something happens and I don't want them anymore, will medical pay for the removal? 

He assured me they would.  

I left feeling satisfied and booked my surgery. I implanted 660 cc Mentor Gel Implants " gummy bears." They looked great, and the doctor made them look natural which I wanted. I loved my new boobs. I finally felt like a whole woman! I wish the story ended there. 

About a year after my surgery I started feeling really tired all the time. I also started having a lot more food sensitivities. My family doctor assured me that I was just getting older and this was normal. I became pregnant with my third child. My first two pregnancies pre-implants were easy and healthy. My third and fourth pregnancies were after implants and awful. I was SO sick, my body kept trying to go into early labor. Both my babies were born early and very small. I blame my implants. 

I continued to get sicker and sicker. My family doctor tried to blame it on being a mom and offered me anti-depressants. I saw specialist after specialist. I spent so much money on supplements and Naturopaths. I was struggling with: fatigue, allergies, hair loss, inflammation, weight gain, candida issues, vision and hearing loss, anxiety, extreme brain fog, premature labors, gut issues and so much more. My toenails would fall off randomly. My eye color changed to a dark color. 

One day a friend said she had seen something online and I should check out breast implant illness. I kind of blew it off at first thinking it sounded hokey, but after joining an online support group, I quickly realized all the women's stories sounded just like mine. I was horrified and heartbroken. I spent 2 years researching and making a plan to explant. 

I explanted on August 5th/2019. I have NO regrets, So many of my symptoms completely disappeared. I am still healing and listening to my body, but it is astonishing how much better I feel and look.  When I had implants I was very private about them. I would tell people they were real just so I didn't have to enter into conversation about my breasts with everyone. I kind of feel bad about that, but I find it funny that boobs are all I seem to be talking about now. 

I am really dedicated to making sure that women have the opportunity to make educated decisions. I was never offered that. I do not think it's fair that women are being lied to and misled so they hand over their money. It's wrong.