Silicone Breast Implants
Kathy Nye's Nightmare
On April 1, 1968, I was in the OR of Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, VA. I had just had another breast biopsy. The doctor came over to me and said, "I don't know how to tell you his, but we think you have cancer." I looked up and replied, "April Fools." Well, it was no joke, although I am not sure, to this day, what the final pathology report showed. I was told that because of the cell changes from previous biopsy, if it was not cancer at this time, it would have been within 6 months. So at age 22 I had both of my breast removed.
At that time I was living in Norfolk Va. My husband, Gerald A. Harding, was stationed on a ship, that was on its way to Viet Nam. I had two sons. William, age 4 and Timothy, age 2 and one half years old. Alone and frightened I waited for the return of my husband. The Navy sent him home to care for the children while I was in the hospital. In June of 1968 I entered the hospital to have a bilateral mastectomy. Before the mastectomy the doctors told me how lucky I was, to be able to have this new medical device, silicone breast implants. I was told if I lived to be 80 years old, I would be the sexiest old lady in the nursing home. I was told that my new breast would never sag and if I was stabbed, I was not to worry, the implant would self-seal.
The doctors told me if I did not have the implants, my chest would always be "sunk in." In September of 1968 I was implanted with the "new Silicone Breast Implant." I woke up with the weight of the world on my chest. Before the mastectomy I was a little bit droopy 36B, after the operations I ended up being a lifted 36B. They gave me no more than they took away.
I was just glad to be alive. I had my two sons to raise. My husband was transferred to Mayport, Florida at the end of 1968. I started working for the Navy Exchange in the beginning of 1970. As the summer approached I noticed I was tired all of the time and had no energy. I went to the doctors to see what was wrong. The doctor said I had nfectious mononucleosis and gave me medical leave to recuperate and get my energy back. The months dragged on and I still had no energy. The doctors were baffled. The doctor said he never seen a case of mono last so long. Not having any energy was strange to me. In high school I was on the softball team, was CO-captain of the Color Guard and in DramaClub. Then the back and joint pain started. In 1970 my husband was transferred to Reading Pa. I had to go to a near by Army Hospital to receive any treatment. I was divorced in 1973. My implants by this time were hard as rocks.
The doctors told me I had to "live with it." I went to numerous doctors from 1970 to 1975 until I found a doctor who would remove the hard implants. Thus started another journey. Always newer implants. Always,"these are better than the last," and "these won't get hard," and "these have a covering on them so they will be softer." Here is a list of operations...
My Silicone Story 1968-1998 ; A 30 Year History
Here is a list of implant manufacturer, dates implanted and explanted.
Year Implanted....Manufacturer....Date explanted
1. 1968 Dow Corning 7/14/76
2. 7/14/76 Heyer-Schulte 1/8/81
3. 1/8/81 Heyer-Schulte 2/15/81 (L)
4. 4/24/81 (L) Heyer-Schulte 1/20/83
5. 1/20/83 Natural Y Surgical Spec. Meme) 9/11/86
6. 9/11/86 Natural Y Surgical Spec. (Meme) 9/22/86 (R) 6/1/88
(L)
7. 9/22/86 Randiover Expander 10/15/86 (R)
8. 6/1/88 Meme Expander 1/13/89
9. 1/13/89 Natural Y Surgical Spec. Meme 3/8/90(R) 7/793 (L)
10. 3/8/90 (R) Natural Y Surgical Spec. (meme) 7/6/90 (R)
11. 5/24/91 (R) Mc Ghan 11/8/91 (R)
12. 11/8/91 (R) Mc Ghan 2/19/91 (R)
13. 7/7/93 (L) Mc Ghan (Saline)
14. 1998. Removal of Saline implant. It slipped from behind the muscle and was just "hanging" there under the skin. I had enought. I am implant free.
means left side (R) means right side
From #6 to #13, these are implants after I developed cancer on my right side. There were three masses. The cancer was sandwiched between two masses of "foreign material," with giant cells. I had chemo and radiation. In 1992 I had to have a trams flap operation. This is where the doctors take the skin, muscle and blood supply from your abdominal area and place it up in your chest area. I had to have this done because I had an open wound on my chest that would not heal in 4 years . The skin was to thin from many operations and had radiation treatments.
About this time the Food and Drug Administration, 1993, banned the silicone breast implant. There were many reports of silicone implants causing illnesses in women. The lights started flashing and bells went off. Here was the answer I had been looking for. What had been causing my illness since 1969? Silicone implants. Everything fit. The pieces of the puzzle came together. Dow did it. Dow claims the implants do not cause Lupus or scleredema. Maybe they don't, but what they do cause is a kind of silicone poisoning. Different women have most of the same symptoms, but different degrees. Many women had gel bleed, where the silicone seeped through the shell. Some women had ruptures, sending the silicone through out the body. I believe that the amount of silicone in the body relates to the degree of illness.
At this point in my life I am tired of not being taken serious by doctors. "There is no proof that silicone causes illness," the doctors say. I say, open your eyes and look, there are thousands upon thousands of women who are sick, different degrees, but same symptoms. We are the proof.
I am 57 years old now, have been fighting this battle for 35 years. I remarried in 1985 to Robert A. Nye. He gets tired of hearing me complain about being ill, but he understands and supports me. I am the grandmother of 10 year old Amanda, 8 year old James and baby Jonathan who was born Feb. 1998. I attended Reading Area Community College and earned an Associate Degree in Travel and Tourism. It took me 5 years to earn a 2 year degree, but I did it. I also earned an Associates Degree in The Arts. At present I am back at the college and working on a BA in Psychology.
Physically, I have many illness, Fibromialiga, colitis, arthritis, asthma, allergies, memory problems and have been told I am in the "gray area" of lupus, which means I have many of the symptoms, but not enough to make a diagnosis. I have also been diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's. I have had around 30 operation, some lasting 10 to 12 hours. Like many of my "Silicone Sisters," we are out in a medical limbo land.
We all spread the word about the dangers of silicone breast implants in our own way. I have been on the "Lezza" show, with Leeza Gibbons about the 35 year history of silicone implants. I write letters, call my congressmen, call TV shows. I recently appeared (Aug. 2003) in a documentary on The Learning Channel called, The Body Sculptors: The History of Plastic Surgery.
I do volunteer work with the American Cancer society. The Cancer Society of Berks County was very helpful to me during my chemo and radiation. I am involved with, Reach for Recovery and Daffodil Days. In October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I go to local high schools and tell the young ladies the importance of self breast examination. The quicker you find the cancer the better chance you have of not needing reconstruction or implants. We must get the word out.
