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[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

If you get a seconc, check out this week's issue of US Weekly

magazine (p. 70, I think)! I would love to keep everyone updated,

but it's just getting overwhelming! If you are able, check out the

front page of the Wall Street Journal today (April 7), I have a

quote in that article as well! And I was also featured in a few

local papers. Here's the article:

Wednesday, April 07, 2004

BRAVO KACEY!

http://www.waxahachiedailylight.com/WAXAHACHIEDAILYLIGHT/sites/WAXAHA

CHIEDAILYLIGHT/1020edition/myarticles961278.asp?

P=961278 & S=420 & PubID=15674

One decision's impact

Ennis girl discusses how complications from breast implants changed

her life

By SANDRA MCINTOSH

Daily Light staff writer

ENNIS – Kacey Long saw herself moving up the corporate ladder to a

successful career at a very young age when a personal decision

changed the course and purpose of her life, possibly forever. " I

wanted breast implants so I could look like in her

portrayal of Brokovich, " Long said. " I thought they would be

fun, completely safe and maintenance free. I believed they would

last forever. "

Just months after her mentor smooth saline breast implant surgery on

July 25, 2001, was complete Long began having strange symptoms. They

included pain in every joint, bone and muscle; chronic fatigue; hair

loss; burning in her ribs and breasts; heart palpitations; trouble

breathing and swallowing; extreme foot pain; night sweats; cold

hands and feet; stiffness; depression; anxiety; and brain fog where

she had great difficulty thinking clearly, remembering things and

finding the right words to use.

These symptoms were new to Long, who had been academically and

athletically successful and healthy up to this point in her life.

Almost overnight, she realized something was wrong with her and the

long, painful process of finding out began.

" My symptoms started just two months after I received my implants, "

she said. " I was sick for two years. "

Since that fateful day in July, the diagnosis handed down by her

doctors consists of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondilitis,

fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and systemic silicone

poisoning.

During the two-year period of trying to find a diagnosis, she began

to wonder if the problems stemmed from the implants, as her mother

had suspected all along. As she began to research the breast

implants in detail, she found three other women who became ill after

they had been implanted with the same saline breast implants. Today,

she is in contact with hundreds of women who still find themselves

in the same situation.

As soon as the connection was made, she located a surgeon who

specializes in implant removal, Dr. Melmed of Dallas Medical

City. On Sept. 17, 2003, just three months after the connection

between illness and implants was made, the implants that Long

thought would be " perky " and trouble-free were explanted.

" I do feel much better now that my breast implants have been

removed, " she said. " I knew to feel any relief at all, they had to

come out. Since all this has happened, my purpose in life has taken

a drastic turn. "

The burden she feels to educate women, as well as men, on the pros

and cons of saline breast implants has become the ruling factor in

how she spends her " good " time. No longer able to hold down a full-

time job due to her continued poor health, on the days that she is

feeling strong and somewhat energetic, she can be found at her

computer, on the phone or at one of the many personal appearances

she's scheduled in the past few months.

" I want to send out a message, " she said. " Leave the breasts God

gave you alone and just be glad you're healthy. I want them (women)

to have an understanding of the life they could possibly have after

breast implants. "

Long has gained so much from her experience that she wants others to

know the possible side effects before ever going under the knife.

" My saline implants did not rupture, " she said. " The shell, or outer

encasement, that holds the saline solution is made of silicone. I

believe the silicone shell is what made me so ill. "

Long realizes that the implants were everything she thought they

would be and more. They were ascetically pleasing to the eye, but

what she didn't understand going into the augmentation surgery was

the extra weight her back and shoulders would be supporting. She

also didn't know enough about breast tissue and its effects on

breast implant " perkiness " beforehand.

" They were very heavy, " she said. " Imagine wearing two water-filled

bras at the same time, all the time. I found myself slumping forward

because of their excessive weight. "

Since the implant removal, Long's story has been told in many media

outlets, including MTV's " I Want a Famous Face, " the Today Show, the

New York Post and U.S. Weekly to name only a few. She understands

fully the impact her story is already having on women and their

decision to make an honest, educated choice about breast

implants. " I am experiencing more opportunities and challenges then

ever before, " she said. " If I had it to do over again, I would not

have the implants. But, I am a much nicer person now, much more

understanding than I was prior to all the problems caused by the

implants. "

When Long makes public appearances, she feels she is representing

everyone with saline implants – those like her with similar stories,

as well as those who are perfectly satisfied.

These appearances afford her the forum to tell her story openly and

honestly, without embarrassment, in hopes of offering as much

information to other women as possible.

" I try to look and sound as healthy as possible, " she said. " I don't

want to make everyone uncomfortable, but if telling my story makes

them uncomfortable, so what. It needs to be told and I'm going to

continue telling it. "

She firmly believes that the breast implant issue is about to

change. She thinks people are about to wake up to the possibility

that saline breast implants may not be as " safe " as people have

claimed them to be. She hopes that by the time she has children of

her own, she will have helped make breast implants a thing of the

past.

" It's not the size of your chest that matters, " she said. " God made

you the way he made you. Looking good isn't worth the pain that the

implants caused. I hope others can learn from my experience. "

~~~~~~~~~~~

For more on this important topic, please visit:

www.BreastImplantAwareness.org

Kacey's website: www.implantsout.com

I have a television interview with Fox national tomorrow! Say a

prayer for me! I'll be sure to let you know when that will air.

Thanks so much!

Kacey