A note of support to all women/survivors from Jenna

[Guest guest]

www.BreastImplantAwareness.org/New stories at: Breast Implant Awareness Blog

From: Jenna Kotch <wenna9@...>Date: Jan 8, 2008 9:17 AM

Subject: A note of support to all women/survivors Hello Everyone, This is my second post on Ilena's website and I wanted to extend my deepest support to all of the women/survivors who have posted their courageous stories about their battles with breast implants. I commend all of you for utilizing your voices to get the message out and to reach out to other women who are also suffering. I am an ally among all of you (I have had implants for almost 6 years and too have experienced health problems). As we continue in our pursuits for JUSTICE and WELL - BEING, I wanted to share a recent experience that took place (approx 6 months ago) when I went to visit a plastic surgeon to discuss the possibility of removing my implants.

O.K. here goes.....I made an appointment with a plastic surgeon who is very well qualified. I did some major investigating to make sure he had all of the credentials I would want in a surgeon who could potentially perform surgery on me in order to extract my implants. When the morning of my appointment arrived, I was filled with a bit of anxiety and 100 questions that needed to be " answered " . At the same time, I was very skeptical because I was sure that my consultation would not be easy. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a secretary who obviously had had more than one " experience " under the knife. She asked me to fill out a form which would help them " expand " upon the reasons I had come in for a consultation. As I waited in the office, I looked around and noticed that the office was filled with magazines that featured top-heavy women clothed in fancy attire, with bold captions above their faces that said, " tips on how to stay healthy forever " . I quietly laughed at the irony of it all until I was kindly escorted into a small room. As I sat and waited for the doctor to meet with me, I slowly glanced at a small table in the corner of the room that was shrouded with pamphlets regarding the positive aspects to getting breast implants. I realized that these " messages " were all around me and all around everyone who walked through that door this day. I thought to myself that this was actually a great commentary on society and society's values.

It was as if this little room represented a micro-cosm of the outside world and I had two little questions at this point...1) How do you turn off all of the messages? 2) Who is funding these messages? I knew that this was just a matter of mechanics.....I knew that this was about the war of the machines, if you will. The Corporations(the largest and corrupt of the machines) possess the money that fund the campaigns, the messages come from the campaigns, the people are the sponges for the messages and the campaigns....with the greatest sacrifice being the ultimate machine (our bodies). Of course, this is only my opinion. At any rate, as the doctor entered the room and shook my hand, I observed right away that he failed to make eye contact with me.....hmm....this was problematic. As I began my in-depth inquiry about his experience and expertise/credentials in the field, I noticed that he was taking notes the entire time.

In all honesty, I was getting a bit frustrated and thought that I would try something else. I began to ask him about the culture of plastic surgery and I asked him about what he saw as the benefits.....and all of a sudden he tilted his head up and looked me straight in the eyes. He was excited to talk about improvements and holistic benefits of breast implants. After he continued on for what seemed to be an eternity, I began to supply statistics and facts about the faulty design of breast implants and the associated health problems that have been documented. His response was that, " no one has ever died from breast impants " and " there has been no documentation of women getting sick from breast implants " and that my illness is due to something else. I rebutted and said that, " I am sure you do not want to admit that these truths are real because it could be bad for the business that keeps you in the status quo.... but that these are the facts and when you deny truth, you cooperate with injustice.

I think he wanted to kick me out of his office but if I denied telling him this then I would deny all of the suffering and harm that many of us have endured because of the " benefits " of breast implants. I am not suggesting that my approach is the best approach in this situation but I felt that it's a part of my existence. He informed me that it would cost around $9,000 to have them removed and I knew that I could not afford that nor would I agree to having him perform the surgery. I am a graduate student who has never seen that kind of money in my life. At the end of the day, it all (unfortunately) boils down to money and politics and the corporate mishandling and abuse of people's lives. We are living in a country where we have options, opportunities, and " access " yet the government believes that lives are disposable and people's ideologies are readily exchanged for the best going rate. I just wanted to say that even in the worst of times.....we have our will, our strength, our voices, and the ability to come together for change. We may not be able to " fund " the change that Inamed or these breast implant companies need to make when " marketing " to their audience. No matter what, we do have the ability to keep telling our stories and reaching out to as many women as possible and learning/leading with compassion. In my opinion, this is far more more powerful.......................... Peace & Hope, -Jen

[Guest guest]

www.BreastImplantAwareness.org/New stories at: Breast Implant Awareness Blog

From: Jenna Kotch <wenna9@...>Date: Jan 8, 2008 9:17 AM

Subject: A note of support to all women/survivors Hello Everyone, This is my second post on Ilena's website and I wanted to extend my deepest support to all of the women/survivors who have posted their courageous stories about their battles with breast implants. I commend all of you for utilizing your voices to get the message out and to reach out to other women who are also suffering. I am an ally among all of you (I have had implants for almost 6 years and too have experienced health problems). As we continue in our pursuits for JUSTICE and WELL - BEING, I wanted to share a recent experience that took place (approx 6 months ago) when I went to visit a plastic surgeon to discuss the possibility of removing my implants.

O.K. here goes.....I made an appointment with a plastic surgeon who is very well qualified. I did some major investigating to make sure he had all of the credentials I would want in a surgeon who could potentially perform surgery on me in order to extract my implants. When the morning of my appointment arrived, I was filled with a bit of anxiety and 100 questions that needed to be " answered " . At the same time, I was very skeptical because I was sure that my consultation would not be easy. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a secretary who obviously had had more than one " experience " under the knife. She asked me to fill out a form which would help them " expand " upon the reasons I had come in for a consultation. As I waited in the office, I looked around and noticed that the office was filled with magazines that featured top-heavy women clothed in fancy attire, with bold captions above their faces that said, " tips on how to stay healthy forever " . I quietly laughed at the irony of it all until I was kindly escorted into a small room. As I sat and waited for the doctor to meet with me, I slowly glanced at a small table in the corner of the room that was shrouded with pamphlets regarding the positive aspects to getting breast implants. I realized that these " messages " were all around me and all around everyone who walked through that door this day. I thought to myself that this was actually a great commentary on society and society's values.

It was as if this little room represented a micro-cosm of the outside world and I had two little questions at this point...1) How do you turn off all of the messages? 2) Who is funding these messages? I knew that this was just a matter of mechanics.....I knew that this was about the war of the machines, if you will. The Corporations(the largest and corrupt of the machines) possess the money that fund the campaigns, the messages come from the campaigns, the people are the sponges for the messages and the campaigns....with the greatest sacrifice being the ultimate machine (our bodies). Of course, this is only my opinion. At any rate, as the doctor entered the room and shook my hand, I observed right away that he failed to make eye contact with me.....hmm....this was problematic. As I began my in-depth inquiry about his experience and expertise/credentials in the field, I noticed that he was taking notes the entire time.

In all honesty, I was getting a bit frustrated and thought that I would try something else. I began to ask him about the culture of plastic surgery and I asked him about what he saw as the benefits.....and all of a sudden he tilted his head up and looked me straight in the eyes. He was excited to talk about improvements and holistic benefits of breast implants. After he continued on for what seemed to be an eternity, I began to supply statistics and facts about the faulty design of breast implants and the associated health problems that have been documented. His response was that, " no one has ever died from breast impants " and " there has been no documentation of women getting sick from breast implants " and that my illness is due to something else. I rebutted and said that, " I am sure you do not want to admit that these truths are real because it could be bad for the business that keeps you in the status quo.... but that these are the facts and when you deny truth, you cooperate with injustice.

I think he wanted to kick me out of his office but if I denied telling him this then I would deny all of the suffering and harm that many of us have endured because of the " benefits " of breast implants. I am not suggesting that my approach is the best approach in this situation but I felt that it's a part of my existence. He informed me that it would cost around $9,000 to have them removed and I knew that I could not afford that nor would I agree to having him perform the surgery. I am a graduate student who has never seen that kind of money in my life. At the end of the day, it all (unfortunately) boils down to money and politics and the corporate mishandling and abuse of people's lives. We are living in a country where we have options, opportunities, and " access " yet the government believes that lives are disposable and people's ideologies are readily exchanged for the best going rate. I just wanted to say that even in the worst of times.....we have our will, our strength, our voices, and the ability to come together for change. We may not be able to " fund " the change that Inamed or these breast implant companies need to make when " marketing " to their audience. No matter what, we do have the ability to keep telling our stories and reaching out to as many women as possible and learning/leading with compassion. In my opinion, this is far more more powerful.......................... Peace & Hope, -Jen