Bekkah's Surgery Fundraiser
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Plastic Surgery Dream Turned Nightmare
A year after I had my son, I was forced to have a full hysterectomy, to treat cervical cancer. My body went through hell trying to adjust. I will spare you the details here, but to say that I felt like "less of a woman" at 24 years of age would be an absolute under statement. After a year had gone by with clear tests, my husband offered me a gift to celebrate, something I had always wanted and would hopefully would help me feel better about myself - breast implants.
We had been living in California at the time, but while I was visiting family and friends in Michigan, I found a surgeon that I trusted, and opted to have my surgery there. 3 weeks after the procedure, I was healing well and cleared to fly home to California. Cue my own personal episode of "Botched".
At some point during my travel, I picked up a Staph infection in the left breast's incision. I noticed a bump on the incision, and just thought I was "spitting stitches", which is considered a normal process. I ended up in the emergency room a few days later. I was told by a general surgeon that he just wanted to clean the incision, but because it would be painful he recommended general anesthesia. I went in thinking he'd just clean the wound and lance the bump, but I woke up with my left implant removed. The doctor said that it was so infected that it needed to be explanted, but to be honest, I think he went in to clean the wound and accidentally popped my implant. I spent a day or two in the hospital for antibiotics and pain treatment.
A few months later, we ended up moving to Michigan, so I visited my plastic surgeon. He felt bad for what had happened, and agreed to replace the implant if I paid part of the fees. So I did, and had that surgery done.
I noticed almost immediately that the implant sat lower on my chest than it should have, but my plastic surgeon told me to wait until my six month checkup before seeing how it really settled. Well, low and behold it had settled even further down than it should have. In his opinion, the general surgeon had damaged my muscles and my body was unable to support the implant in place without help. He was kind enough to do a surgery to fix that for free, essentially placing permanent stitches to hold my muscles together and the implant in place.
It has been 5 years since that 4th and final surgery, and 6 years after my initial surgery. At the beginning of May 2020, my right implant popped or "ruptured", and the left one is once again falling, as the permanent stitches and muscle repair are failing.
To say that I have had enough, is an understatement. Not only that, but it is painful, uncomfortable to lay down at night or lean forward, and it's embarrassing. I also found out that I have Allergan Naturelle Style #168 breast implants, one of the textured implant models listed on the FDA recall list due to concerns of BIA-ALCL, found here: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/fda-requests-allergan-voluntarily-recall-natrelle-biocell-textured-breast-implants-and-tissue
"Of the 573 cases of BIA-ALCL, 481 are reported to have Allergan breast implants at the time of diagnosis. In addition, 12 of 13 deaths occurring in patients with BIA-ALCL where the manufacturer was known occurred in patients implanted with an Allergan breast implant at the time of their BIA-ALCL diagnosis."
Though the ORIGINAL quoted price for surgery is $3,640.40, (seen in the cover photo) I'm asking for $6,500 total as the quoted price didn't include a Full Capsulectomy, which is an important procedure when you have textured implants AND have autoimmune symptoms/symptoms of Breast Implant Illness. I was informed the original quote was for a partial capsulectomy and I want my full health back, even if it takes longer to pay for.
The original quote given of $3,640.40 from my consultation appointment with Bangor Plastic & Hand Surgery was before I found out that I have textured implants, Allergan Natrelle Style #168. Since I have Sero-Negative Rheumatoid Arthritis & symptoms constantly for 2-3+ years (daily since 2ish years after my implants were placed) AND have the textured implants from the recall, it's recommended to be tested for BIA-ALCL, and my doctor is concerned that I may have it. My quoted cost for the biopsies/lab work is $300 on top of the new surgical cost to have a Full Capsulectomy: $6,500. The $6,500 is NOT INCLUDING the lab work or the fees that GoFundMe takes from the campaign, still I just need help paying for my Full Capsulectomy & Breast Implant Removal, which will cost $6,500 total.
I want them out for good. If I throw every spare penny I have at this, it will take 1 year or longer at a minimum before I am able to pay it off and have the surgery. I hate to ask for help, and will do without if I have to, but I figured I would give it a shot.
Thank you for your consideration,
Bekkah
A year after I had my son, I was forced to have a full hysterectomy, to treat cervical cancer. My body went through hell trying to adjust. I will spare you the details here, but to say that I felt like "less of a woman" at 24 years of age would be an absolute under statement. After a year had gone by with clear tests, my husband offered me a gift to celebrate, something I had always wanted and would hopefully would help me feel better about myself - breast implants.
We had been living in California at the time, but while I was visiting family and friends in Michigan, I found a surgeon that I trusted, and opted to have my surgery there. 3 weeks after the procedure, I was healing well and cleared to fly home to California. Cue my own personal episode of "Botched".
At some point during my travel, I picked up a Staph infection in the left breast's incision. I noticed a bump on the incision, and just thought I was "spitting stitches", which is considered a normal process. I ended up in the emergency room a few days later. I was told by a general surgeon that he just wanted to clean the incision, but because it would be painful he recommended general anesthesia. I went in thinking he'd just clean the wound and lance the bump, but I woke up with my left implant removed. The doctor said that it was so infected that it needed to be explanted, but to be honest, I think he went in to clean the wound and accidentally popped my implant. I spent a day or two in the hospital for antibiotics and pain treatment.
A few months later, we ended up moving to Michigan, so I visited my plastic surgeon. He felt bad for what had happened, and agreed to replace the implant if I paid part of the fees. So I did, and had that surgery done.
I noticed almost immediately that the implant sat lower on my chest than it should have, but my plastic surgeon told me to wait until my six month checkup before seeing how it really settled. Well, low and behold it had settled even further down than it should have. In his opinion, the general surgeon had damaged my muscles and my body was unable to support the implant in place without help. He was kind enough to do a surgery to fix that for free, essentially placing permanent stitches to hold my muscles together and the implant in place.
It has been 5 years since that 4th and final surgery, and 6 years after my initial surgery. At the beginning of May 2020, my right implant popped or "ruptured", and the left one is once again falling, as the permanent stitches and muscle repair are failing.
To say that I have had enough, is an understatement. Not only that, but it is painful, uncomfortable to lay down at night or lean forward, and it's embarrassing. I also found out that I have Allergan Naturelle Style #168 breast implants, one of the textured implant models listed on the FDA recall list due to concerns of BIA-ALCL, found here: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/fda-requests-allergan-voluntarily-recall-natrelle-biocell-textured-breast-implants-and-tissue
"Of the 573 cases of BIA-ALCL, 481 are reported to have Allergan breast implants at the time of diagnosis. In addition, 12 of 13 deaths occurring in patients with BIA-ALCL where the manufacturer was known occurred in patients implanted with an Allergan breast implant at the time of their BIA-ALCL diagnosis."
Though the ORIGINAL quoted price for surgery is $3,640.40, (seen in the cover photo) I'm asking for $6,500 total as the quoted price didn't include a Full Capsulectomy, which is an important procedure when you have textured implants AND have autoimmune symptoms/symptoms of Breast Implant Illness. I was informed the original quote was for a partial capsulectomy and I want my full health back, even if it takes longer to pay for.
The original quote given of $3,640.40 from my consultation appointment with Bangor Plastic & Hand Surgery was before I found out that I have textured implants, Allergan Natrelle Style #168. Since I have Sero-Negative Rheumatoid Arthritis & symptoms constantly for 2-3+ years (daily since 2ish years after my implants were placed) AND have the textured implants from the recall, it's recommended to be tested for BIA-ALCL, and my doctor is concerned that I may have it. My quoted cost for the biopsies/lab work is $300 on top of the new surgical cost to have a Full Capsulectomy: $6,500. The $6,500 is NOT INCLUDING the lab work or the fees that GoFundMe takes from the campaign, still I just need help paying for my Full Capsulectomy & Breast Implant Removal, which will cost $6,500 total.
I want them out for good. If I throw every spare penny I have at this, it will take 1 year or longer at a minimum before I am able to pay it off and have the surgery. I hate to ask for help, and will do without if I have to, but I figured I would give it a shot.
Thank you for your consideration,
Bekkah
Organizer
Bekkah Morris
Organizer
Milbridge, ME