Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

UPCOMING EVENTS: DENVER: Monday, October 17, 7:00 P.M. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway, Denver, large group meeting with Todd Nelson, ND (Naturopathic Doctor). We will be discussing toxic clearance diets and food supplements that help with energy, malabsorption problems (and other problems), and that help rebuild the body. There is no charge for this meeting. Spouses, family members, and/or significant others are always welcome. Todd has an office in Denver at Cherry Creek in The Phoenix Center, 255 Detroit Street, (303) 322-9294 and in Boulder at 2885 E. Aurora Ave. #19 (303) 449-1330. Todd has given me invaluable assistance in recovering a lot of my health.

Local Group Info: Many of the small groups will not meet in October. This will also be true for November as I will be out of the country. The Colorado Springs group will meet at Ginger's, 1928 Cadillac, Wed., Oct. 19th at 1:00 P.M. 636-1492. Laura Downing, MSW, of Boulder, CO will offer an ongoing support group meeting, beginning Oct. 16th at 2:00 P.M. Call her at 494-3596 for more information.

October 6th, Dr. Frank Vasey will be at a doctor's silicone seminar at the San Ramon Mariott Hotel. The San Ramon Regional Medical Center is sponsoring Dr. Vasey in a debate with plastic surgeon Jack Fisher (whom we all know and love ????!!!). After the debate with Dr. Fisher, a public forum will take place with the same speakers. It is a free forum but reservations are required. Call (510) 275-8363 for reservations and directions.

S.A.N.E. (Silicone Alliance Network for Education), Melody Mello, will meet 10/8/94, 1:00 P.M. at South Coast Community Church, 5120 Bonita Canyon Dr. Irvine, CA. Speaker Said Youdim, PhD, Clinical Immunology.

Boise, ID is planning a national conference for early February. Stay tuned!!

I.D.E.A. (Candice Rothrock) will hold a conference in Plano, TX on Sunday, October 9th, 12:00 to 5:00 P.M. at Collin County Community College, 2800 Spring Creek, in Plano. Call (214) 618-0882 or send registration with $10.00 registration fee to Candice Rothrock, Silicone and Implant Survivors, P.O. Box 868021, Plano, TX 75086-8021. Breakfast workshop meeting for support group leaders, Sunday A.M. from 7:45 to 11:00 P.M., $5.00, Harvey Hotel in Plano. Breakfast meeting for professionals, same time and location, $10.00. Send all registrations to Candice at above address.

Silicone Breast Implant-Deplant Survivors and Bras Across Grand Canyon Project visit the " Barbie Hall of Fame" , a breast cancer awareness month event on Saturday, Oct 15th, 1:30 P.M., 433 Waverly, Palo Alto, CA. Join many wonderful women who are also surviving the silicone nightmare. An afternoon of friendly, informal, and informative dialogue and question answering. For more information, call Nicolino at (510) 237-3939 or Jamie Stevens at (707) 579-4842.

S.O.S. of Augusta, Georgia is sponsoring a conference on Saturday, October 29th, 8 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. in Columbia County at the Savannah Rapids Pavillion. $25.00 advance registration (prior to 10/24), includes lunch, after that date, $35.00. Professionals-in-Training, $10.00. Speakers include Dr. Andrew Campbell, Dr. Rahim Karjoo, Dr. Pierre Blais, Dr. Nachman Brautbar, Dr. Aristo Vojdani, and Teresa Hill Story, author of " Beyond The Myths" . For information on hotels and registration, call (706) 733-5810, (706) 556-9907, or (706) 798-3611.

October 9th, in Michigan, there will be a trial which will decide whether or not Dow Chemical and Corning, Inc. will be responsible for claims in cases where breast implants were made by Dow Corning.

For group leaders who may remember the reward that the authors of the Untold Truth offered to the group leader who sold the most books for them, C.O.S.S. won that reward. It was a free condo for a week in any location in the country. I will be spending the last week in October in that condo near San Diego. I had totally forgotten about this offer (remember the silicone brains) so was surprised when Marion Koch told me I had won (all just by trying to get out their good information). Thanks to Marion and Patti, I will get a real vacation in October.

I will be in Australia (speaking to groups from Down Under in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and perhaps the Gold Coast and also giving a speech at the University of Melbourne) between November 2nd and November 22nd. Orders placed for literature will be filled after my return. Please be patient as these orders are time consuming. If you call, messages will be written down and requested information and packets will also be sent after I return.

Locally (Colorado) we need some women that will drive women to and from the hospital for surgery. We also would like to have a place where some can stay overnight so they can be with another person (usually required by the surgeon) for the first day. If you would like to help, call me at the above number. In other states and locales, your group leader may also need help with this type of task. Call and volunteer if you are able.

LEGAL INFORMATION: CLASS ACTION FOR PERSONS WITH SILICONE INJECTIONS: Karen Powers asks anyone who has had silicone injections contact her at (714) 956-7919 or contact Lynn at (912) 964-8438, or Nancy at (714) 240- 5877 regarding a class action for injection victims to be filed soon. She has 107 people in the group now, including men with silicone in their biceps and gay men with breast injections. Some people have had both silicone implants and injections. Being in the injection suit will not affect your implant case.

If you are sending in documents (MDL-class action) after the September 16th date (medical documentation of your illness only), please be sure to place your social security number (US) or other applicable identification # (foreign) on each document for identification purposes. This request comes from the Claims Office.

By now you have probably all heard about the appeal filed by the New Zealand claimants. We all expected an appeal to be filed by foreign claimants because they are being held to just over 3% of the total amount of the class action funds. This is, of course, grossly unfair, since their implants were made in the good old USA. This is being justified by the fact that they have nationalized medicine and therefore can receive good medical care. That is certainly news to most foreign claimants who are lucky if they can find an MD in their systems who will even remove the implants properly. Canadian residents have often come to the US for health care they are unable to receive in Canada. Australian women cannot find an empathetic doctor. The way to handle all this is to let all foreign claimants participate fully or have them all file their own class action suits. We have protested this unfairness from the beginning and it still exists.

What will happen now? The appeal will be probably be handled promptly. If it is denied, it will no doubt be appealed to a higher court. Judge Pointer will undoubtedly request that a higher court act on this appeal expeditiously. Meanwhile, the claims will be still processing to determine grid category, disability level, and numbers of women in each category. Do I expect payments by next April? Absolutely not!!! But I do expect that we will receive something by the end of 1996. I could hope for something sooner, but I feel that there are too many claims and too few people working to process them. I fear that the women who sent in their records to have the claims office determine their disease and disability level will slow the process tremendously, at the same time I fear that the claims committee will just not have the staff or time to adequately go over these records to give the women the disability and disease rating they deserve. These are the things I fear will slow down the payment of funds, not the appeals. It is possible for appeals to drag on for a long time, but I don't expect these to do so. I also don't expect the courts to grant the appeal, even though they should.

The rumor about Public Citizen filing an appeal is probably just that, a rumor. The case must have an effect on you in order for you to file an appeal, and it has no effect on Public Citizen. My legal queries have led me to believe that this appeal will not happen. I guess we all will know in time.

Kali Korn, of Los Angeles, settled her Dow Corning case just at the end of her trial. We applaud her strength in getting through this trial, as her health is not good. I have heard some criticism about her failure to hold out for a verdict, and I want to place my vote of approval in Kali's corner. We don't need another hero to make the Dow Corning documents public. We have Mariann Hopkins, who is still waiting for her money. Kali made the best choice for herself, and that is what every woman needs to do. Remember, we should all walk a mile in another's shoes before we criticize them!! Yeah, Kali! I hope now that this struggle is over, you can get some rest and try to recover some of your health!

MEDICAL INFORMATION: If you have breast implants, are not pregnant or nursing but have leakage of breast milk, you should be checked for a pituitary tumor.

SARCOIDOSIS: An autoimmune disease which produces many different symptoms. It can affect the lungs, skin, eyes, and also almost any organ or tissue in the body. Some have many symptoms, some just a few. It can go away, but often lasts for the rest of a person's life. The cause is unknown, but the suspected possibilities are: 1) Viral or bacterial infection. 2) Defect in the body's immune system. 3) Exposure to toxic substance. 4) Unknown environmental cause. 5) An inherited or genetic cause. Sarcoidosis is most common in young adults, and most often occurs in women. It affects blacks in the US more than Caucasians.

The formation of small, inflammatory nodules (granulomas) in different areas of the body is a major problem with sarcoidosis. They may form in the lungs, eyes, on the skin, in the lymph glands, liver, spleen, muscles, bones in the hands or feet, joints, heart, and in almost any other part of the body. Granulomas that form in the lungs are the most common problem. Problems with breathing may occur. Symptoms are dry cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Generally these lung problems dissipate on their own. When they develop in the eye, inflammation or swelling of the colored part of the eye can occur. This is called iridocyclitis. It can lead to blindness if not treated. The tear glands can also become inflamed, causing dry eyes. Glaucoma (pressure inside the eye which can result in loss of vision) may occur. 10-35% of people with sarcoidosis develop granulomas on the skin. One form appears on the face, especially the nose, cheeks, and ears, and is called lupus pernio. It can cause skin damage and leave scars. Other types of skin granulomas may appear on the face, hands, feet, buttocks, and shoulders. This type usually clears up without scarring. Another type of skin problem is called erythema nodosum, and this is a sudden, painful skin reaction consisting of tender red bumps, about the size of a quarter, in the skin of the lower legs. Arthritis of the ankle may accompany this rash. It generally leaves within three weeks, but may return.

Arthritis occurs with sarcoidosis. One in six persons will have arthritic problems. It can occur at any time during the illness, even years after onset. Joints most commonly affected are the ankles, knees, wrists, elbows or fingers. Enlarged lymph nodes are a common problem. This rarely causes long-term damage. Less common are the enlarged spleen or liver. When the illness is treated, these usually return to normal size and function. Rarely, the heart develops granulomas. These may cause irregular heartbeats which can be serious, but may not be. Granulomas in the nervous system may cause improper functioning of the nerves and brain. This may cause facial palsy (loss of sensation in the face, causing lack of movement also). Seizures may also occur. If granulomas form in the bones, they are usually painless and go unnoticed unless there are X-Rays taken. If there is muscular involvement, general weakness and muscle aches may be the result. T and B cells are often found around the granulomas, with an abundance of helper T cells. Hypercalcemia (excessive amount of calcium in the blood--see previous newsletter) is present in 10% of cases. Hypercalciuria (excessive quantity of calcium in the urine) is present in 20%. Hyperuricemia (abnormal amount of uric acid in the urine) is seen in 20% of patients.

Sarcoidosis is usually a chronic illness, and lasts from several years to a lifetime. It may begin with no symptoms and be discovered by a chest X- Ray. It may begin with many symptoms which appear suddenly or over a period of time. Lofgren's Sarcoidosis lasts only a few months and goes away. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is one of exclusion, that is, when all other diseases are excluded. It is diagnosed by a complete medical exam, X-Rays of the lungs, microscopic examination of the skin, lymph nodes, or lung tissue, and a special blood test called SACE (serum angiotensin converting enzyme) which is positive in about 60% of patients. 14% have a positive rheumatoid factor. Lacrimal (tear) and salivary (saliva) glands are often involved, without parotid involvement. Mouth and eyes are not dry. An ophthalmologist may discover problems during an eye exam. Most cases are discovered by X-Rays of the lungs. Polymyositis may be inaccurately diagnosed. Some blood tests may indicate abnormal organ functions.

Treatment is often just relief of the discomfort and pain. Exercise, joint protection, and medication to reduce inflammation are common treatments. NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are generally the drugs of choice. Skin sores may be treated as well. Severe symptoms are treated with corticosteroids (such as prednisone). Chemotherapy agents may be used in extremely unresponsive cases.

The above information is from the Arthritis Foundation and from the Primer on Rheumatic Diseases.

LABS: For your information only (or food for thought?): 6/29/93 in the Midland, MI paper was an article about Corning making a bid of $575 million to purchase a chain of blood testing labs called the Damon Company. If they do purchase these labs they will be second only in size in this country to Smith Klein Labs. As we told you earlier, Nichols Institutes and Met-Path Labs are owned by Corning, Inc. None of the labs we do business with on a regular basis are connected to these labs, although sometimes tests are sent out to other labs that may be part of the Corning enterprise.

DOCTOR WATCH: Where are women receiving the best written reports for the best price? Dr. Nachman Brautbar, 2222 Ocean View Blvd. Ste. 100, Los Angeles, CA 90057 (213) 365-4000. I have seen many reports from many MD's (Dr. Brautbar's is the best I have seen) and have heard from women who have paid up to $5000 for exams, MRI's, blood tests, etc., and reports. Women report that Dr. Brautbar has done these reports for $700 to $1000, including exam (this includes hours of going through medical records). Tests through Immunosciences or Balco are extra, at $350 and $340, respectively. Considering all the work that these reports take when done right, this seems like a bargain to me. Of course, if you have a co- operative board-certified MD locally who will write a really good report, this is the best of both worlds. But, if you need to find an MD for treatment or diagnosis or as an on-going claimant for either of these purposes, you may wish to consider this option. Go in the winter, when the weather is bad where you are. Take a little extra time and see the ocean and the countryside outside Los Angeles.

If you have an exceptional MD that will see women on a national level and is not charging excessive prices for care, send name, address, phone, and costs to me for publication. Check with the MD to see if they are willing to have this information published before sending it to me.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: To help you sleep better, another new product I have heard is helpful is EuroCalm by Solar Ray. In Colorado, you may find it at Vitamin Cottage. In other locales, try your health food stores and vitamin shops.

Pro-Type's Aloe Master freeze-died aloe vera capsules have been helping many silicone survivors with their bladder pain, frequent urination, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue. Concentrated aloe vera has been proven to be a natural anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and antifungal agent. It is being studied at the University of Texas Medical Center where they have been able to raise the T-Cell counts of AIDS patients dramatically (so think what it could for us), meaning it is an immune system booster. Check any aloe vera product you buy for contents since most have fillers that comprise the majority of the product you are taking. This product is the purest one we have seen. For more information (800) 766-1669, ext. 4960. Be sure to mention COSS, since ProType donates 5% of sales to our group.

DMSO reportedly also works for Interstitial Cystitis. Be sure it is Pharmaceutical Grade. See last month's newsletter for more info on DMSO.

Carol Ann Young carries the Metagenics product, FibroPlex, that some of us have found useful for fibromyalgia. She will give all silicone survivors a 10% discount on products. She carries a Vitamin C product which is superior to many on the market for enhancing the immune system. She also carries the Ultra-Clear product that I used for a full year to try to clear out my system (I'm much better) and she will also provide that product at a 10% discount. She takes Myoplex P.M. at night to help her sleep better and she wakes up without the muscle stiffness and pain she used to have. She takes proteolytic enzymes for the pain in her rib cage and has found that it clears up the pain. She also has a systemic detoxification program that is available by sending $5.00 and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to her at Carol Ann Young,RN, P.O. Box 1448, Florence, OR 97439. If you would like more information on any of the products she carries, please write to her, sending a SASE, requesting information and price lists.

Pycnogenol Prime: What is Pycnogenol? It is a natural plant product made from the bark of the European coastal pine, Pinus Maritima. It is a free radical scavenger and can reportedly counteract the effects of aging. It is a concentrate of a special class of water-soluble bioflavonoids that are almost instantly bioavailable to man. Bioflavonoids are low molecular weight plant substances with recognized antioxidant (free radical scavenging) properties which can inhibit the activity of certain enzymes which cause inflammation in the body. Free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells and tissues. Pycnogenol inhibits enzymes that cause inflammation. Pycnogenol reportedly has the unique ability to bond to collagen fibers. All cells in the body are bound together with collagen. Pycnogenol is a new dietary supplement. It has been available in Europe, Asia, and South America for some time. We will be sharing more about this product with you soon, including where to get it.

" Juice Plus" is a product which is fruit and vegetable juice concentrated in capsules. It has concentrated enzymes which break down toxic substances and act as antioxidants to protect the body from free radical damage. Minerals, vitamins, and hormones need enzymes to be present to do their work properly. Enzymes digest our food, and most women with silicone problems have malabsorption problems as well. Enzymes are completely destroyed in all foods that are canned, pasteurized, baked, etc. There is a correlation between the amount of enzymes a person has and their energy. If you wish more information on " Juice Plus" , call Cord (Colorado) at (303) 422-3694 or Diane Stevens (California) at (510) 798-3709 (days).

Because I am asked so often, I have decided to print the list of vitamins and food supplements I am taking. This is not an endorsement of these supplements and vitamins, but just for your information. Since I have gotten so much better (from my total disability of 1991-2), I feel that many of us will benefit from taking food supplements and vitamins. Please see a Naturopathic Doctor, a Nutritional Counselor, Wholistic MD or other health practitioner for guidance when taking on any program such as mine. I have been working with a Naturopathic Doctor throughout my entire recovery. I took a product called Ultra-Clear for a toxic clearance diet for most of a year as well as taking many food supplements.

I take, daily, Bernard Jensen's Dulse (seaweed)-1 per day, Solaray Anti- Oxidant Herb Blend-3 per day, Metagenics Fibroplex-1 per day now, formerly 3 per day for Fibromyalgia. I still increase it when I have attacks. Chelated manganese-2 per day, Metagenics Tri-Aminosorb (for improved digestion)-2 per day, Rainbow Light Milk Thistle Plus (liver detox)-2 per day, Metagenics C-UltraTabs-4 per day before meals, Metagenics Mg/K Aspartate-2 per day, Slippery Elm as needed for digestion, Quantum Complete Multiple Vitamin-1 per day, Nature's Life Flax Seed Oil Capsules-2 per day, Quintessence Pure Garlic-3 per day with meals, Metagenics Meta EPO (Evening Primrose Oil)-3 per day, Metagenics OsteoCitrate-2 tabs 2 times daily, Phosphatidyl Choline (for memory problems)-2 per day, Chelated magnesium- 1000 mg. daily (bedtime, for improved sleep), Metagenics Intrinsic B12/Folate-3 per day, and I am just getting ready to start Juice Plus or Rainbow Light Plant Enzymes 2-3 at a time 3 times daily and Pycnogenol at whatever the recommended dosage is. I spread these out throughout the day. I try to take most of these with meals unless otherwise directed.

Gotukola from Nature's Way is supposed to be helpful to those with Mixed- Connective tissue disease, according to one of our readers. It helps with the body swelling that many of us have.

Tribu Perfume, by Benetton, is silicone free.

Dishwashing detergent often contains sodium silicate. We heard from one member who had an allergic reaction from this. Wear gloves when using any household cleaning product, even when washing dishes. Read labels for product content.

HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION: COLORADO Uninsured? Health Insurance Costs Out of Sight? A new Colorado law will dramatically impact the way health insurance is marketed to consumers. On June 2, 1994, Gov. Romer signed legislation on health insurance reform that became effective July 1, 1994. This legislation requires that health insurance carriers in the state of Colorado provide to groups of 2 to 50 a choice of two guaranteed issue health plans by January 1, 1995. By law, these plans are referred to as " Basic" and " Standard" plans. Coverage would be extended to the applicants irrespective of their health status and the carrier cannot issue the coverage with any exclusionary riders. Additionally, carriers are subject to pricing guidelines established by the Colorado Division of Insurance. It is important to note that this same legislation becomes effective for individuals like sole proprietors and the self-employed one year later, on January 1, 1996. At that point in time, Colorado's health care reform will virtually cover everyone.

What does this mean to someone who has an existing health problem, or, someone who feels " locked in" to an insurance carrier because they are afraid a new carrier would decline them? Under the new law, small groups can explore the " Basic" and " Standard" plans offered by carriers in the state and enroll in such plans without fear of being declined or having any riders placed on their policy. Basically, the small group picks the company they want and the carrier is obligated to guarantee the issue of coverage. However, it should be noted that there is one caveat. No insurance carrier is only required to take on 4% of their total block of business as " high risk" , or, in other words, business that they would otherwise decline. Consequently, there may be a situation the first quarter of 1995 where this 4% " quota" is filled very quickly. Small groups looking for new coverage and who are concerned because of the health status of their employees should begin to shop now and enroll with a carrier prior to that carrier reaching any kind of state-mandated requirement.

Following are some important highlights from this far-reaching legislation: 1) Effective 1/1/95, health insurance carriers must actively offer choice of " Basic" and " Standard" plans to groups of 1 through 50 and issue to any eligible employer that applies. Effective 1/1/96, the law includes a business group of 1. 2) The maximum employer contribution required must be 50% of the premium for the employee-coverage. Employers, at their discretion, may choose a more generous contribution. 3) The maximum participation requirement shall be 75% of the eligible employees not covered under another plan. 4) Upon termination of employment, death of employee, or change in marital status, the employee or dependent has the right to continue for 18 months or until eligible for other coverage. Applies to ALL size groups, effective 7/1/94. 5) This plan cannot deny, exclude, or limit benefits because of a preexisting condition for losses incurred more than 6 months following effective date of coverage. This applies to ALL size groups, effective 7/1/94. 6) This plan cannot define a preexisting condition more restrictively than an injury, sickness, or pregnancy for which a person incurred charges, received medical treatment, consulted a health care professional, or took drugs within 6 months preceding effective date. This applies to ALL size groups, effective 7/1/94. 7) A carrier cannot modify a " Basic" or " Standard" plan through a rider, endorsement, or otherwise, if the effect is to restrict or exclude coverage for certain diseases otherwise covered.

There is much more to the details and implications of this new legislation. The important step you should take is to explore how you can take advantage of Colorado's new health care reform. Here are some helpful hints on how to do that: 1) Call or write the Division of Insurance for information and materials explaining the new law. 2) Contact your insurance broker. 3) Contact health insurance specialists that know and understand these new laws and who can point you in the right direction.

This helpful information is from Chris Stevenson and Robert Tawney, 5310 Ward Road, Arvada, CO 80002. (303) 420-3684 or (303) 421-5540, FAX (303) 420-8988.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Q. I didn't get my claim form in by September 16th because I just couldn't deal with the silicone issue. What do I do now? A. Send in your registration form with all the information requested. Then, start collecting all the medical information you have on symptoms, including material from all doctors you have seen. Plan to do the blood work necessary to document your illness. If you are not ill, we still recommend that you do the blood work because you can be asymptomatic for years with seriously abnormal blood tests. If your implants (saline as well as silicone) are still in, seriously consider having them removed. Get copies of records from any doctors you see from this date forward so you can document your illness later. Consider waiting until the 3rd or 4th year to register a claim as an ongoing claimant because all the women who missed out on the initial claims may be filing all at once and there is a very small amount of money ($100 million) per year to pay claims. They first two years women may receive very little if the number of claimants is large. Inform yourself about the issues while you wait.

BOOKS: Some " fun" reading: " FDA Follies" by Herbert Burkholz. Another book that should be wonderful is " Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide" by Burton Goldberg and published by Future Medicine. A third book is: " Mucusless Diet Healing System" by Professor Arnold Ehret, Ehret Literature Publishing Co., Inc., 19 Babrock Place, Yonkers, NY 10701-2714 $4.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling. (914) 376-1000.

IMPORTANT: Quality Health Care: You hear about the tremendous cost of malpractice insurance and how it is destroying the medical profession's ability to treat patients. The real crisis is in the actual numbers of deaths caused by medical malpractice per year in the US. In causes of preventable death, medical negligence is the third largest category in the US with a total of 80,000 deaths per year. It is exceeded only by smoking and alcohol-related deaths. Between 150,000 and 300,000 Americans are either killed or injured each year by doctor negligence in hospitals. These figures do not include negligence and deaths outside of hospital practices!! No wonder the AMA is trying to limit medical malpractice amounts through the health care bill now going through Congress. You could get rich being a lobbyist for these people. If you would like to find out what you can do to help, write or call Mern Horan, Public Citizen Health Watch, 215 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. (202) 546-4996. Ralph Nader stated: " The most effective--and humane--way to reduce malpractice costs is to reduce the incidence of medical malpractice. We should not try to cure the economic problems of our health care system at the expense of the rights of its most important participants: consumers." Tort reform is very popular in the nation's capitol, and not just with Republicans. Write to your senators and representatives to let them know how you feel about restrictions on malpractice suits being placed in the current health care package. For more information on this and a sample letter, call or write Martin Brennan, CAUCUS, 400 Dublin Ave., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 341-6800.

COMMENTARY: Women often ask me if I am glad that I am part of the class action suit. I have always stated that I have mixed feelings about being part of this lawsuit. Although that is still true, I certainly am glad that I am not having to defend my decision as are some women who tried to opt-out and were forced back into this suit. I have heard from a number of women whose own attorneys cajoled, threatened, went behind their back to family members to put pressure on them, and used other tactics to get them to change their minds. Now, I ask you, were these attorneys looking out for these women's best interests, or their own? Whose decision should this be? Is this ethical? Am I happy I am in the class action? Maybe so, because I don't have to feel like my own attorney betrayed me as some women feel! I think I will just take whatever I get and get on with my life. It is simply not worth the hassle, anger, feelings of betrayal, and the tremendous amount of energy that many are expending, at least not to me! I have too much life to live to let this one issue dominate it. There are too many women who need to know what to do now, now that they have had their health damaged. I need to focus on these issues and see what I can do to help.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE: We have all three books that we recommend for your education about breast implants and the silicone issue. " The Untold Truth" by Patti Scher and Marion Koch, Minimum donation $22.95; " The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy" by Dr. Frank Vasey and Josh Feldstein, PhD, Minimum donation $23.95; and " Silicone-Gate" by Dr. Henry Jenny, Minimum donation $22.95. If you wish them sent Priority Mail, add $2.00 for one book, $3.00 for two books, and $4.00 for all three books. Foreign readers: Canada and Mexico, add $2.00 per book, Europe and Australia, please add $3.00 per book. All donations must be in US funds.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: From Project Impact: You Can Still Be In The Book. Sumahsil, author of A Silent Sisterhood, and the voice you generally hear when you call Crossing Press to order Vasey's book, still would like your story for her book. Deadline is October 15, 1994. Her book will chronicle the stories of women with silicone implants, their experiences, despair and hopes. Write your story in 15 pages or less (handwritten) or 6 pages or less (typed) and send it to her at 3433 Redwood Drive, Aptos, CA 95003. Your name will be changed in the book unless you request otherwise. Please include your true name, address and phone # and a simple signed release giving her permission to edit your story for clarity and brevity. You will receive a free copy when the book is published.

Judy Toth would like to hear from anyone with children who have been diagnosed with silicone related disease, particularly esophageal disorders. She can be reached at (909) 695-2388 or write 43091 Corte Calanda, Temecula, CA 92592.

" Has anyone had problems with NIGHT TERRORS related to silicone toxicity? These are different from nightmares and very disturbing, especially to spouses. Has anyone found a treatment effective for these or does anyone know of any ongoing research on this topic? Please write to Sandy, 8 Red Birch, Littleton, CO 80127 or call her at (303) 978-0122, FAX (303) 979- 9570.

" I am very interested in speaking with anyone who had breast surgery where Dr. Lu-Jean Feng did one side and Dr. Yanni Li (pronounced Lee) performed surgery on the other side. Dr. Li has not been with Dr. Feng since 1992. Thank you, and I hope to hear from you. Please call Karen at (516) 473- 0633.

" I am going to have my breast implants of 10.5 yrs. removed as soon as funds allow. I would be very grateful to hear from anyone who has had the breast lift (mastopexy) or tram flap procedure. I am brand new to this and have no information." Marlene Maisonville, 2614 Kyle Street, Lakeland, FL 33801.

Virginia Owen would like to hear from anyone who has had a loss of tissue in their hands as a result of a silicone implant. Write to her at 284 E. 206 Street, Bronx, NY 10467.

COMMENTARY: I have again noticed that at least one of the national newsletters is criticizing support group leaders in public (in print in their newsletter). This is entirely inappropriate. All issues between group leaders and members should be dealt with one to one, on the phone or in person. This damages the cause as a whole and is only self-serving. It makes the person who is doing the criticism look bad and must warm the hearts of manufacturers reps and defense attorneys for these manufacturers. We must all work together and deal with our issues and conflicts in a manner that shows integrity and humanity, not in public, but in private like mature adults. Spreading rumors and airing issues in public is harmful to all women who have been damaged by breast implants.

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