Breast cancer was a terrifying diagnosis for Holly K. Thrasher to receive in her mid-forties. She couldn’t imagine living without her breasts, but made the decision to do just that to eliminate the very aggressive cancer that could have been a death sentence. All of her doctors assured her that a brand new set of silicone breast implants would be just what she needed to reconstruct what she had lost during a total double mastectomy. Trusting their experience and knowledge, Holly went ahead with breast reconstruction. It included three major surgeries, expanding out the skin and tissue to accommodate the implants, cutting and repairing her pectoral muscles, and quite a bit of discomfort and downtime. Upon completion, she covered her scars with beautiful pink cherry blossom tattoos and went on with her life putting hoping to put all of her cancer challenges behind her.Little did she know, that would not be the last challenge where her breasts were concerned. Almost immediately after the implants were placed, Holly began to experience autoimmune type symptoms that she had never experienced before. None of her medical professionals could give her a definite cause, but were quick to attribute the symptoms to her age, the possible long-term side effects of chemotherapy, and the fact that she was now in menopause. As the symptoms became worse, Holly feared that her breast cancer had returned, but all of her tests were normal. Thankfully, Holly was introduced to Breast Implant Illness (BII) by a friend and she discovered that her beautifully reconstructed and tattooed breasts were in fact making her very sick. The cure for BII is removal of the breast implants and Holly chose her health over her vanity opting to reconstruct her chest to FLAT.Holly shares her discovery, the cure, and all of the information you need to know about breast implants and the issues that they can cause in the body. If you are considering breast implants for breast reconstruction after cancer or for cosmetic reasons, read Bye-Bye Boobs first. Holly wishes she had known that implants can cause lymphoma, capsular contracture, pain, deformity, and even death. Breast implants are Class III medical devices and implanting them in your chest cavity should be done only after reading Bye-Bye Boobs and educating yourself thoroughly about them. Bye-Bye Boobs is both devastating and uplifting and she never loses her sense of humor as she truthfully shares her experience with BII. Holly has found her voice to educate and support both breast cancer survivors and breast implant illness sufferers. Speaking, writing, and supporting women has given Holly the confidence to live her life FLAT, fabulous, and unapologetic.
