This has been the most remarkable week of my life and I’m feeling emotionally numb. I worked long and hard on my speech for Germany and it’s amazing that I had the opportunity to do this again.
The one word which seems to sum up my experience in Germany is enlightening. I feel like I’m crashing from a very powerful emotional roller coaster. I simply can’t stop thinking about all the other women that have been injured by a Bayer product. Those ladies made the most amazing impact on me and their stories won’t leave my head or my heart. Yes, I have my own remarkable story; however, it pales in comparison to the stories of the ladies I met in Germany.
Yes, I did almost die, however, I was never actually dead. I didn’t have to have my heart restarted by paddles. Yes, I have permanent scars, but I didn’t have a stroke leaving me with brain damage, or worse. Part of me feels like a hypocrite for complaining about losing lots of blood. I feel like a whiner for complaining about my symptoms, which while bad, do not come close to what those other ladies deal with daily. I don't have to take medication for the rest of my life. My long term damage is unknown and this is one time where ignorance truly is bliss. I am constantly saying no one should walk in my shoes; however, I’d give anything to have those ladies in my shoes because I am so lucky compared to what they will have to endure for the rest of their lives.
We all have one thing is common; a Bayer product did this to us and it’s only birth control; JUST birth control. We chose the products for the same reason – we thought they were safe and effective. Bayer sold them the same load of lies that have sold to so many with their bogus studies and fuzzy math. What they did with Essure they have done with every product they have on the market. Effectiveness based on selective inclusion and exclusion; no long term studies; no safety studies. It’s a bunch of Bayer bullshit aimed at making themselves rich at the expensive of the horrific suffering on the backs of women.
This is why the name of my foundation is so significant – Women Advocating Reproductive Safety, WARS. Yes, the acronym holds true. This is our own WAR, and it’s not about one product or one group of women. It’s a GLOBAL issue affecting women from EVERY country. If we don’t take a stand now, and take a stand together, our daughters will suffer the same consequences.
We are so fortunate to have the Coalition Against Bayer Dangers as an ally. The amount of respect I gained for the work done by Philip can't be described in words. We are so fortunate to have found them and they so graciously invited us to join them at the Bayer Stockholders meeting. I will be there again next year and its my pledge to all women that we will stand as one; the product no longer matters. Its the same issue - Bayer products are dangerous and we have to put an end to their continued abuse of women.
