BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

For the past three years, Mrs. Andrea Lee-Mingo (pictured) has battled health issues. But, unlike some illnesses, doctors are unsure of how to treat her.

Mrs. Lee-Mingo and Ms. Zakia Teagle are best friends, and until three years ago, were average young women, who were relatively healthy, and had plans for the future. However, after a decision to enhance their assets, what took permanently changed their lives.

From the onset, their stories are identical, and only differ in the aftermath. Mrs. Lee-Mingo and Ms. Teagle said they learned that Ms. Sharhonda Lindsay was giving butt enhancement injections from a friend of a friend.

Prior to having the procedure, the women said they researched it on the Internet and learned the chemical, Hydrogel, was supposed to be a water-based solution. They felt it was safe.

They said Ms. Lindsay had injected four people the week before and had to obtain more of the solution. It also had to be mixed with other chemicals.

On January 29, 2009, They met at Mrs. Lee-Mingo’s home. Ms. Teagle had ten injections in each hip and Mrs. Lee-Mingo had twenty injections in each hip.

Zakia Teagle

“She did Zakia first and by the time she finished with me, Zakia got sick and started vomiting black stuff. I called an ambulance. Later, I was in the middle of taking my shower when I started getting sick,” Mrs. Lee-Mingo said.

Both were transported to Town N’ Country Hospital within a half hour of each other. “They asked for a urine sample and when I looked, I saw nothing but blood. At the hospital, they told us we had to make a police report,” Mrs. Lee-Mingo said.

“I asked them to take me to where Zakia was and they did. I thought they were going to treat and release us. We didn’t realize it was that serious,” she said.

Both women were in the hospital for a month. From that point, their stories differ.

Mrs. Lee-Mingo said, “The doctors were afraid to touch us because they didn’t know what she had injected us with and it was still in our bodies. All of my organs shut down and I was placed on life support. The hospital told my mother to make funeral arrangements because I wasn’t going to make it through the night.”

Mrs. Lee-Mingo said that instead of making funeral arrangements, her mother went to church and she survived.

Three years later, she said the injection areas are hard to the touch and she’s taking a lot of medication. She is in a lot of pain, but the medication makes her sleep. She said the doctors are afraid to remove the objects.

In an attempt to go on with her life, Mrs. Lee-Mingo married in September 2009 and has since adopted a baby. She stated that she has been turned down for disability and continues to try and work.

Once a month, she must go to the emergency room to receive muscle relaxer injections.

“We are trying to get our story out because people are still doing it. We want everyone to know what happened to us,” she said.

Ms. Teagle said that although she was in the hospital for a month, she did not suffer renal failure in the beginning. However, renal failure for her came about three years later. She was recently released after a month in the hospital.

“I had the renal failure due to the toxins in my body. You don’t know what kind of affect those toxins will have or how long it will take before something happens. I’m telling everyone not to do what we did. I don’t recommend any type of cosmetic procedure even by professionals.”

Ms. Teagle said they are still trying to receive restitution and although Ms. Lindsay was ordered to pay restitution, they receive $7 or $9 a month.

“The latest thing that happened in court is that she (Ms. Lindsay) is trying to get out of paying restitution,” she said.

Ms. Lindsay was arrested after the police reports were filed. She was charged with two counts of practicing medicine without a license.

Last year, Ron O’neal Morris, 30, was arrested in Broward County and charged with practicing medicine without a license. Last month, Morris was arrested again after 3 other victims came forward.