My abortion story (a thread):
I was 23 year-old monogamist hippy the summer I learned my boyfriend of over a year had cheated on me. I actually went to Planned Parenthood for STD testing because things were amiss. That was one and only reason for making the appointment. /1
I was 23 year-old monogamist hippy the summer I learned my boyfriend of over a year had cheated on me. I actually went to Planned Parenthood for STD testing because things were amiss. That was one and only reason for making the appointment. /1
While at Planned Parenthood, I did discover my boyfriend had given me an STD and thus cheated on me. I was distraught. I had the summer before traveled the country with him. I had given up my home and family to live "free" with him. I thought we were destined to be together. /2
I sat there ugly crying and blurting out every angry and brokenhearted thing that crossed my mind. The provider seemed genuinely concerned and caring. She "empathized" with how upsetting that must be and what a jerk he was for violating my trust (oh the irony & foreshadowing). /3
She then turned the conversation to how difficult it would be to raise a child with a man like that. She commented on how embarrassing it would be to have the "cheater's baby". She suggested I prevent pregnancy. She did not say what that entailed or how it worked. /4
At the time I wasn't aware of embryology or how Plan B & medicated abortion worked. I believed her. She was going to prevent pregnancy. Her only explanation was to take one pill right then and the next one about 24 hours later. She said if anything it would induce a period. /5
I took the pill and left with a broken heart and a brown bag containing the second pill. Nothing much happened that night other then a lot of crying. The next day I took the second pill and went about my normal routine. Within hours I was vomiting. /6
Vomiting continued for > 12 hours. I also began experiencing the worst cramps of my life (and I have Endometriosis). Within hours, I lost so much blood and giant clots. The hemorrhaging lasted for 2 days and was so much worse than any period. I thought I was dying. /7
I was far too scared to tell anyone what had happened. I assumed I would either die on the bathroom floor or wake up the next day and forget it ever happened. I did wake up the next day, and I managed to shove the event to the dark parts of my mind where I never go. /8
Fast forward 7 years. I had just given birth to my daughter. I had learned a lot about anatomy, reproduction, & embryology in that time. I sat holding my daughter crying about the baby that may have been all those years ago. I was under the impression I had taken Plan B. /9
It wasn't until ten years later when I really studied how abortions worked, I realized I had gone past the time frame for Plan B to prevent pregnancy. I also learned that when they took blood work for the STD, PP must have done a pregnancy test. I had been duped. /10
I had been given RU486 with no informed consent, no acknowledgement of pregnancy, and no clue what I was doing to a baby I didn't know existed. Those 48 horrendous hours weren't simply an induced period. I had aborted my child. /11
The truth was revealed slowly to me through consultation with various medical experts and surrender of denial. It was painful and horrifying. I was/am staunchly prolife. I would never hurt a human more or less a child. Yet here I was, a killer. /12
In the past year I have found forgiveness and acceptance from God, my husband, my family, and the prolife community. A few individuals within the pro-choice community have also embraced me as a victim of a terrible injustice despite our differences. /13
I will never stop regretting that day. I will never stop grieving my child. I will never stop speaking out as a mother, women, and licensed mental health professional about the damaging trauma of abortion. I look forward to the day I will meet my loved child: Jotham Eli. /14
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