My abortion story.

[Midlodemocrat]

Inspired by that bumper sticker someone posted that if 'Mary were pro-choice, there would be no Christmas!' :eyes:

Anyway. I have never had an abortion. I was never unmarried, pregnant, or alone. When I got married, we CHOSE to have children (see that you RW assholes, I'm pro-choice and have kids)...

Anyway. When pregnant with my son, some abnormalities surfaced and I needed to have additional testing. It looked as though he was going to have Down Syndrome. We went for genetic testing and decided to get an amnio in case the baby had some other physical ailments that would prevent my having him naturally instead of via C-section, like I did his sister. During genetic testing, we discovered that my husband is a carrier for Tay-Sachs. A vile, vile disease that takes a child's life by age 4 but not before rendering him or her blind, deaf, you name it.

I decided at that moment that if the baby had Tay-Sachs, I would have an abortion. I couldn't watch my little child die...I just don't have it in me to do so. I'm not strong enough.

I also decided that whatever else was wrong, I wouldn't have an abortion. I could well handle a child with Down Syndrome or some other genetic abnormality.

Turns out, my son didn't have anything wrong with him...so no abortion.

When I was teaching high school in the 80's, at a Catholic High School, no less, in a very rethug area of CT, one of my female students approached me and asked if she could come over to my apartment that night and talk. I said sure because at the time, I was young and had a pretty much open door policy with the kids...heck I even took in two of them who had been tossed into the streets.

The girl arrives and proceeds to tell me that she is pregnant. Boy is not willing to help with anything. Parents don't know. She HAS to abort the baby. I talked to her for a long time that night trying to get her think through all angles of the situation and what other outcomes might be explored.

She said her parents would disown her and she would be penniless and heartless.

She then asked me for a ride to the clinic and $200 to pay for the procedure. Now, let me tell you, $200 on a Catholic High School teacher's salary is a boatload of money, but I drove her to the clinic, paid for the procedure and drove her to a friend's for the rest of the weekend.

I know in my deeply Christian heart that I did the right thing by helping that child. I have no regrets. I didn't even at the time, although I knew at the time if anyone found out, I would be without a job.

So, there's my story. Not a big deal, I guess. But to her, it was huge.

[Blue Gardener]

1. You did the right thing

That was very generous of you.

[Solly Mack]

2. It's a huge deal! You saved a life.

If you had not helped, she could be dead today from a self-induced abortion.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Or suicide. Her other 'plan' was to kill herself.

real pro-life huh?

[Katherine Brengle]

7. Oh. my. god.

I've been there (not bc of a pregnancy, but for another reason) and having someone there to explain your options is a godsend.

[Solly Mack]

8. I can't tell you enough how glad I am that you were there for her

She'd have rather died than face the shame society heaps upon women for not conforming to the "good girl" myth.

Thank you!

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. You went above and beyond for a teacher

Good for you.

:yourock:

[yasmina27]

5. Wow, it was a big deal

and thank you for sharing. Too many people think that abortion is just another form of birth control, and I did know someone in college who used it that way. But I think that is the very small minority of cases.

Regardless of the reasoning, NO ONE has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body.

As a fellow educator, I salute you!

[Katherine Brengle]

6. It *is* a big deal---

You risked your livelihood to help another human being in a very difficult situation. You are probably that woman's hero--she was able to go on with her life because of you.

[nonconformist]

9. It is a big deal. You were her hero.

You helped when she had no one else to turn to.

[LiberalinNC]

10. Personally I feel you did the right thing by helping out the young girl,

you are extremely lucky that you were not reported!!!

BTW I completely understand the scare you had w/ your son, I had a very similar one w/ both my daughters, thankfully nothing was wrong and they are now 8 and 10 years old. It is my understanding that in order for a child to get Tay-Sachs BOTH parents have to be carriers.

Thanks for your story!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. Some info. on Tay-Sachs.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/taysachs/taysachs.htm

The incidence of Tay-Sachs is particularly high among people of Eastern European and Askhenazi Jewish descent. Patients and carriers of Tay-Sachs disease can be identified by a simple blood test that measures beta-hexosaminidase A activity. Both parents must carry the mutated gene in order to have an affected child.

[Just Me]

12. You are a true compassionate.

Thank you. :hug:

Thing is, if we are unwilling to take care of the lives we KNOW exist, how on earth can we pretend to ensure anything to that which does not exist? That's playing, God, and, I do believe one of the ten commandments said that is against one of the ten rules ("thou shall not hold another god before me").

Until we take care of "our house" and our beings, it's ridiculous to pretend we can improve that over which we have no knowledge, whatsoever.

Why can't we spend our energies improving what we know and what we see and how we exist rather than indulging in escapism?

:shrug:

I just do not understand such intentional powerlessness.

[Taverner]

13. An unsung hero

Kudos to you - the world needs more like you :yourock:

[Random_Australian]

14. Amazing. Absolutely Amazing.

Anyone who 1)Helps someone like that
2)Prevents a suicide
Ought to be praised...Unselfish, empathetic, help. That's kind of help is the best their is, as opposd to helping people for your own gains....
:yourock: :yourock: :yourock: