This is the beginning of a sad story written from a pro choice standpoint at Salon.com. You can hear the sadness and subliminal anger in this tale. I hope she does take advantage of post abortion counseling. Here is the summary...woman is single and 34 and a freelance writer who hasn't had much work lately, she has insurance but it has a high deductible.....she meets an old friend and has casual sex...no mention of birth control....oh and this part is important...has longed for children and is realizing her biological time clock is ticking. She describes how she is aunt, godmother etc. Now back to the story....she is on antibiotics for back pain and smokes and drinks(maybe too much, she says)...symptoms appear and the test result is positive.
She is pregnant and here she is vague but someone tells her she has probably done damage to the baby through what she has ingested. Eventually she confides in some people and receives a variety of advice. Casual friend (father...maybe?) drives up and offers to move in and live with her and raise baby. He doesn't believe in marriage. But he apparently is just throwing it out there as an option. She goes to clinic....talks to them...she is 5 weeks and 5 days...they prefer for the pregnancy to be a certain gestation for their ability to abort successfully. The abortion will cost her $450. Here is where some anger is displayed at both the cost and of course why isn't tax payer funding paying for this.....from her headline.
She lives in TX so listens to a prerecorded voice telling her what the fetal development is at this stage. She seems angry that it is a male voice. Appointment made...day of abortion, doesn't like pro life protesters/sidewalk counselors out there and has a comment to make about them. Then she describes that the procedure is scary and excruciating even with IV and gas mask on. They give her earphones because of the loud noise of the procedure. She describes the pain in recovery and after procedure she describes herself as feeling damaged, empty and scared...."partially dead." Weeks later she says she is still bleeding, cramping underweight, grappling with need for children and a partner to raise them with.
She is angry at Gov. Pawlenty of MN....why?...she remembers he announced that April was Abortion Recovery month.."what the hell does he know about that?" Hear the anger, hear the sadness. As you read, pray for this woman. Abortion Recovery is just what she needs.
Photo from Salon.com
