When I woke up one morning and my late period still hadn’t begun, I walked over to the nearest available bathroom and took a pregnancy test. My breasts were hurting and swollen to twice their normal size, I was nauseous and constipated. Already I knew what the test would say because those physical systems went way beyond what I was used to for a period. It was positive. I was pregnant. And I was standing in a port-a-potty at the edge of a public park in Portland. I was pregnant, using a public toilet to learn about the private workings of my body, and I knew exactly what to do. I wasn’t about to bring a baby into this life.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my life. I love my husband, and our dog, and the van that we live in. But a two-seater old box truck wasn’t going to be the place to raise a baby. And so, I got an abortion. About a week after peeing on a stick in a stinky public toilet, I followed through with the choice to ensure my husband and I have the freedom to live the life we want. And there’s nothing wrong with a lifestyle that isn’t kid-friendly. We don’t have a house, or a bathroom, or even a shower. Children deserve those things. Some people might call us selfish because we weren’t willing to change. But I think we are stronger in our convictions than ever because we looked at our future and had the courage to choose a path that would make us happy. Our abortion gave us freedom and happiness and I am proud of us for making the right choice. I just wish every woman could have the level of support I did when making this decision.
