My family member called me one afternoon when I was picking up my daughter from school. She was in tears and made me promise not to tell anyone what she was about to tell me. I braced myself and told her to go ahead. She said she was pregnant and wanted an abortion. She’d known about the pregnancy for almost a month but couldn’t get an appointment at planned parenthood until that week, and with the mandatory waiting period in her state she didn’t know if she would make the cut off for the medical abortion she wanted.
I live in a nearby state with impeccable abortion access. On my phone I was able to schedule her a medical abortion almost as easily as making an Amazon order for that week. There was financial assistance for her as well. I worked hard to make sure she had every comfort she could need or desire. Can’t have an abortion without fuzzy socks, that’s inhumane!
The day came and went. We watched movies and talked. The process was uncomfortable and not fun, but we got through it. I felt honored she trusted me with this burden she was bearing and even more grateful I had the means to support her in having a peaceful and calm experience. I felt so angry that she had to endure an unwanted pregnancy for so long, missing work due to symptoms and feeling stressed by the unknown.
With the Supreme Court the way it is, I can’t help but feel this will not be the last time I help someone jump state lines for abortion care. I feel empowered and prepared to help anyone that I can through an experience that shouldn’t need to be traumatic and difficult. I am so grateful for abortion!
