I’m 20 years old and in a very secure relationship with my 23 year old partner. We are not engaged or married yet, but we have plans to soon. We make okay money for people our age and both have good family support systems. When we found out I was pregnant, we were excited. I told some of my friends and I was very happy! For three weeks, I was content on keeping the baby, and my partner was secure in my decision. Then, we had some changes happen abruptly to my partner’s financial security and his working hours, which meant I would be alone with the baby all night after work. This put some worry in me. I started questioning my parental abilities, and if we could afford quality daycare. We both have car payments and high rent, and I was fearing that this baby would not get the upbringing it deserved if it came into our lives at this time. So after a long talk, we decided it was for the best to terminate.
A few weeks later, we found ourselves driving seven hours to Illinois to go to Planned Parenthood, as my state has outlawed abortion. We ran into some traffic on the way there and I called PP to let them know. They were very nice and said they could still accommodate us. Upon arrival, I was a little anxious and thankfully was seen pretty quickly. We paid upfront and it was $535. I was nine weeks and four days, and cost is dependent on how far along you are. I first had an ultrasound. I got to see the little baby, but I had no emotional attachment to it which made me feel secure in my decision.
To clarify, we both really want children. In a few years once I’m out of dental school, I will feel much more confident and wouldn’t have any doubts.
I was then questioned for any trauma and about my sexual history, and then I was informed I can bring my partner to the back with me. The nurses were VERY nice and accommodating. I was the last procedure of the day so it was just me back there. They brought me two pills. Since I hadn’t eaten or drank anything for 7 hours, I had a very hard time swallowing the second larger one. They tried to half it for me, but I’m difficult and they decided to let me take it as a shot after the procedure. I was very thankful for this as the chalk taste was making me sick. I then got an IV, and although the nurses were young, they did very well with the IV insertion.
We were in the prep area for maybe 10-15 minutes. Then we were both taken to the surgery room where my partner helped me change into a gown, and I was given a bag for my clothes and instructed to lay down. Once I was ready, the doctor, anesthesiologist, and attending entered the room all extremely warm and introduced themselves. The doctor was friendly to my partner and shook hands with him. They told me they were happy I made it on time! It was comforting that they actually knew about me and where we were from and that we were traveling up. I honestly wasn’t expecting professional doctors, but they actually cared about me AND my partner!
They got right to work and strapped my legs into the stirrups and began to administer the good stuff. This helped a lot as I was jittery. My partner was sitting right next to me, holding my hand. He told me I then just “closed my eyes” ,and they let him out of the room.
It felt like a blink and I woke up back in the prep room in recovery. I’m not sure how I got there, but I was reclined back a little and my partner was walking through the door as i came to. He brought me ice cream which got him a lot of praise from the staff. I was wearing hospital underwear with a pad and had a heat pack in my lap. I finished my ice cream and then took the medicine shot, which was chased with apple juice thankfully. They walked me to the bathroom after 30 minutes to check my bleeding which was #2 on the chart. We were good to go and that was it!
I’m thankful for the planned parenthood team. I never envisioned myself getting an abortion but I’m not unhappy with this experience. I woke up with no pain and just slight cramping, and I was having worse cramps before! Pregnancy was really hard on me. I am a very small woman. I was nauseous all day and extremely dizzy. The color in my face has already started returning and I had energy when I woke up today:)
