My Story

I was 43 years old and had been alone for so long that I had lost all hope of being in a healthy, long term relationship – yet the skies opened up and I met the man of my dreams. To the OB/GYN I went. The IUD was placed incorrectly and a month later I was pregnant. I had never wanted a baby and so we decided quickly that an abortion was the right option for us. I told my best friends and a couple family members who were immediately supportive. The process itself was beyond exhausting – it took me days and hours upon hours to find somewhere that would take me for this, a legitimate medical procedure. As a grown woman with two Masters degrees and a professional career, I felt, for the first time, like a leper to society. But once I got in to the appropriate clinic, it was easy and pain free. The abortion was right for me even though there is still a slight feeling of shame that lives within me, stemming from the fact that I have to keep it hidden from the world. I want that to change. I want things to change so that people who follow in my footsteps walk an easier path. I want people to feel as if they do not have to jump through so many hoops when they are already anxious and vulnerable. I want people to feel empowered to make the right decisions for their own bodies without society breathing down their neck. I don’t want them to have to hold onto a lifelong secret that burns a hole in their heart. I want so much more for all of us.