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Pam
Florida,
United States
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I had an abortion when I was 16 in 1972 when abortions were not legal in the state of Florida. My mother took me to the doctor who treated me as though I was a loose teen. He told us that I had two weeks to decide to have an abortion, as I was 20 weeks along. No one ever spoke to me about education, what was going to happen, adoption, parenting, nothing. My father was a violent alcoholic and all I could think of was, "I can't bring this baby into this home." I decided to have an abortion.
My mother accompanied me to New York City where I had an abortion by saline injection at an abortion hospital. After 36 hours of painful labor (all alone), I delivered my dead son. I remember the nurses laughing at me and the girl who was next to me who delivered dead twins.
Before the abortion, I never wanted to drink or do drugs. I was a quiet person, always reading and laughing. About a year after the abortion, I spiraled out of control. I became violent, angry, depressed, and sad. I was filled with anxiety, panic, and fear, and I cried all the time. I began to have nightmares, started doing drugs, and drinking. It affected me physically, as I had to have a complete hysterectomy at 33, had a benign cyst removed from my breast, and have terrible scar tissue. I was able to have one child, but the pregnancy was difficult. It took months for me to bond with my daughter. My marriage ended after 21 years.
I began to volunteer at a local pregnancy center and, in order to counsel women for the post-abortion class, I had to take a class called Forgiven and Set Free. What an eye opener that was! I had not idea that all of the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional turmoil I had suffered started after the abortion. Thank God He has set me free and forgiven me. That is why I am silent no more. I want to help others who have made the choice to have abortions or are others who are thinking about it.
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Silent No More Awareness Campaign: Reach Out - Educate - Share
www.silentnomoreawareness.org |
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