I was a nurse practicing in North Carolina.  I worked on a Gynecology/tumor unit at a teaching hospital. The unit included 4 prostaglandin abortion beds.  The babies who were aborted were between 18-20wks of age.  Most women were young, but occasionally there were patients whose babies had life threatening defects.  I assisted the doctor in the initial placement of the prostaglandin.  Then the women were left on the floor to deliver.

One thing that is often forgotten by people is that there is a big difference between a picture of a baby at a certain number of weeks pregnant, and seeing and experiencing a birth.  There is a sensation of life, of a living thing. It is like the difference between a picture of a puppy and a real puppy. Even a movie does not capture the whole picture.  All of your senses are involved.

After the second abortion I began changing my own thoughts about abortions and after a few more I could no longer participate.   After several more years, my faith began to grow and with that my guilt increased. I spoke with a therapist and my parish priest. I asked for God's forgiveness, but it took a while before I could let go of my guilt.

Now I want to do what I can to stop abortions.