Saw countless numbers of girls

I was given a copy of your abortion case study project and wanted to submit my story. I am 30 years old now.

I was 16 when I got pregnant with an 18-year-old man. His initial reaction was to take me for an abortion. Anyone else who found out suggested an abortion as well, including my parents and friends. My sister was the only support I had for carrying my baby. She was 18 and wanted us to run away. I was too scared, so I consented to my parents urging to have the abortion.

Unfortunately, the daughter of the best friend of my mother was running the abortion facility where we lived. Her husband was an OB/GYN in the area also. He strongly suggested an abortion when my Mom took in a urine sample to confirm the pregnancy.

They set up a "special" abortion with the "best" doctor and put me under. It was very rushed and brisk. He absently patted my hand. This was also my first vaginal exam. I was so scared.

When I came out of it, I was in a room long and rectangle-shaped with a nurses station mid-way down one long wall. There was a line of stretchers of which I was the first. The "nurse" was patting my face and hands and saying, "Its all over."

As they sat me up, I looked around and saw countless numbers of girls sitting in chairs and on couches next to me holding hot water bottles and grimacing in pain. I was instructed to go change my pad in the restroom when I could walk. The pain was horrible and the pad was soaked.

I cried for 3 months every day. Later, I went a couple of days and then a few more between crying. To this day there are still days I cry over killing my baby even though I know the forgiveness of God is mine.

I hated my parents and mistrusted them for a long time.

I saw myself helping girls like myself and opening a home for single mothers. I laughed at the thought of speaking out loud about this and sad, "yeah, right, God!" But all but the home has come to pass so far. God can take anything and make good come of it.

I have spoken to classes, churches, at rallies, counseled at Crisis Pregnancy centers. I even went on the 700 Club with Josh McDowell and then was featured on an 8 part series he made called "Why Wait?"

I have also experienced a lot of the negative physical side effects of the abortion. At 20, out of guilt I tried to get pregnant again and succeeded but miscarried the baby. It was very traumatic. Later, I married at 24 years. I became pregnant with our 1^st son. He was 4 weeks early after I had pre-term labor at 28 weeks and had to stay in bed 7 weeks.

With my 2^nd son and 4^th pregnancy, I had pre-term labor at 24 weeks and was on bed rest for 12 weeks. I lost my 5^th pregnancy at 10 weeks in the toilet. I had to fish the baby out and later bury it. It was horrible.

I believe very strongly that abortion is wrong. I believe that all of the misguided information that is given in schools only serves the pocketbooks of the abortionists and those who work for them. I think that everyone who pushed me toward the abortion was under the influence of that rhetoric and if they had really thought about those euphemistic terms, they would have supported me in having my baby instead of suggesting that I kill it for all the right (or wrong) reasons.