I just had an abortion yesterday and this is my story. I go to a Catholic school in Canada, so of course they are full of anti-choice propaganda, but I’ve never noticed it until it became my turn to choose. I was always secretly pro choice, but in order to pass my religion exam I had to write an anti choice essay. I’m still disgusted that I ever wrote it. So now I’m 16, and pregnant. What was I to do? I’m not a dumb girl. My average last year was a 90.0, so university is definitely going to be a part of my future, and nothing was about to stop me. When I saw those two pink lines I wanted to die. I was too stupid to realize the first month of birth control is ineffective and I was having unprotected sex with my boyfriend of 6 months. I couldn’t stop crying and every morning I was sick. I was no longer the happy and bubbly girl who people could come to. I had an aura of despair surrounding me. Luckily my boyfriend was there for me, and tried to calm me down.
I prepared for any possible situation. I stole my health card out of my mom’s purse, found a ride from an older friend and called in pretending to be my mom so my school would not mark me absent and call my mother. Luckily, in Canada, abortions are paid for by the taxpayers and I only had to swipe my health card to receive my abortion. While reading this site however, I was so upset to hear of women having to pay hundreds of dollars just to have their lives back. Not everyone can get the money, and for the women who can’t get the money, isn’t it those women who need the abortion the most? I still wait for the day when the United States of America will finally get abortion covered by the government.
Finally after a week of waiting, I snuck out of school and got on the public transit for a nice 2 hour ride. When I got to the clinic, I was the only one in the waiting room. I sat quietly watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding on the TV. And finally my name was called. I quickly undressed and put on my favorite fuzzy socks and my longest shirt. I was brought to another waiting room and was finally called into the operating room. I received my first ultra sound and I saw my 6 week pregnancy. It was just a blob the size of a bean. I was so relieved. The doctor came in and I felt so much calmer. I had two lovely nurses with me who held my hands and told me how good I was doing. They injected me with local anesthesia and the ceiling was spinning before my eyes. The doctor went to work and the only thing I felt was a tiny prick when he was numbing my cervix with an injection. After that I felt nothing at all. I didn’t even hear the suction vacuum turn on because I was too busy staring at the spinning ceiling. In what seemed like 30 seconds but was probably 3 minutes, I was led back to the waiting room when I sat on a lovely recliner and covered in a nice warm blanket. I was given water and cookies to eat and for the first time in a week I was hungry. No nausea. I could eat. I was ecstatic. I chatted quietly with the other women, who were all older and having their second abortion. I was at peace in that chair and I wish I stayed a bit longer but my boyfriend was downstairs, frantically worrying about me. I thanked the wonderful nurses and left. I was full of energy and life. I was myself again, and it was amazing. The first thing I did was go to McDonald’s and order a southwestern chicken burger. I could finally stomach a burger. I went back to school and took the bus home. I was well enough to babysit that night and cook and clean. My home life drastically improved and my mom was happy to see me being myself again, although she doesn’t know why. I will tell her eventually, but not now. I felt like a new person and as if I’ve been given a second chance at life. I want to be a better person and live my life to the fullest.
This morning I had the unfortunate opportunity to hear a fellow student on the morning announcements talking about the anti choice march she went on last week. She depicted us as murderers who relish every chance to kill a fetus. I wanted to punch her in the face. To see that she was fallen victim to the anti choice crap that my school feeds us made me very sad indeed. My whole school may be against me, but this was the best choice I ever made. The day I got my abortion was an amazing day and I will NEVER EVER regret it. Ill never be sorry and the Catholic school system will never make me feel any different.
