And then, several weeks passed without a menstrual cycle. Then several more. I was used to having a sporadic cycle, but somehow I felt strangely different this time and I really thought I might be pregnant. And, after all, for the last few months of my living in wedlock, my husband had convinced me to not use birth control, as he was sure (who knows why?) that I was infertile.

I went to the college infirmary and asked for a pregnancy test. A urine sample was collected and then I was informed that I wasn't pregnant. They said I was probably just stressed from my marital separation and impending divorce. They then prescribed progesterone to eenew my hormonal system into menstruating again. No effect, although I then felt rather queasy on a fairly regular basis, and kind of crazy, as if maybe I was making all these strange sensations up. I went back to the infirmary. Again they prescribed progesterone. Still no menstruation. And I felt even queasier. And crazier. I finally went to a private gynecologist for a second opinion. She told me she couldn't run a pregnancy test that day, as my last dosing of progesterone would interfere with the results. She did tell me that she felt something in my uterus that was either a fetus or a cyst. She asked me to return a week later for pregnancy testing. The next week, she was able to confirm that I was indeed pregnant. Finally hearing that was a relief to me. I never pursued why the infirmary tests were wrong. Mistakes do happen. To me, it didn't matter. What did matter was that I was then about 12 weeks into pregnancy AND in the process of divorce AND having taken medications that were detrimental to the fetus. AND I'd never wanted a child in the first place, as my mentally ill mother had not given me any skills for that. I immediately scheduled an appointment with one of the local abortion clinics. Thank goodness for them. After I received the clinic staff's compassionate counseling and birth control education, I had my abortion, with a nurse holding my hand through the entire procedure. During the counseling process, I was informed that I might feel depressed for a while after my abortion. Nothing was further from the truth. I felt elated and renewed.

I continued with that divorce and with my bachelor's degree. And with counseling. I continued on to veterinary school for my doctorate. Over my years as a practicing veterinarian, I pursued more and more what I was to discover as my passion and my gift: high volume surgical sterilization. I have now devoted my career to doing my part in the solution of the most common cause of death of companion animals: pet overpopulation. To date, I've compassionately and humanely surgically sterilized over 55,000 animals in the US and abroad. I'm eternally grateful for the ability to pursue my calling and pass on what was so graciously given to me, the opportunity to ensure that each living being born is wanted and able to be provided for.