Cari’s Story

Hi, my name is Cari, and I am not sorry! I am 22, but at the age of 20 I became pregnant. I was married to my high school sweetheart-in fact, we had been married two years. I am unable to use hormonal birth control due to the mood swings it caused, so I used a diaphragm. I also monitored my cycles closely, that way I was being diligent with my body. But it failed me somehow, and I was pregnant. Now me being a die hard pro choice feminist who would go to marches and clinics to help, was scared out of my mind! THIS WAS ME. I cried and cried. I was scared. I was scared of the pain I might endure, because for me a pap test hurts. I made my appointment, and went. It was September 21, 2002 at 8:30 am. I was 7 weeks and 5 days along. I walked in the clinic, and they gave me paperwork and other things to fill out. Then they gave me a valium and Motrin, but they soon give me Nitrous Oxide because I wanted that as anesthesia. I remember being somewhat afraid as they called my name and I walked down that hall, but I just got on that table and relaxed. I knew this was what I wanted to do. I remember the doctor being so nice, and asking me if I was in college, I said “I am taking the semester off.” He said, “Well you can tell them when you get back, you had the good drugs”. I laughed. He was nice…I remember feeling something on my cervix, which was the dilation, but it did not hurt.It just felt like it was being poked with a finger, I could feel it, but no pain.He said the worst part is over, and I am drugged up thinking, wow, I am going to be okay … Then the suction began, which I did not feel or hear, because I was floating. I was amazed, I got wonderful care from non judgemental people. TO THIS day, I still go out to clinics, and support the staff who took care of me.