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Sitting here trying to describe what happened to me is extremely difficult. Even after 27 years, I find it hard to come to terms with it. I was 21, pregnant with a boyfriend who I liked but wasn't in love with. We went to a clinic for the abortion and everything in me was telling me to get back in the car and go home. Before they put me under, I said that I had changed my mind and tried to get up. The next thing I knew, I was waking up with no baby, horrible cramps, and bleeding heavily. I was in shock, how could they have done that to me? Where did my choice go? A week later, I had cramps so severe, it was nothing like I had ever experienced. When we called the clinic, we were told to put an ice pack on my stomach and keep my feet elevated. We went to the grocery store to get something for the pain. I couldn't even walk at this point and my boyfriend went in while I laid in the back of the car. All of a sudden, I was gushing blood. I put my hands between my legs to stop the bleeding and was covered with blood up to my elbows when my boyfriend came out to the car. When we called the clinic again, we were specifically told not to go to the hospital, that it was nothing to be concerned about. We went to a friends house nearby and for the next 12 hours I laid on the bathroom floor hemorrhaging. I now know that they punctured my uterus during the abortion. I can't believe I didn't bleed to death. One of my daughters recently said to me, that having an abortion is a personal choice and asked what would I have done if I hadn't have had one? I told her, very clearly, that I would have been forced to take responsibility for my choices and raise her brother or sister. It would have worked out fine and probably would have made me a stronger person. I can't undo what happened all those years ago, but I can stand up now and tell women that having sex is a choice, so take responsibility for your body before you get yourself pregnant.

Age: 48
Location: Sequim, WA
Date: February 17, 2012