Unplanned Pregnancy

True Stories from Women Like YouMy Choice: Debbie

Birth Choice has been on my heart for some time now. I have been very aware of your outreach for several years, as your San Marcos office helped me six years ago when I found myself pregnant with no health insurance coverage.

Being self-employed with my husband had us in a cash flow situation that didn't afford any sort of personal insurance, or even a savings account that could be used for medical expenses. My husband thought he didn’t want to have children, and I felt that stress when I discovered I was pregnant. Your staff helped me apply for the AIM program, an affordable medical coverage option for my situation, and also made themselves available for counseling and support throughout the pregnancy. They turned what could have been one of the most difficult times in my life into a treasured memory for me.

That's how I met Birth Choice and you've had a place in my prayers ever since. My desire to become a volunteer comes from a much deeper place, however. Several things in my background make me feel that I simply must be involved.

First, I am the result of a crisis pregnancy myself. Had abortion been a legal option in the early 1960's, I have little doubt that I would have been an aborted baby. My birth mom was a single teenager in a difficult relationship with my biological father. I ended up being adopted as a baby by an infertile couple who raised me with another adopted daughter as my sister.

Second, for the larger percentage of my life, I have been in a world that largely views abortion as acceptable, and in many circles is even considered a "good" thing. I knew many people who had abortions, sometimes more than one. While it bothered me at some level, I did not understand the real truth of abortion until far too late.

In my early twenties I was involved with a very abusive man. While in the process of ending that relationship, I found myself pregnant. I believed I would be a single parent, cast out of my family, and be connected for life to that cruel man, but I intended to do just that. When seeking help, I was counseled by virtually every "friend" (including people with children and several religious people!) to have an abortion. Several medical professionals presented that option, as well, and my insurance would fully pay for it, too. Only one friend made a weak offer to let me live with his family and have the baby, but it was clearly not a real option for him to do that.

Another friend offered to take a day off from work to drive me to and from the abortion clinic. She really wanted me to hurry up and have that abortion. No one ever encouraged me to pursue "life options," especially the Planned Parenthood office.

Believing these people had my best interests at heart, I blindly went ahead and made one of the worst choices, perhaps THE worst choice of my life. I could go on and on about the bad experience, the pain, intense bleeding and physical recovery, but the damage to my body in no way compares to the emotional damage that was done. It has had such far reaching effects that I never imagined, and certainly no one told me about beforehand. I know that you at Birth Choice are well informed and aware of all of these terrible "aftershocks," but believe me that experiencing it first hand really gives a different perspective, to say the least.

Several years later, I was so blessed to meet a Christian man and eventually found myself in a wonderful church where I started a new life with Christ as my Savior and Friend. That was nearly nine years ago, and I've been searching for my "niche" ministry ever since.

I really want to use my experiences to encourage and serve others the way God wants me to. I am now in a place where I feel I can relate very well with women in crisis. Not being in crisis anymore myself, through my walk with the Lord and lots of Christian counseling, I feel confident that I can be of help.

I've experienced being adopted, being abused, a crisis pregnancy with a tragic outcome, and one that appeared to be a crisis which turned into a great blessing, thanks to Birth Choice. I also know the realities of parenthood, now with two precious children. It's not just a "cute little baby" all of the time, but a tremendous responsibility that comes with great rewards. It's my turn to serve, and I am willing and eager to be trained to do whatever you need me to do.

Most sincerely, Debbie

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