My 8-Week Abortion.
I am 38 years old and have always known that I didn’t want children. I tried for years to get doctors to let me get some sort of sterilization, but none of them would. I have stage 4 endometriosis and have already had one ovary and tube removed because of it. I have also had an ectopic pregnancy.
My husband and I have good jobs, but we are getting older, and with my health problems we knew kids just weren’t in the picture. We can support ourselves, but adding children would be a strain financially. So when I found out I was pregnant the day after New Year's, I was terrified. I told my husband, and we didn’t waste any time making me an appointment to get my abortion. Unfortunately, I live in a state where abortion is banned at viability. However, I live on the border of a state where abortion laws are more relaxed. Thank God for them. I did have to reschedule my original appointment due to the fact that money was an issue ($788 was how much it cost), and I wanted my husband to be there, and he needed to get time off work.
I was sick for the three weeks while I waited for my appointment; my work suffered, and I couldn’t do much housework. I just slept all the time because I felt horrible.
Finally, the day of my appointment arrived, and my husband drove me to the clinic. I was worried about protestors, but there was a snowstorm that day, so there was only one lone guy with a loudspeaker telling me to turn to Jesus. My husband dropped me off (he isn’t much of a waiter, and I was totally fine with this. He took the night off from his night job to be with me later). I was there for about three hours maybe, but I got my ultrasound, paid my cost, got my blood taken; I was negative, so I got a Rhogam shot too, then I talked to the doctor, super nice lady. She gave me extra Zofran because I had been so ill. I got the first pill and took it, and she gave me a bag of my other pills, and I was done.
My husband and I went out to dinner that night, and I know they say you shouldn’t feel anything with the first pill, but my tummy did start feeling kind of gurgly. I took my antibiotic after dinner and went home and hung out with my husband. I had taken the next day off of work and got everything ready for the process ahead. Heating pad, charged phone and iPad, water, Gatorade, pain pills, everything I thought I would need.I took my pain pills and waited, then I took my 4 pills, waited the thirty minutes, then washed them down with water.
About an hour later, I started getting cramps, and things started going. I didn’t really bleed into my pad in the beginning; everything seemed to happen when I was on the toilet. I ended up having bad diarrhea too. I think I knew when I passed it, it was a clot about the size of a lemon. I was able to actually get some rest, and the cramps only came in waves, really. It’s now the day after I took all the pills (I called into work), and I have no more nausea; the bleeding is like a normal period. Mostly I am tired. My wonderful husband says I am getting a steak dinner this weekend for all that I have gone through, and I can't wait.
I was so scared that the pain would be horrible. But honestly, I have had periods much worse than this. Much worse. I had some chills, some severe nausea (I use breathing tricks to not vomit), and cramps that only came in waves. If anyone who is as worried as I was, you got this!
This story was shared from our partners at Shout Your Abortion.
