“My abortion was a
horrifying experience, women were treated like cattle”
LifeNews – Steven Ertelt –
8/26/2013
Carla Stream knows what it’s like to experience an abortion
decision she would later come to regret. Her personal story is one she has shared
before and she calls it a “horrifying” experience where women were subjected to
being treated “like cattle.”
“I was 24 when I found out I
was pregnant. I didn’t know what to do and wasn’t sure to whom I could turn,”
Stream says. “I told my roommate who offered to drive me to an abortion clinic.
The only other person I told didn’t say anything.”
“I didn’t want an abortion. I wanted help and
hope and support. My fear and confusion quickly became desperation. I was so
unsure of myself, and yet the only choice I could see was abortion. I took that
ride from my roommate,” Carla continues.
Like so many other women who
go to abortion clinics, Carla was given very little information ahead of time.
“My abortion was the most
horrifying experience of my life. The women were treated like human cattle. I
was told over and over about “a bunch of cells,” even though I was 10 weeks
along. I was only asked, “Will that be Visa or MasterCard today?” I believed
all of the lies that I was told,” Stream explains.
Some women come to regret
their abortions years later while others, like Carla, begin to experience
doubts about their decision very early on.
She says: “The relief lasted
about a day, and then denial set in. I went right back to drinking and partying
and struggled with depression and guilt. I felt that I had done something wrong
but didn’t know what to do about it. I had nightmares and suicidal thoughts,
and I made one suicide attempt. I guess that is what is called “getting on with
your life.”
The, Carla experienced the
kinds of problems in subsequent pregnancies many women experience.
Stream says: “Five years
later, I was married and pregnant. I was very excited and longing to somehow
make up for what I had done. Ten weeks into my pregnancy, I started to bleed. I
was told my baby’s heart had stopped beating. I was miscarrying. I ended up
delivering that little one into my hand. I saw with my own eyes that this
WASN’T “a bunch of cells”! I saw tiny toes, feet and legs, fingers, hands and
arms, a tiny little rump, and a precious little face.”
Ultimately, she’s been
finding hope and healing through a recovery program.
She concludes: “I began the
journey of abortion recovery. It has not been easy. I had to accept the truth
and face the pain and grief of loss. I have received grace and forgiveness and
now offer that to other women through Rachel’s Vineyard.”
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