Some days are Sunny, others are a B*tch

May 6 BCOF Roe vs Wade

Social Aspects: Roe vs. Wade pro-life versus pro-choice. When you look at the different aspects of this situation, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it about the unborn child or a woman's rights? Do you ever wonder why men aren't subjected to vasectomies' so this issue doesn't happen? "Women certainly have carried the burdens of society a lot more than men." Your thoughts?

The first thing that comes to mind is this has been settled law since 1973, protected for women across the US. It has been fought over before and no one has been able to change it. Even the conservative judges like Kavanagh, Comey-Brown and Goursch all agreed it was settled and protected law when they were questioned during their hearings. Were they lying?

Everyone feels differently about the status of an embryo that is becoming a child if the pregnancy continues until said child can live outside the mother's body. A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks. 90% of abortions are done during the 1st 12 weeks. 21 weeks is the point of possible viability and that is usually with a baby on a ventilator, looking at many complications if the child manages to live and a very expensive hospital bill plus medical bills and special needs ahead.

I happened to work on a Women's Unit as an RN for over 20 years and one thing I am sure about is women will continue to end pregnancies if they don't have a safe alternative. I have held the hands of women that lost their uterus because of a botched abortion or died of septic shock. This was when Women's Clinics weren't' available close to them or they couldn't afford it or they didn't want to tell anyone from shame. We should be making it easier and safer by taking better care of women. One thing I am positive of is that women with money will still be able to get abortions anyway-that has always been true. It is poor women that willl be affected by this the most.

"Women certainly have carried the burdens of society a lot more than men." That is certainly true and always has been yet men seem to have control of our bodies. Most rapes are never reported. When I worked at a Rape Crisis Center, it was humiliating to go through the questioning and exams. I am sure it is easier now psychologically but wouldn't this make it harder because the morning after pill won't be available in some places?

I believe we are now moving backwards when we had made progress. That is my feeling about this subject. My own Mom had a baby out of wedlock (great word?) in 1939. My brother was shuffled around from place to place for foster care. When Mom met my Dad he adopted my older brother but my Mom suffered family shunning, dropping out of school and the shame she carried. I asked Mom about abortion once and she said she didn't know how to go about finding safe care. She was too afraid. Of course my older brother is very glad she kept him. I didn't know for many years that he wasn't my Dad's child. It didn't matter to us. I was a flower girl at his wedding to a lovely girl that is my dear sister and they had a son. Mom didn't even tell him until he was 40-what a shock!

All of this comes down to the fact that it is a very personal choice and each woman deserves the right to make it. As a health provider, I believe we should offer her safe choices and let her decide.