Why I Had an Abortion - by TheFatLadySings

[kpete]

Wed Mar 09, 2011 at 07:10 AM EST
Why I Had an Abortion

by TheFatLadySings


I grew up in Chicago, the eldest daughter of a single schizophrenic mother. My brother and I struggled as children to keep our family intact. Billy stole deliveries of groceries from other peoples' porches. I cooked, cleaned, tried to make my younger siblings do homework, and maintained a facade of normalcy to fend off the threat of foster care. One day, I decided I'd had enough and walked out the front door.

I was 15.

I slept in basements of friends' homes, periodically calling my aunt in New Mexico so Mom and Grandma would know I was safe.

Sometimes I stayed with a teenage prostitute friend. Sue took drugs and drank, but looked out for me. "You leave Laurie alone and let her do homework," she'd admonish other kids. "She's smart. She's going to college."

Sue had a baby. Her small apartment was filled with castaway children who didn't realize infants must be fed, diapered, held. Nobody knew how to hold a baby. The baby cried incessantly. A few children gave it wine. No one knew babies need breast milk. They were caring for the infant as they had been cared for.

One day a social worker took the baby away.

Whitney Young High School, my school, was a 90-minute train ride from the neighborhood where I lived. It was difficult to sleep in basements or the park --- not to mention home here I still put in an occasional hopeful guest appearance --- and get to my school, so I moved in with my boyfriend. Life was peaceful and quiet. I would cook and do homework. W. and his friends watched TV and drank beer.

Then I became pregnant.

...............


(inspirational))the rest:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/09/951307/-Why-I-Had-an-Abortion

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[kpete]

5. xchrom

you are like my shadow
thanks for being here,

this poster wrote a story close to my own,
many, many, many years ago,......
peace, to you
kpete

[xchrom]

6. ...

:toast: to you for all the great stuff you do around here.

[Tsiyu]

2. Having a choice made the difference here

K & R

[MissHoneychurch]

3. I will never understand

that (mainly old) men are allowed to decide what a woman does with her body.

[Dappleganger]

4. k&r

What an uplifting article!

[Le Taz Hot]

7. A big K & R

[northoftheborder]

8. Thank you for sharing your story. I applaud your courage to reach out to others,

...to make a better life for yourself and your family. You had a choice, and every woman needs to have that choice.