Abortion
Information |
Abortion Abuse Advice
& Information Service 10900 Northwest Freeway, Suite 112 Houston, Texas 77092 (713) 263-8400 |
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| Janie's Story |
| Janie's story was written through the eyes of the woman who answered her
call for help. We hope this story of Janie's courage despite incredible
odds will encourage and inspire other women who find themselves in her shoes.
Janie was at the end of her rope, dangling over the pit of despair. Her eyes traveled over the abortion listings in the Yellow Pages searching for some solution to her problem. She stopped at Abortion Abuse Advice & Information, picked up the phone and dialed. That was my first conversation with Janie. I remember the disbelief and anguish in her voice when she said, "I'm pregnant." Her freedom, her figure, her finances, her family, her boyfriend, everything that she valued was at stake. But the pain of a previous abortion, coupled with the desire for true meaning in life prevented Janie from immediately ending her pregnancy. She struggled to be strong and to continue carrying the baby. However, frequent bouts with her boyfriend and mother would weaken her resolution and turn her mind back to abortion. I remember phoning Janie after not hearing from her for a few days. She was extremely depressed after meeting with her psychologist who, allying with her mother and boyfriend, told her to stop being selfish, and to abort the baby. Her counselor went on to say that if she had this baby, she would try to live her life through him or her and would end up losing her self-identity. He also explained away her guilt, throwing the blame on traditional values in our society which "made" her feel guilty. Good was bad, up was down, right was left, and Janie couldn't make heads or tails out of the confusion. Finally overcome by her fears, Janie scheduled an abortion appointment for the following day. On the eve of her appointment, Janie coped with her pending procedure by consuming several muscle relaxers and other pills. Shortly before experiencing the desired effect of a deep, deep sleep, Janie phoned her sister who lives in California. Her sister mistakenly thought that Janie was trying to kill herself, and called an ambulance. I received a call from Janie the following night. Her voice was charged with indignation as she explained how she missed her abortion appointment because she was "stuck" in the psychiatric ward of Ben Taub Hospital. She said, "They wouldn't even give me a phone book so that I could call you. What did they think that I would do, paper cut myself to death?!" All I could think to say was, "The Lord works in mysterious ways." After such a bizarre turn of events, Janie once again focused on continuing her pregnancy. Only now she was worried about the adverse effects that the drugs may have had on her baby. She requested a copy of her medical report from Ben Taub to see how many pills were pumped from her stomach. In the report, the doctor had written, "Patient kept screaming, 'I don't want to kill my baby!' " This report was a turning point for Janie; it cut through all of the confusion and revealed her true feelings. I often wanted to pack up Janie and take her home with me where she could "hide away" and contemplate the changes occurring in her life. When Janie came to the end of her savings and had nowhere else to turn, she did move in with me. She found a decent job, and when she wasn't working, she was soul-searching. Janie stayed with me for about five months before moving in with a girl she met at work. As it turned out, her new roommate was very religious – she worshipped Satan, and indulged in orgies and drugs. Although this was a very stressful time for Janie, it taught her the difference between good and evil. Her faith in God grew and her prayer life became more fervent. In the midst of this craziness, Janie experienced one of the greatest joys in her life. Her son, Christopher was born on Tuesday, January 15th at 11:00 a.m. He's a beautiful baby boy, and as Janie says, "He's worth it all." Janie and Christopher are now living their life together. They're quite content as they grow and learn together. Janie spoke in front of two hundred young people about her experience. She held up Christopher at the end of her talk and said, "This is Maternal Assistance." |
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