i grew up in a roundly abusive house where everyone tiptoed around my father. being strong-willed and independent, we clashed often; consequently, i left home at thirteen by “running away.” i was able to continue school by staying with various friends, some known and sometimes unknown to their parents. i slept under a friend’s bed for three weeks before being caught once. i was often at the mercy of my host(s) and had to leave in the middle of the night more than once. i did avail myself of planned parenthood’s services and am grateful to them for providing my health care and birth control for ten years. moving forward a few years, i was living with a man who was several years older than i (i was sixteen and he was thirty-two). when i took antibiotics for an illness, my contraceptive pill’s effectiveness was lessened (unbeknownst to me due to my own ignorance) and i found myself pregnant. i was still going to high school; i was unhappy, depressed really, and in an inappropriate relationship with an adult in order to secure shelter and food. he didn’t want evidence of his pedophilia and i knew that i was incapable of being a mother, so i had an abortion. i do not regret it; i have never regretted it. i know that it was the best decision that i could make. now i have four healthy, grown children and life is wonderful!