i would like to share a more normal story about the ability and right to have an abortion. it is one that for most women would be harder to tell.

it's probably hyperbolic to say that my abortion saved my life when i have every reason to believe i would have had a healthy pregnancy.

after facing a 9-year grueling, exhausting, expensive repeating cycle of hope and devastation due to unexplained infertility, i found myself pregnant, the old-fashioned way. what an exciting surprise! my son, who was 3 at the time would finally have a much-loved sibling. my dream of a family was finally coming true.

in 2006, my husband and i were pregnant with our first child. all of our early screenings and tests were going fine with no signs of complications. it was at the 20 week level ii ultrasound that instead of finding out the sex of my baby, my life changed forever.

in 1971, a year before roe v wade, i was a 22 year old, married nursing student in denton, texas. i contracted tuberculosis and was placed on a regimen of multiple medications in an effort to control the disease.

i'm 67 years and never regretted having my four abortions. they all had a reason, that being i didn't want my partner's to be a father to my child. all abortions were from 3 different partners.