in 1974 i found my twenty year old self alone and pregnant. i was in my senior year of college in chicago and applying to graduate school.

it was august. i remember because we were camping with the kids. my belly had a strange feeling to it; puffy but not gas. i had had that before- 10, 8 and 6 years earlier. oh, please, no.

i was irresponsible. end of story. i wish that i had more guidance from my mother or doctors on which type of birth control would have best for me, i.e.- a non-hormonal iud.

i was 18 and in my first semester of college. i had met my first real boyfriend earlier that year, so i actually had a date for prom! (i didn't think i would) i lost my virginity to him. we kept seeing each other even though he knew i was headed for college in the fall. i tried to be strong and tell him that we would both be free when i left, but when i came home for the weekend i had to see him. somehow he was out of condoms, but since my period had just ended the day before, i figured it was as safe as it would ever be.

i studied political science in college, and somewhere along the way i chose choice as my main issue.

i had an abortion in the late 1970's. i was typical of teenagers of that time, living for the moment.