tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post2757552332480538391..comments2023-10-26T04:01:17.116-04:00Comments on My Life After Loss: Because We All KnowMichelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-22092363211562700432013-01-27T21:03:16.020-05:002013-01-27T21:03:16.020-05:00It is so ironic that this date is the anniversary ...It is so ironic that this date is the anniversary because it is also my birthday. Katianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-54973046376793751702013-01-26T09:53:53.190-05:002013-01-26T09:53:53.190-05:00Hey Michelle; I'm more than happy to talk to y...Hey Michelle; I'm more than happy to talk to you. Email me.<br /><br />You might also want to email Leila at Little Catholic Bubble. She is older than I am, and has done waaayyy more 40 Days campaigns that I have too, and I know she often has very civil conversations on both sides of whatever fence she happens to be discussing. Her email is on her blog: http://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-4689743709590737872013-01-25T14:15:06.918-05:002013-01-25T14:15:06.918-05:00Michele, I have been following your blog since my ...Michele, I have been following your blog since my son was born and you had just found out you were pregnant with Bobby and Maya. You have a beautiful family and I will continue to follow your blog and send positive thoughts to you in this pregnancy. You and I have some things in common. My name is Michelle and I have Hoshimotos and PCOS as well :) We are both very proud mamas and our children are our pride and joys. But we have our differences too. <br />I worked for a womens health clinic that provided surgical and pill abortions for 4 years. I respect everyones choice. I had my oldest daughter at 17 and abortion was never even a thought in my mind. I would never have an abortion unless my life was in danger or if it was the product of a rape. I have assisted in 100s of surgical abortions and given instructions for even more pill abortions. It is not a pleasant experience for anyone. I have heard every reason possible for having an abortion from my patients. from life threatening medical conditions to women who are just selfish and make poor life decisions that have put them in my office. I have talked with a 12 year old mentally handicapped girl that was 15 weeks pregnant from being raped by her uncle and she did not understand what pregnancy meant. I had a girl that got pregnant when having sex for the first time, she didn't know what a condom was and she was going to loose her soccer scholarship for college if she continued the pregnancy. I could go on for hours and I am always happy to tell my experiences (while following HIPPA guide lines). I think we need to make elective abortions unnecessary instead of illegal. It has been proven in other countries that abortion rates do not drop when abortion is made illegal. They are just performed under unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Women die because of it. We need to stop with the abstinence only sex education, we need to make birth control affordable and easily accessible to everyone and we need to stop pretending that teenagers or even adults are going to be abstinent until marriage or as a form or birth control. I dealt with many protesters at my job (40 days to life was a big one, my great uncle is a big organizer for them in my state) but the ones that made me the most angry were those there protesting birth control pills. <br />I am also very aware of how much false information is given by organizations like Crisis Pregnancy Centers. That is very concerning. They are not giving accurate information to women and they are instilling a lot of unnecessary fear in these women and young girls. I always had protesters in my clinic trying to hand out prolife literature to myself and my patients. I always look at it and find lots of incorrect information. <br />I think there is also a big misconception about how these women feel when making this choice. The vast majority of women that come in for abortion are very sad about it. Sometimes I found out they were being forced into and and I made sure they could not have the procedure done (documenting in the computer system and alerting the medical director). I had several women come in crying because they were harassed by protesters but there was no fetal heartbeat so they had to have the procedure done. My sister had several abortions while she was a heroin addicted prostitute before she was shot to death in 2010. Every women has a reason for walking in those doors and who are we to judge them or tell them they have to continue an unwanted pregnancy. I respect your opinions but I would also like you to know a different side of the abortion story. If you would like to talk about this more I am happy too. I have always wanted to talk to some one that feels this strongly about it and that has participated in the 40 days to life campaign. I am not here to trash talk or start a big argument but I am fascinated by the topic and peoples opinions about it. I personally knew nothing about abortion until I started working for the clinic. I want to help end abortion by making it unnecessary . <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-12810943358261470762013-01-25T12:23:12.771-05:002013-01-25T12:23:12.771-05:00I won't weigh in on how I feel about the issue...I won't weigh in on how I feel about the issue (cause I'm actually still figuring it out) but I do want to comment on the posters from Ireland saying that Catholicism in America is outdated. There was just a HUGE story in the news about the Indian woman living in Ireland whose unborn baby had no chance at life outside the womb and it was killing the mother's life, but because she was beyond a certain point in the pregnancy, the doctors wouldn't do anything about it, and the mother and her child both ended up dying because of it. I guess my point is. . . don't throw stones at Catholicism in American. There are flaws everywhere with every people. Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14912857890584533572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-1580820132677928452013-01-25T11:43:42.681-05:002013-01-25T11:43:42.681-05:00Anon #1, If you feel the need not to read, I respe...Anon #1, If you feel the need not to read, I respect that and thank you for being on my journey thus far with me. If our paths cross again, you are always welcome.<br /><br />I cant deny my Catholic Church is different; for many right and wrong reasons, I am sure. And, in some ways, my family is old school. We have traditional gender roles in our home, my daughter and I cover our heads for Mass and Adoration, and we attend Mass on Holy Days and Sundays,and daily when we can. In other days, not so much. I know the old Church didnt love the idea of reading the Bible; my husbadn and I are well versed in it, and I even studied comparative religions (and write on the subject). I teach yoga and move in multi-religious circles, and find no issue with sitting at a drumming circle or meditating with pagans and nonChristians. Such is my life and my God. <br /><br />Anon #2, thank you for sharing your story with me. Like you, I'm haunted by my son, Alexander's, heartbeat as he was beingborn to a life I knew would kill him. I still hear it at times. An ectopic pregnancy is somethign that I've never really experienced first hand, but I know from friends and clients that it is something you never forget, moreso even than some other types of miscarriage. Saving your life and losing your beloved baby is something that I know can be hard to carry, but I firmly believe your little one will hold you in his or her arms one day, and will be able to express beyond words all the love he/she felt, and the love they have for you. ((hugs)) Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-28723960817945517082013-01-25T09:24:33.611-05:002013-01-25T09:24:33.611-05:00I too come from Ireland and I must admit that I al...I too come from Ireland and I must admit that I also do not recognise the church michele describes. Two very different religious experiences exist between the two countries The church in Ireland has become fractured and disconnected from its congregation. The support michele received and continues to receive from her church is inspiring. I lost my faith in the church a long time ago but I do not believe that a pro-life stance is intrinsically linked with church, religion or god. It is a moral and ethical issue. I suffered an ectopic pregnancy and the sound of my baby's heart beating before he/she was cut from my body still haunts me to this day. I wanted to nurture and cherish that life so much and the decision to end that pregnancy was lifechanging for me. I no longer identify myself as catholic but I believe life, all life, is precious and we should protect those who cannot defend themselves, regardless of religion and personal beliefs.<br />I applaud michele for speaking out. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-58743909365760670802013-01-24T04:49:13.299-05:002013-01-24T04:49:13.299-05:00I come from a country where my ancestors died for ...I come from a country where my ancestors died for Catholicism, <br />they fought for the right to be a Catholic.<br />The modern day Catholic church is reeling here from all the child sexual abuse cases. Their power is certainly diminished, people feel very let dowm by their spiritual leaders. I read catholic blogs from America and must admit that they bear no resemblance to the religion that is practiced in Ireland. We embrace a Christian outlook where everyone is valued, supported, regardless of religion. Religion in our schools teaches children about all the major religions of the world. I will not read your blog again because for me as a Catholic I choose to be non judgmental with people, I am pro choice, I do not feel that is any of my business what other people do with their own bodies. The Catholic church in America seems to be stuck in a time warp- it reminds me of living in the late sixties here and thank God that is well behind us. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-18955869516836117062013-01-23T23:13:03.149-05:002013-01-23T23:13:03.149-05:00Thank you for sharing this. I'm in agreement ...Thank you for sharing this. I'm in agreement with you. It is disheartening when people call the bible just a book. Yet a book, that can never be discredited. <br /><br />Michelle, thank you for standing up for what is right. <br /><br />Jessica ~JLL~https://www.blogger.com/profile/08956412487744528034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-50636622794666693752013-01-23T19:10:17.326-05:002013-01-23T19:10:17.326-05:00If it's a person's holy book, I suppose it...If it's a person's holy book, I suppose it's never outdated to them.<br /><br />And I've been part of the system, both as a child in it and an adult looking into foster care. I'm also the child conceived through rape. So... My views are still the same.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-21112080638108020922013-01-23T19:06:58.378-05:002013-01-23T19:06:58.378-05:00I'm sorry but I am very pro women's choice...I'm sorry but I am very pro women's choice, I find this article disheartening. there are many reasons women get abortions, and that's their decision, their body. what if they were raped? What if they truly cannot care for a child? Do you have any idea how taxed the foster care system is? <br /><br />I respect your opinion because you feel all life is sacred, but quoting the bible...written by men with no uterus hundreds of years ago is...out dated? clairenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-78052977281747712172013-01-23T15:33:22.537-05:002013-01-23T15:33:22.537-05:00Thank you, Tara, for sharing. Have you spoken wit...Thank you, Tara, for sharing. Have you spoken with a priest? In an instance such as this, I've been part of a counseling team, and this (from no priest I know) would be considered an "abortion", rather it would be seen as a medical treatment to save you that, sadly, resulted in the death of your baby.<br /><br />I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved child. I'll light a candle for your baby tonight. One day, you will be reunited with your little one. ((hugs))Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-24417397857733003542013-01-23T14:52:34.182-05:002013-01-23T14:52:34.182-05:00I am a practicing Catholic that had to have what t...I am a practicing Catholic that had to have what the doctors called an abortion, even though I didn't want to. I wanted my baby desparately, but the baby had attached in the wall of the uterus, where the fallopian tube goes through. It's called a cornual ectopic pregnancy. It's almost always fatal to the mother, but not until later in the pregnancy, when the wall of the uterus blows out and the mother hemmorages to death. The baby cannot survive either. IT was excruciating for me to sign to have an abortion, knowing I didn't want to, but knowing there was no way to save this child or myself. Still brings tears to my eyes, and it's been 4 1/2 years. In this case, I'm glad there was an option to preserve my life, but I didn't REALLY have a choice, as the baby wouldn't have survived either way.<br /><br />Ultimately, the fact that I had two living children that I had adopted is what made me sign. I didn't want them to be motherless (again). But, I hate that I was in that position.Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05749639765629766754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-4521722921860812432013-01-23T08:10:47.962-05:002013-01-23T08:10:47.962-05:00I'm sure that some who call themselves Catholi...I'm sure that some who call themselves Catholic do. However, Catholics faithful to Church teachings know that abortions are not consistent with being a faithful Catholic. I can call myself English, but it doesn't make it so.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17681333723382119281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1809677799536184324.post-14255030987285057172013-01-23T02:38:56.482-05:002013-01-23T02:38:56.482-05:00Catholics get abortions too.Catholics get abortions too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com