‘You need your husband’s permission.’ I begged. I didn’t feel maternal. I was told I’d ‘change my mind.’: Woman speaks up after refused sterilization procedure multiple times

“Every year during my annual exam, I asked to have my ‘tubes tied.’ My doctor always quickly refused. As I aged, I still didn’t want kids and neither did my partner. This time around, I was about to lose my health insurance. I was told the procedure was ‘reserved for women in their 30s or 40s who had at least 2 children.’ As an adult woman, I needed my husband’s blessing to make decisions about MY body. I was stunned.”

‘This is the last piece of Scarlett we have. A tiny bit of her hair. The nurse snipped this small bit, and gave it to us right before we left.’: Mom thanks nurse for act of kindness during child loss 

“The nurses wanted to put a bow on her, but I knew it wouldn’t look natural. Scarlett hated anything on her head. Having a bow on her head would only prove to us how gone she was, no fussing, no swatting or whining. I couldn’t bear the thought of it.”

‘You’re so lucky, you won’t have to get fat.’ She walked away laughing. Anger ran through my body.’: Woman’s harrowing journey with infertility, 3 failed adoptions

“She had recently given birth and stood there holding her adorable, tiny, perfect baby as the words came out of her mouth. I remember the pain and shock as she said those words to me. I cried into my pillow, ‘I’m not lucky, I am cursed.‘ But it wasn’t the end of our story.”

‘My principal told me, ‘Some kids just like to be bullied.’ She stared squarely at my parents. ‘Unless it involves blood, don’t call me.’ I felt so alone.’

“All of my materials were stolen and vandalized. I would barter with my bullies. ‘If you’ll be nice to me for one lunch hour or recess, I’ll give you my lunch.’ I literally gave them everything I had, but everything wasn’t enough. There wasn’t a single morning I didn’t beg my mother to not make me go.”

‘You’ve caught an infection. If we don’t remove these babies, you will become sepsis. You can die.’ Tears ran down my face. ‘This is not where I hoped to see you,’ my doctor said. Neither did I.’

“‘You are having twins!’ I looked at my husband. We were in total shock. When we went to the doctor experiencing bleeding, we were sure something else was the issue — not twins. It was a dream come true. Minutes later, I sat on the toilet. I heard a ‘pop.’ I felt this flow of water between my legs.”

‘We broke up. Everything was perfect. Until I missed my period. I was pregnant. There was one mountain to climb: Tell my parents.’: Teen mom knows adoptive parents are ‘the one’ as soon as they ‘walked in the door’

“I was close to starting my second trimester and knew I couldn’t go to the doctors without my parents’ knowledge. My brother came home to help me tell my them. They ragged on him for 4 hours about his life choices before I finally pulled the plug. ‘Mom, Dad. I’m pregnant.’ The next week was a daze of my parents trying figure out what to do while I tried to keep food down.”

‘Parts of our baby’s brain were missing. I spent all my time crying. My husband spent his time avoiding it all. ‘Please don’t plan a baby shower.’ I didn’t want to return things if my baby died.’: Woman’s baby diagnosed with HPE, claims there’s ‘hope after prenatal diagnosis’

“Everyday interactions like strangers asking about my baby in the grocery store felt like ripping open a wound. I tried to prepare my 3-year-old for the chance that his baby sister may not come home from the hospital. As my due date approached, we considered planning for a funeral. But how do you truly prepare for the death of a child? I felt so bitter.”

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