My story begins back in 1977 before I was even born. My mother was very excited to be pregnant after only 2 months of trying to conceive. It was a planned pregnancy surrounded by great joy and anticipation. Four months into the pregnancy my mother started to experience dizziness and blurred vision in one eye. Her OB/Gyn recommended reducing stress and getting plenty of rest. As the symptoms worsened she went to a specialist who ran several tests that suggested some very troubling news. She had developed an aneurism that would require immediate brain surgery. Nearly 25 years later medicine would have advanced enough to determine that she had a rare blood clotting disorder that is advanced by variances in hormones as found in pregnancy and menopause. We would also be told that blood thinners would have been a better treatment than brain surgery which only worsens the disorder. But following the doctor’s recommendation she carried on with the surgery.

She was told by several doctors that an abortion would be required before they could operate. That was never an option for my mother and she finally found a doctor that would operate but only with her remaining fully conscious during the surgery. The surgery left my mother blind in one eye and with severe damage to the front left portion of her brain. This damage severely altered her ability to reason and solve problems. They were unable to remove the aneurism and she was told that if she did not have an abortion the chances of survival for her and the baby was about 10%. Refusing to get an abortion even if that meant losing her life was hard for her family to accept. But she never wavered and was able to find a great team of doctors in Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

The doctors at Vanderbilt still suggested an abortion, but were willing to provide care if she choose to continue her pregnancy. Later in her pregnancy she suffered a severe stroke which left her paralyzed on the left side of her body and unable to communicate clearly. The doctors informed her family that the likelihood of the baby being mentally or physically healthy was very unlikely and without a mother who can care for an infant it would be better if they decide to abort. Thankfully my father supported my mother’s decision and the pregnancy was continued until I was born on December 27th.

To everyone’s surprise I was completely healthy. Chemical dependency and a low birth weight were the only health issues I would face. The doctors said that I was a miracle and apologized for recommending the abortion.

We had a hard road ahead of us but how thankful I am that my mother chose to give me life even if it meant making her journey harder. The next three year’s were very difficult with my mother having one more brain surgery and two strokes. I was cared for by grandparents, aunts and uncles while my mother’s condition took turns for the worse and with prayer eventually improved.

There is no doubt that my mother’s decision to carry her pregnancy to term caused health issues that could have been life-threatening. But her unwavering faith and determination to allow God’s will not only saved my life but blessed it beyond imagination. When I was six years old my mother became a single parent and my sense of normalcy was very different than your average kindergartener. Living in California away from our entire family was very difficult. My mother was unable to read and write due to her strokes and her ability to reason and make decisions was still impaired. We moved to Kentucky when I was a teenager and there were many more years of conflict and troubled times. Since my mother could not drive we were very dependent on others. We were very blessed to be surrounded by loving Christians who took us to church and community events. My mother was unable to teach me to read and write. She had difficulty explaining even simple tasks. But what she did teach me is that God is my maker and supplier. With God all things are possible.

Amazingly my mother was befriended by several men and women who were involved in the pro-life movement. Some women were recovering from the grief of their own abortion while others had their own amazing story to tell. My mother’s story of choosing life along with her determination to trust God in difficult circumstances built a strong sense of faith in me. I have continued to have the courage to publicly support the pro-life movement through high school and college, although I know that my love for life and opinions on abortion were not always the most popular.

My husband and I were married in 2002 and thrilled to find out we were pregnant a few months later. At around three months pregnant I started experiencing some spotting and went to my doctor for tests. He immediately found a blood clot in my uterus and sent me to Vanderbilt, the same hospital where I was born, for more tests.

It never occurred to me that I may have the same health condition as my mom since we had always been told that my mom’s condition was just by chance. Luckily my doctors had seen other patients with the same genetic blood clotting disorder that we would find that both my mother and I have. We would find that since I was already into my pregnancy it would take stronger treatments to treat the condition. The treatment would be dangerous for me and the baby and continuing the pregnancy would increase the chances of fatal complications.

The doctors told me that having an abortion would be a good option for me since I had a 50% chance of losing my life. I was very scared and did my share of worrying, but I never considered abortion. I knew that the value on human life that my mother had taught me helped saved my child’s life. My pregnancy was fairly difficult with lots of doctor appointments. I had an ultrasound every week which required an hour drive to Vanderbilt. Twice a day I had to give myself shots in my abdomen. The last two months of the pregnancy required more extensive treatment with various doses of Coumadin (this medication can cause birth defects).

After nine months of waiting I was induced three week’s early and blessed with a beautiful, completely healthy little boy. Carter is now four years and the most adorable, beautiful boy. Not only has his life made me a better person but it has also made the reality of abortion an important part of my life. I know that God has used the circumstances of my life so that I would make the important, yet difficult, decision to continue my pregnancy. And I hope that I can help others to make that same decision.

I am often reminded at how lucky I was to be healthy and to have a healthy son. I realize that our situation could have been different, but have peace in the fact that I would not have changed my decision either way.

I often wonder why women think of pregnancy as an event in their life rather than the beginning of an entirely new life, a very different person with their own DNA, mind, body and soul.



Thanks, Michelle, for this beautifully candid story - we know that it will provided light in a dark moment to moms out there looking for hope. For those who want to read more about Michelle's life and her thoughts about the choosing life, visit her blog, here.