Jailhouse Journal of an OB/GYN

Every few months, I log onto Amazon in the hopes of digging up some new pro-choice jewel to read. It's not often that something new pops up (ironic, considering what a hot topic it is). But in late March, while I was on one of my searches, something new did pop up. Jailhouse Journal of an OB/GYN by Bruce S. Steir, M.D.

From my prior experiences, I immediately thought "Hm, a pro-choice book written by the doctor himself. Probably a little graphic". But still, onto my "wish list" it went. I tend to overload my wish list so my husband can see what I want when the holidays come around ;). I also got curious about the man himself, so of course, I turned to Google. What I found on Dr. Steir wasn't what I expected. After all, from the title of his book, I knew he had done jailtime. I expected to find some gruesome past. What I found was an unfortunate mishap that could have happened to anyone in his position (an unfortunate mishap combined with a serious miscarriage of justice).

Being the pain in the ass pro-choice blogger that I am, I decided to take a chance and reach out to Dr. Steir. MUCH to my surprise, Dr. Steir was willing to MAIL me a copy of his book. I wasn't sure what to think...had I contacted the right guy? I mean, really...it's not often that an author/doctor willingly offers to send you a copy of their book. But about a week later, there it was! Okay, I admit...I still have the package he sent it in (as close to an autographed copy I figured I'd get).

It took me a few weeks of reading in the pick-up line at my daughter's school, and staying up late after the kiddo's were asleep, but finally...I read it through.

This book is extraordianary. You will be completely immersed in it. You will meet Bruce as a child, Bruce as a teen, Bruce as a medical student, Bruce as a Naval Officer, and finally....Bruce as Dr. Steir: Warrior for Women. There was no gore to be read in this book. In fact, it focused mainly on his life leading up to his becoming an abortionist. And that was refreshing. It was refreshing to read of an abortion provider, AS A PERSON. And that's what he did here--he made sure that you knew him as a person, and not just by his profession...and certainly not just by his "crime" (I use that word LOOSELY).

So, in a nutshell, I would HIGHLY recommend his book. It's a good place to start for one who is just getting into the pro-choice movement, as you won't be thrown into the sometimes overwhelming politics of it, but you'll meet one of the providers behind this movement.

Sorry, guys!

So, it's been a minute so I've posted. Sorry about that! There have been so many new developments in the news regarding women's rights....I'm so behind! Let's go ahead and touch on the news about emergency contraception availability.

Dear Judge Edward Korman, WAY TO GO!!!! For those of you who are more behind than I am, EC (emergency contraception...morning after pill...Plan B) is now available over the counter without age and point-of-sale restrictions. This means that a girl of any age can now go into her local pharmacy and purchase the morning after pill without fearing that she'll have to jump through 52 hoops to get it. Of course, this also means that Republicans and pro-lifers are going bat shit crazy in an effort to stall or completely halt this decision from becoming practice. So far, Judge Korman has already called these attempts "frivolous" and I'm thinking that maybe (just maybe), this decision will stick!

North Dakota has passed a heartbeat bill. It will now be illegal to receive abortion services in the state of North Dakota if a fetal heartbeat is detected. In other words, most women are out of luck by say, 8 weeks. Some women won't have a chance to receive abortion services because they won't even know they're pregnant until after a heartbeat is detectable. North Dakota House, go home, you're drunk!

The case of Philadelphia abortion provider butcher, Kermit Gosnell, has been handed over to the jury. They are deliberating over an amazing 260 counts, including five counts of murder. Pro-lifers are having a field day using him in their arguments. I refuse to consider this man a provider, a helper of women and families...it's a stretch for my mind to even associate the word, "doctor", with this man.

Meanwhile, on the personal side of things: Ever since my dad died, I've felt more determined than ever to "start my life", so to speak. This has left me making lots of lists. Things I want to do, things I want to accomplish, things I want to do within this movement, steps to do all of them...it goes on and on. This is somewhat ironic--I'm wanting to push my foot through the door of something that my dad did not support. Don't get me wrong, my dad supported me. He was my biggest fan, he loved my writing...but he didn't support abortion. He worried about me getting physically involved in the work. In the words of Lana Del Rey, it leaves me with a war on my mind. Am I really honoring my dad by living my life to the fullest and pushing hard for what I want, when what I want is something he didn't support? Well if you came to this blog because you're not up for deep thinking, you were just sorely disappointed. Ha. In the meantime, I can't even decide HOW I want to be involved in this industry. There are so many great ways to help and I don't even know where to start to get involved. (Cue input)

A Leftist Ghoul with a Mental Disorder....And a Challenge

I won't lie. I'm kind of flattered that someone would put so much thought into insulting me based on one comment. Of course, that could be the mental disorder talking.

Anyone remember that old saying, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"? That may not be it exactly, but you get the idea (I'm really not good with "old sayings"). It really baffles me as to why this hasn't occurred to pro-lifers. Why not discuss your stance in a polite way? Would that be so hard? Are you so repulsed by my views that you have to immediately lay into me with name calling and belittling? Honestly, I've indulged in my fair share of bitching at the other side, but I usually reserve that for the people who are spewing blatant nonsense for the sake of shock factor. And really, there's just no reason for that. Why use bullshit when your argument is legitimate?

Because of these kinds of pro-lifers, I am almost ashamed to say that I use to be strongly pro-life. I am ashamed to say that I was pretty damn arrogant about it, too. But I honestly believe that my beliefs came from my upbringing and were based on emotion and nothing more. Once I sat down and spent months doing the research for myself, my views changed. It's still a hard topic for me sometimes, emotionally, but that makes it no less necessary of a service.

So, here's my challenge for you:
TALK TO A PRO-LIFER. Don't talk at them. Talk to them. Get their point of view, try to be understanding (of course this doesn't mean abandoning your own beliefs). And then share your's. Nicely. Here's the best part: If they start to get nasty, kill 'em with kindness. Why? Because they won't expect it. In fact, it'll throw them for a complete loop. We're not people, in the eyes of hardcore pro-lifers. We're murderers. Abortion loving evil people. Change that. Make them see you as a person and not a target.

After all, we won't get anywhere if we spend all our time belittling each other. The sooner BOTH sides realize this, the sooner we'll see some solutions.

South Wind Women's Center

The first week of June, 2009, a clinic at 5101 East Kellogg Drive in Wichita closed. It was the end of an era. The closing came just one week after it's owner, Dr. George Tiller, was shot and killed at point blank range in the foyer of his church. Since then, the building has sat alone, a solemn reminder to many of the wonderful doctor (and warrior of women's rights) that a community and a movement, lost.

This week, the clinic got a second chance and re-opened as South Wind Women's Center. This is the first time since the death of Dr. Tiller that abortion has been readily available in Wichita. While they are not currently offering the late term services for fetal anomaly and maternal indication that Dr. Tiller's practice provided, they are offering services up to 14 weeks.

According to director (and former employee of Dr. Tiller), Julie Burkhart, the next few months are crucial to the clinic's success. While Wichita has been without an abortion provider nearly four years, the pro-life presence of Operation Rescue is still ever-present. As soon as word got out that the clinic was re-opening, OR has been working to put a stop to it all. This presents constant challenges to the clinic, it's employees, and it's clients.

To say that South Wind needs all the support it can get, is an understatement. These hard workers of women's rights need cheerleaders, encouragement, and all the "Way to go!"s that they can get. Whether you believe in prayer, good vibes, or whatever...send them their way! Let's hope that this clinic can manage to navigate through the harassment without losing their stamina to deal with it and their desire to help women.

Congratulations to South Wind Women's Center! Here's to a long and prosperous run!

What defines a person?

Often, the abortion argument comes down to one question: When does a embryo/fetus/baby (whichever term you prefer) become a "person"? According to Webster's, there are 7 different definitions of a "person". None of which include a scientific definition involving a embryo, fetus, or baby. The irritating truth is: There is no one definition of a person. There is no black and white answer. "Person" means different things to different people.

For some people, the day they find out they're pregnant, they consider themselves to have another person growing inside of them. Other people consider the first kick a sign of personhood. Others believe that a fetus is a person only after it's born. In reality, emotion plays a big part in this answer.

However, after that question is answered (by each individual), the question of when one person is equal to another, or how long one person's rights outweigh another's. This is where the debate often gets heated. Again, this is often fueled by emotion. Even if one doesn't feel emotion towards a possible child, one is likely to still feel very emotional when it comes to women's rights and how far they should go (or in some extreme cases, if they should even exist at all).

The important thing to remember, while discussing the sensitive issue of abortion, is to respect everyone's individual views on when a embryo/fetus/baby (even though it may be exhausting, lol) reaches personhood. Doing so can result in a level headed conversation that has more potential to open minds.

x Keep Talking,

CC

Carol Carr and Huntington's Disease

On June 8th, 2002, Carol Carr walked into her son's nursing home and shot and killed them as they laid side by side in their room. Carol's sons, Andy and Randy Carr, were in the last agonizing stages of Huntington's disease. The same disease had already taken Carr's husband, daughter, oldest son (who killed himself when he learned that he had the disease) and was then taking two of her other sons. Eventually, Carr's youngest son was diagnosed, as well.

Carr did not try to elude police, waiting in the lobby of the nursing home until they came and got her. One police officer reported that Carr begged him to kill her once she was placed in the squad car. He said he felt nothing but sympathy for her. Carr's remaining son said that his mother did not act out of malice, but out of love. The overwhelming majority of people supported Carr. Even the lead detective in the case classified the deaths as "mercy killings". Carol Carr ended up pleading guilty to assisted suicide (which brings up a whole host of questions and discussions on it's own). She was sentenced to 5 years in prison, but only served 14 months before being released on parole. As part of her parole, Carol Carr is not allowed to be the primary caregiver to her remaining son when his HD starts to progress. Understandable.

With all the commotion that pro-lifers put out regarding late term abortions (for medical reasons, at that), how do you think they feel about this type of thing? What are your thoughts?

Would death change my mind?

Once, while talking to my mother, she told me that my views on abortion (specifically late term abortion for medical reasons) would change if I was ever confronted with death. I kind of blew her off, but when I was faced with the death of my dad, I couldn't help but wonder if I would come out of it with a completely different view on abortion.

I didn't see my dad die. But I saw him suffer. I saw how scared he was. I saw how much pain he was in. I watched him struggle to breathe. I saw him after they sedated him because they said the pain alone  would send his body into shock and kill him.

And as much as it hurt, and as much as it scared me...I remember wanting it to be over for him. If that meant we had to let him go, that's what I wanted my mom to do.
___________________________________________________________

As sad as it is, we know that baby making is not a perfect science. No matter how perfectly a woman carries a pregnancy, chromosomes and genes play a big role in producing a baby. And while it is amazing that we have the medical technology to detect these problems before a baby is born, it leaves women with a heavy, life altering choice to make. Some women choose to research and prepare for the issue that they're about to take on, and then the baby is born and they embrace that new lifestyle and make it work the best they can. Others simply can't handle it. Not because they're not strong enough, but because they don't have the heart to let their child suffer. Of course, a million and two other factors can come into play when making such a decision (finances, living children, physical/mental effect to the mother, and more). For many, it is as simple as not wanting their child to suffer. I understand.

As a mother, I would do anything to keep my children from suffering. I think any mother can relate to that. In 2002, a mother in Georgia shot her two sons in their nursing home, claiming that she couldn't stand to watch them deteriorate and suffer from Huntington's disease any longer (a more detailed post about that story to come). A surprising number of people backed her and had nothing but sympathy for her. Some would say she got off easy.

Who can blame a mother for making the choice to save her child from suffering? No one argues that this isn't a devastating choice for a mother (or family) to have to make. The idea is gut wrenching. But sometimes life throws us curve balls...gives us choices that we have to make, no matter how hopeless or painful it may be.  

Is there ever an instance (when it comes to terminations for medical reasons) that you don't support a woman's right to terminate?