(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Vote to Protect Women’s Health and Freedoms [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-10-28 I never thought I’d be sharing this personal information, but the stakes are too high in this election. I must tell you my personal story of my medically necessary abortion. It happened twenty-four years ago. I was thirty-eight years old and just returned home to the States following a fabulous three-year work assignment in Europe for my company. I was at the peak of my career and the future looked bright. M husband and I decided that we were ready to start a family and have children. After trying for more than a year, I found myself having difficulty getting pregnant. Turns out my fallopian tubes were damaged, and it was not possible to get pregnant the old-fashioned way. I remember how painful it was to be going to other people's baby showers knowing that I couldn’t conceive a child without medical intervention. So… We opted for IVF. IVF was difficult for me in so many ways: physically, emotionally, psychologically, and financially. With every needle injection and awkward procedure, I was reminded that no matter how well I planned and organized my life, there were certain things I just couldn’t control. The first round of IVF produced only one viable egg. It didn’t take. The second round of IVF we got lucky and produced six viable eggs. We took a risk and implanted all six embryos in my body at once, understanding the possibility of having twins or triplets. In the end only one egg took hold in my womb. Days after we got the good news, I remember singing a song while hiking with my husband, “One, singular egg-sation, every little step she takes.” A few weeks into the pregnancy, we decided to share our wonderful news (perhaps prematurely) with our extended family and close friends. It was so joyous and exciting, until… Failure to thrive At the appointment for our second ultrasound, our spirits sank when the technician couldn’t find the fetal heartbeat. You should have seen the look on her face. We knew in an instant that our heroic efforts to have a family had failed. Our fetus (which we called our Little Peanut) had failed to thrive. A medically necessary procedure The next thing I knew my doctor had scheduled a medically necessary abortion known as a D&C to remove the dead tissue inside my womb. In my grief, I didn’t really understand why I was having this procedure, but the doctor told me that it was necessary to safeguard my health and any future possibility of having children. So, I followed the doctor's orders. Knowing what I know now, I’m grateful that I had the procedure as it protected me and my future. I was lucky back then that the government wasn’t involved in this very personal and private matter between me and my doctor. Healing takes time. It’s taken many years, but I have healed from my miscarriage and the loss of my motherhood dreams. I have learned to accept and embrace our child-free lifestyle. I have found other productive ways to apply my maternal instincts and to grow as a person. In fact, I have dedicated my professional life to helping women break through the barriers to leadership and have fulfilling careers and lives. My life is blessed in so many ways. But still… I worry about women. I worry about women and girls of child-bearing age and their freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and futures. I fear for their health and well-being. These women are our future leaders. I want them to have the freedom and opportunity to realize their full leadership potential. More repressive legislation is coming… The same medically necessary abortion procedure that saved my health and my future is now restricted in many parts of the US. In some states like Texas, doctors and healthcare providers are being threatened with prison sentences and loss of their medical licenses if they provide these necessary health care services to their patients. Right now, pregnant women across this country are suffering and dying because they can’t get the health care that they need. According to the March of Dimes more than 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriages. Miscarriage. With abortion bans continuing, many women who experience miscarriages could find themselves in life-threatening situations. And it’s getting darker… Some states and groups are calling to make IVF illegal. Others want to monitor women’s movements to prevent them from traveling to other states to get the health care they need. There are leaders out there who want to pass a national abortion ban, like Trump and Vance, and the folks at the Heritage Foundation who are the architects of Project 2025 that seeks to obliterate sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people. The illusion of exceptions Many states, including South Carolina where I live, legislators placate their constituents by including the phrase “with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother” into legislation and their stump speeches. This is a façade and a logistical impracticality. It’s also inhumane. Women shouldn’t have to be at death’s door to get the health care they need. We want “the health of the mother” and all women to be the norm, not the exception. To achieve this, we must include abortion care (and contraception and IVF) as legal, safe, accepted and respected health care. There’s still time to restore reproductive rights and protect women. With every moment that goes by, women are at risk in states with Trump-inspired abortion bans in place. Women’s health is also threatened by politicians (and the billionaires and think tanks who support them) who have intentions to ban abortion at the national level. Choosing the wrong leaders in this election (up and down the ticket) could have grave consequences on women’s health. And that would have devasting impacts on women and families and the health of our nation for generations to come. Voting is the only way we make change. If you value and respect women, you will vote to protect their reproductive rights. If you value freedom and health care for all, you will vote to protect democracy. This election I proudly cast my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Because lives depend on it. And I urge you to do the same. Stay Fearless, Kathy McAfee America’s Marketing Motivator and co-author of Fearless Female Leaders: Stories and Strategies to Empower More Women to Lead by McAfee & Paetow (June 2024 by Publish Your Purpose) [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/story/2024/10/28/2280318/-Vote-to-Protect-Women-s-Health-and-Freedom Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/