I Stand4Life: Casue Abortion is my story to tell | GlitznGrits.com

Jan 29, 2014

I Stand4Life: Casue Abortion is my story to tell

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I've come to realize through this blog that I have a bigger voice than I realized. I may not be beatin' down the steps of Washington or throwin' Bibles in the faces of others. All things I think are a hot mess mind ya. Well, only sorta on the marchin' on Washington. But I do have a chance to spread love, as small a platform as it may be. Often time we stay quite cause we feel it isn't our story to tell. Well, one thing I've learned over the last few years is, it may not be our story to tell, but if we don't tell it then who will?!?! If we don't speak up for the lesser of those, then who will? I chose to speak life. HA! As cliché, corny and cheesy as that sounds.

Last year I wrote a post entitled Not Monday's Hot Mess Post {Week 3}: The Pro-Life Addition   In that post I talked about attendin' the Dallas March for Life for the first time and hinted that my Momma chose life and then left it at that. Now, that I've got  few post under my belt, a second Dallas March for Life attended a few weeks back and feel like I'm ownin' things, I think I'll expand a little. Ya know, tell a story that's only partly mine to tell. See what I did there. But in all seriousness.
Goin' on 27 years ago, my mother was scared and pregnant. I was not a planned pregnancy by any means. Heck, my parents weren't even married at the time I was conceived. But that is neither here nor there. I was to be my mothers third child. Yes, I know you're askin' how can this be since I only have a little sister. Before me. Before my Daddy. Before her life in Texas. Before Jesus. Before his grace. Before his mercy. Before his love my Momma had two other children. Neither here with us today. Momma was young, scared, family-less, homeless (not in the traditional sense) and alone in a hospital room twice in the early 80's. There's a lot of shame, guilt and scars that come with  havin' failed pregnancies. But, this, this is the part of the story that is not mine to tell so I'll just leave it at that.
 
But this, this part is mine to tell. And tell it I shall. Back to 1987: My mother spent weeks goin' through doctors that would take her as a patient. All said the same thing. There was to much scarin'. She couldn't carry me to full term. If she did I would have problems. Down syndrome. Yes, Down syndrome. That word was thrown around more than once on many occasion. Abortion. Abortion was another word throwin' around. How would it not be when the average abortion rate for children with Down Syndrome is as high as 87-98 percent. Many tears, prayers, and doctors later. Momma did find a doctor. A doctor that knew after one visit, without my mother sayin a word, that their had been many failed pregnancies before. A doctor that looked passed all of that and saw life in the most precious and beautiful form. A doctor that realized without the right to life we truly have nothin' else. A doctor that allowed my Momma to say yes to life.


Much bed rest and Many Taco Bell Enchiritos later, at 7&1/2 months, family, friends, doctors and nurses alike filled my tiny hospital room in Carrollton, Texas for nearly 13 hours waitin' on my arrival. Care flight sat willin' and ready on the hospital launch pad waitin' to fly me to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The leadin' hospital for preemies in the state. A hospital that was better equipped at handlin' babies born with "Syndromes and low quality of life." The doubters on pins and needles as I made my entrance into the world. I, Aleshea Dominique was born on September 29th 1987, at 8:56 in the evening weighin' in at only 4 lbs and 13 ounces. My eyes shone bright as I looked around at all the commotion in my hospital room. Family, friends, doctors and nurses alike, not knowing whether to breath a sign of relief or continue to be astounded. Years later I called my Momma on the phone from college and asked her if she had it to do all over again would she. Her response simple but profound: when you came into the world and those big eyes looked up at me... she trails off. Yes, yes I'd do it all again. I know God loves all his children equally but to this day I joke about how I'm God's favorite.   

And that's why I march. Why I refuse to remain silent. Why I smile when others question. That's why I'm pro-life. Because life was first given to me. And this, this is my story to tell.

"A person's a person no matter how small"

19 comments

  1. Yeah!! I'm glad you wrote this and spoke up.. Too many people (on our side) are fearful of judgement and attack when we speak up!

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  2. A beautiful story with a happy ending! Thanks for sharing your heart with us.

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    1. *Hugs* I wish I had a better response to your beautiful comment but I don't. I can't handle life at the moment. I just leave with thank you.

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  3. Way to approach the issue! People can and will argue til they're blue in the face, but personal stories like these can't be disputed!

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  4. This is a wonderful blog post! I'm glad you wrote this post as hard as it may have been. I hope more people share stories like this and make a positive change!

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  5. Great story! Thanks for sharing! I agree with what others have said. These personal stories are the most touching and I think they're the ones that will make the biggest difference.

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  6. This is the sweetest thing! I didn't realize the march was such a personal event for you. "Much bed rest And many enchiritos later..." Loved it.

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    1. Yes ma'am. My Momma said it was the only thing she could keep down. Growin' up it's all I would eat and I think that's why.

      I think I was more nervous of my Momma readin' this. She loved it and was sad I didn't include the surgery she had at 4 months to fix the problem that gave me a 50/50 chance at survival. Guess I beat the odds and then some

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  7. Wow what a GREAT post!!! Brought tears to my eyes. God. Is. AWESOME.

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    1. I saw your comment and wanted to comment and all the time God is good. then I saw that you said God is awesome. So instead I'll say and all the time God is awesome.

      But seriously, thank you for the kind words.

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  8. Oh my goodness what a powerful post! Thank you for sharing!

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  9. Powerful story and this has to be shared.

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    1. Thank you. It's never getting personal on the Internet for all to see but I'm glad I did.

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  10. Stopping over from Sweet Tea Social, thanks for sharing this great post!
    Miz Helen

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  11. It's never easy getting personal, but we each have a story to tell whether we agree about an issue or not. Good for you! Stopping by from Sweet Tea Social.

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    1. Very true! Thank you for stoping by and thank you for listenin' to my story. I purposely wanted the write the post this way because it isn't my place to condemn. I simply wanted to tell my side and one of the many reasons why I'm pro-life.

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  12. There's a beautiful thread of strength between you and your momma. ♥

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  13. You have a powerful story, and I'm glad you're sharing it! I don't think a lot of people think about the fact that if our parents had chosen to abort us, we wouldn't be here!

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