Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
I've probably written a testemony of my life being born with Spina Bifida (open spine) before. I felt I wanted to write the story of my life, and also my parents again.
I watched a press conference where Lindsey Graham among others talked about late term abortion. The reason I want to write again is because I feel excepecting mothers/parents are told only one side of the story. Half truth is a lie.
Before I start writing this, I have to mention when I write "my mom", it also include my dad. At the time I was born he away working as an electrition on a shin New Orleans.
I was born in August, 1974, with Spina Bifida and also Hydrocephalus. The surgeon was the best in the country at that time. He removed S.B's. and giving shunts on babies from the whole country. He told my parents that I was the worst case he had ever seen. My parents was told, that even if I was to survive the operation, never to ever bring me home with them or to bond with me seing as I was to die before I was 3 yrs.
Before they did the procedure, my mother, still being in hospital herself, received a phone call from the hospital in Oslo. They needed a name. "She is Eva" mom said. I was christened in a rush before they removed my Spina Bifida only 3 days old.
After the surgery, I was further sent to a children's institution for newborns. Babies born with S.B./HC was placed there to die. My mother was never informed by the medical staff that I had already been transfered. When she was released from hospital a week after my birth, she and my grandparents left for Oslo to see me, but by then I had already been moved to the institution. The surgeon spoke with my mother and grandmother informing them about my future.
At this institution, parents got the chance to spend time with their child and also being cared for until the child died. The parents were able to come 24/7 to spend time with them.
6 weeks after my birth my parents received a phone call with the question on when they planned to take me home. They was so supriced and told the staff that they was told by my surgeon not ever taking me home. The staff told them that I was the only baby that showed progress.
My hydrocephalus wasn't treated before April of 1995. By then my H.C. had developed so far that it was too late for me to have chance for a life with less head ace and having need to have opioids every day to make it through the day.
The reason I'm writing this is because the spesialists may not always be right. I know of several cases where parents are told the same as my parents were.
This talk in the media, and not to mention the feminist movement on women's right to their own bodies makes me so angry. How can they tell if the child wont have a good life when the child (yes it is a child) is being killed before it is born?? I have been to several conferences, and studied about Spina Bifida, and not to mention being a part of resurch on Spina Bifida. I know more about this than at least feminists does.
During the first 12 weeks the spinal cord is developed. On children with Spina Bifida the spinal cord does not close. That is why it's called open spine or Spina Bifida. Another thing, hydrocephalus is so common now. People with strokes or tumor in the brain CAN recieve (not all!) hydrocephalus and SOME may need a shunt for a while, SOME the rest of their lilfe.
As I wrote earlier, I felt to write my story and hope women/parents that recieve the message that they're expecting a child with some form of a dissabilaty, think about this BEFORE they make the decision on terminate the pregnancy. Doctor's doesn't always know the best.
Today I'm a grown woman turning 45 in August.
YSIC, Eva.
I've probably written a testemony of my life being born with Spina Bifida (open spine) before. I felt I wanted to write the story of my life, and also my parents again.
I watched a press conference where Lindsey Graham among others talked about late term abortion. The reason I want to write again is because I feel excepecting mothers/parents are told only one side of the story. Half truth is a lie.
Before I start writing this, I have to mention when I write "my mom", it also include my dad. At the time I was born he away working as an electrition on a shin New Orleans.
I was born in August, 1974, with Spina Bifida and also Hydrocephalus. The surgeon was the best in the country at that time. He removed S.B's. and giving shunts on babies from the whole country. He told my parents that I was the worst case he had ever seen. My parents was told, that even if I was to survive the operation, never to ever bring me home with them or to bond with me seing as I was to die before I was 3 yrs.
Before they did the procedure, my mother, still being in hospital herself, received a phone call from the hospital in Oslo. They needed a name. "She is Eva" mom said. I was christened in a rush before they removed my Spina Bifida only 3 days old.
After the surgery, I was further sent to a children's institution for newborns. Babies born with S.B./HC was placed there to die. My mother was never informed by the medical staff that I had already been transfered. When she was released from hospital a week after my birth, she and my grandparents left for Oslo to see me, but by then I had already been moved to the institution. The surgeon spoke with my mother and grandmother informing them about my future.
At this institution, parents got the chance to spend time with their child and also being cared for until the child died. The parents were able to come 24/7 to spend time with them.
6 weeks after my birth my parents received a phone call with the question on when they planned to take me home. They was so supriced and told the staff that they was told by my surgeon not ever taking me home. The staff told them that I was the only baby that showed progress.
My hydrocephalus wasn't treated before April of 1995. By then my H.C. had developed so far that it was too late for me to have chance for a life with less head ace and having need to have opioids every day to make it through the day.
The reason I'm writing this is because the spesialists may not always be right. I know of several cases where parents are told the same as my parents were.
This talk in the media, and not to mention the feminist movement on women's right to their own bodies makes me so angry. How can they tell if the child wont have a good life when the child (yes it is a child) is being killed before it is born?? I have been to several conferences, and studied about Spina Bifida, and not to mention being a part of resurch on Spina Bifida. I know more about this than at least feminists does.
During the first 12 weeks the spinal cord is developed. On children with Spina Bifida the spinal cord does not close. That is why it's called open spine or Spina Bifida. Another thing, hydrocephalus is so common now. People with strokes or tumor in the brain CAN recieve (not all!) hydrocephalus and SOME may need a shunt for a while, SOME the rest of their lilfe.
As I wrote earlier, I felt to write my story and hope women/parents that recieve the message that they're expecting a child with some form of a dissabilaty, think about this BEFORE they make the decision on terminate the pregnancy. Doctor's doesn't always know the best.
Today I'm a grown woman turning 45 in August.
YSIC, Eva.
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