Comments on: Consequences

By: Shell

Shell — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:57:39 +0000

I hate to sound rough, and I am really not, but why do people move FROM California to such a state? Why were they “shocked” to find this out? Americans have to pay attention. Look at the state in which you live. Can you live with its laws? If so, great. If not, move.

Your life is much more than cheap houses.

By: lilybelle

lilybelle — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 01:56:44 +0000

Makes me remember the day I made the mistake of going to a Catholic hospital when I was experiencing heavy vaginal bleeding and pregnant. I said without sufficient remorse that as the pregnancy was clearly not viable, I wanted a procedure rather than to bleed out. I was told by that hypocrite doctor that my pregnancy was considered still viable and that the hospital didn’t end lives. I was to go home and hope I wouldn’t spontaneously abort, which was clearly only a matter of time. Once the fetus was no longer alive, well then I could get a procedure done. I asked him if he thought there was any possibility the fetus wouldn’t die. He got weasily. I asked what would happen if I died first. He stumbled and mumbled. I asked what would happen if I got sick before the fetus died. More bobbing and weaving. I asked him whether he was giving me a medical or religious opinion. Well I told him off in colorful language, marched out and went to another hospital and refused to pay the bill to St. Vincents, who dropped the issue. St. Vincents in New York City. You see, I was lucky. I had a choice, or a “short ride” to another hospital, as Holy Joe Lieberman would say. So many women lack that choice due to where they live. I’m enraged. Just enraged.

By: Maddy

Maddy — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:45:53 +0000

The implied humanity in this decision is really its opposite, and as you say the rigidity of the law just confuses real world circumstances, where they should be medically focused on the best path to health for mother and child.

Mike@160-I am so glad you and your wife made it through that, it makes the point of flexibility all the more important.

By: MN Lady Rugger

MN Lady Rugger — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:25:39 +0000

For me this decision comes down the week I learned my prenancy is not viable. I will have to sit here for at least one more week before I can fight with my HMO to not have to continue with the pregnancy. Although my hope this time is that they will not make me wait 4-1/2 months as last time. SCOTUS sucks- Yes I would much rather be planning for a new baby than trying to obtain what should be my right, a standard medical proceedure.

By: Isabel T.

Isabel T. — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:14:14 +0000

Oh, Mike Johnson @160, I’m so sorry that you and your wife had to suffer that way. But thank you for telling your story so people know the truth about these decisions.

By: Quaker Warrior

Quaker Warrior — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:47:34 +0000

What about the timing of the Supreme Court decision? Could it have been timed to overpower the reporting about Gonzales’ testimony (scheduled for yesterday, rescheduled for tomorrow)?

By: Vicki

Vicki — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:44:03 +0000

This is a vile decision in direct contravention of the Constitution which mandates separation of church and state. It is basically an unconstitutional decision. The extreme religious right has imposed their own religious viewpoint on the rest of the nation like schoolyard bullies, just because they can. It will not end with this decision. How long before they mandate conversion by the sword, that you must belong to my particular branch of the church, that Catholics are infidels to be converted or killed, etc. How long before Bush gives a pardon to the killers of abortion doctors and then awards them the presidential medal of honor.

By: Christy Hardin Smith

Christy Hardin Smith — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:35:21 +0000

Mike at 160 — I am so very sorry that you and your wife had to go through that, and for your loss.

By: earlofhuntingdon

earlofhuntingdon — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:54:28 +0000

“Women are vessels, the shaped clay that brings wine to our mouths and joy to our hearts. What does it matter that the clay be broken if the wine be saved? Hallelujah.”

Imaginary views of those upon whom Mr. Rove has staked his client’s presidency. Stripped of its rationalizations, it is what I suspect motivates them: a romanticized misogyny, a feral need to bare one’s throat to the dominant animal.

I suspect the Founding Fathers wuld be struck dumb by what has been done with their experiment in government and society. Well, back to the trenches. So, what about those e-mails, Mr. Waxman?

By: Bay State Librul

Bay State Librul — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:47:46 +0000

Mike Johnson @ 160

My wife was about seventeen weeks pregnant, and very sick with hyperemesis. She was getting her nutrtion intravenously, and had a pump pushing a constant drip of Zofran, a and home health care nurse came out every week for a checkup.

And one gray afternoon, I was out in the front, cutting back the yellow roses, and as the nurse was leaving she said, I couldn’t hear the baby’s heartbeat, so she needs to go in for an ultrasound.

And so we went in, and the OB didn’t even have to say anything. We could see there was no movement. We were both already crying before he said, I’m sorry.

We had two options: an IDE at the local clinic, or a medical induction. We opted for the first. Part of it was, we didn’t want our first childbirth to be a stillbirth. Part of it was, we just wanted to get it over with. Part of it was, it’s just not healthy to leave a dead baby inside of you.

I should mention that my wife is an ob/gyn, so she knows about these things.

So, the Doc calls the clinic to schedule an appointment for us, but they can’t do it. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, they say, and there’s nobody here, and we’ll be closed tomorrow, too.

So we go to the hospital, Community Memorial in Ventura, CA. They will not allow an IDE because it was renamed by foes as partial birth abortion. Even though our baby is dead, and it’s the better medical option, they won’t allow it. When protestors started squawking about PBA, the hospital instituted a blanket policy prohibiting the procedure, regardless of medical consequences. So, we go in for a medical induction.

It takes a long time to get admitted into the hospital, and then the induction itself takes a long time. I think they started around 8pm.

At midnight, they’re concerned about some blood tests. My wife’s blood isn’t clotting properly. They run some more tests. At about 2, a hospitalist comes in to tell us they were worried about DIC, and it might be wise to think about calling in some more family.

DIC — Disseminated intravascular coagulation — is an OB’s worst nightmare. It can be triggered by a number of things, including an intrauterine fetal demise. The patient’s blood doesn’t clot, and so she just lies on the table and bleeds and gets weaker and weaker, and there’s nothing you can do except say a long goodbye.

My wife didn’t die. The delivery was awful, but they didn’t need to transfuse. But I’ll never forget sitting in a dark hospital room at 2am with a doctor telling me my wife might not live another twelve hours. Nor will I forget walking the halls of L&D, having people come up and smile and shake my hand and ask if my wife’s delivered yet. Or having a candy striper come in to sell us a package of baby photographs.

Mike, thanks for your story..

Jack