Parents Kristin and Christopher Schalk faced perhaps the toughest decision of their life when faced with a challenge no expecting parents ever dream they'll face. Doctors told them their daughter Ashlynn would be born 15 weeks early and suggested an abortion.
The couple refused and now are glad they did.
What toasts my cheese is that couples are being urged to abort when it never would enter their minds. Wasn't legalization just supposed to make it safe for a bunch of women who would otherwise seek out "back-alley butchers"? Instead, we end up with it being pushed on women who don't want it. Fortunately, Kristin and Christopher rejected the proffered "right" and were blessed. Women sometimes only end up being so blessed because of the kind "interference" of folks who give them a referral to real help.
Other parents, who caved in to the pressure, are not so blessed. Some end up aborting babies that were healthy after all. Others end up realizing that though abortion seemed the best thing at the time, it just made the worst of an already terrible situation.
Here's a proposal: We need to push to have health care professionals clearly broken down into two schools: the Hippocratic, who adhere to the "old fashioned" code of "do no harm," and the Progressive, who adhere to the new code of "choice." Prolife women would no longer be pressed to abort, and prochoice women could rest assured that they'll be offered abortion at the first hint of trouble.
It's amazing what you find when you google yourself. Kristin and I weren't just offered an abortion once, but once a week for 5 weeks. I got tired of telling the doctors that it wasn't an option. I finally got mean with one doctor and told him that if the the baby is born dead, then that is what happens.
ReplyDeleteAshlynn is now 4 and a half years old and is attending preschool this fall! we are so happy to have her in our lives.
Ashlynn at 4 years old!
Thank you,
Chris Schalk
What a sweetie!
ReplyDelete