AJ's Story

Hi , I am just writing you to help any one that may end up in my shoes. When I was 17 years old, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer then I found out I was pregnant .I also had a 2-year-old daughter my mother was helping me raise.

My doctor gave me three options on my pregnancy: stop treating the cancer and try to carry the baby full term and with this if I made it to full term to have it, I would die after giving birth. Second option: have the baby early and a hysterectomy - the baby may not make it and I would never have another baby, or my third option: terminate the pregnancy and have a baby later. So, I choose to terminate the pregnancy - it was a hard choose to make and a very emotional day.

When I went to the clinic my mother went with me. I was only twelve and a half weeks pregnant, so they gave me a local and did the termination. But when I was on that table, all I could do was cry - it hurt so bad I thought maybe I made the wrong choose.

I know now that I made the right choose - my health has been fine for four years and I can try now to have another child. I have also seen my daughter grow up - she is six now and I could have missed seeing her grow up and being there for her if I would have made a different choose. Thanks to every one that made it possible for me to have a choose!!

AJ
November 2003