We love to share our patients’ stories with you. They are powerful because they are filled with themes that are found in great literature: overcoming obstacles, making wise decisions despite past mistakes, and choosing to hope even when a situation seems hopeless. They are also powerful because each unique story is from one of our patients, often feeling powerless, alone and fearful.
We had 5,120 total patient visits in 2016.
We would love to be able to share every story with you, so you could gain a better understanding of all that is involved in an unplanned pregnancy! Today we have a story to share with you about a patient we will call “Reese”, as it was told to us by one of our nurses.
Reese came into the center and was very distressed to find she was pregnant. She and the father of the baby had been together for a long time but had stressful jobs and did not feel they could care for a baby. We were able to do an ultrasound for her the same day she had the pregnancy test. The ultrasound revealed a beating heart, that she was approximately 6 weeks pregnant, and that the pregnancy was clearly located in the uterus, exactly where it should be. After the nurse finished the ultrasound exam, the patient filled out the exit form, stating she was no longer sure about having an abortion because she had seen the “embryo and heartbeat” on the ultrasound. The patient requested a picture of the ultrasound image to take home to show the father of the baby.
After the ultrasound reports are reviewed and confirmed by our doctor, our nurses routinely make a follow-up call to see how our patients are doing. About 10 days after her visit, the nurse called to let Reese know that our doctor had confirmed the initial findings of the Ultrasound Report. During the follow-up call we ask the patient if she has begun prenatal care, and we ask the women who were considering abortion if they have made a decision regarding their pregnancy. We got good news that day, because Reese said what she had learned at Hope had great impact on her thinking, and she was very thankful for the information she received.
She went on to say that she and the father of the baby decided to leave the results of the pregnancy in God’s hands and not have an abortion. Just 8 days after they decided to trust the Lord with the pregnancy, she began to bleed and eventually miscarried. [10% – 21% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage.]
Reese said, “I am so thankful for what I learned at Hope. Even though we grieve the loss of our child through miscarriage, we are not grieving the choice of aborting a child. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help.”
When we call to follow-up on our patients we really never know what they will say, but frequently we just stop and thank the Lord for the privilege of offering hope and sharing truth with women and men who feel they have no options. It is a blessing to us and to them that we are able to encourage and equip them to make an informed decision about their pregnancy!
*Patient’s name and photo changed to protect confidentiality.