Hi My name is Samantha and I wanted to share my story so here it goes. My life is a living roller coaster with all the up and downs and lops. First it was my parents BIG divorce its not easy having a father walk out on you and your family for another one when your ten years old. Then it just got worse, soon after my 17th birthday I was raped in a vacant garage around my best friends house walking home. Things got better when I started dating my ex-boyfriend, Dave, and my unborn baby’s father. When I was with him things were perfect. Once again things got bad I was arrested for being in a stole car that one of my “friends” gave me and was sent to a detention center because my parents wouldn’t take me home. I was released and put on a one year rule contract so since then I have cleaned up my act and watched who I were friends with. When I graduated from high school I learned that I was no longer insured which now-a-days is not good because insurance is very important. I wanted to continue on birth control because I like to be safe whenever me and my ex had sex so I went to Planned Parenthood to receive birth control. When they called me back into the room I was informed that the couldn’t give me birth control because I was pregnant. I felt like I couldn’t move like my body just turned off. I still am in shock to this day that I’m pregnant and due this April. I started to cry rivers and rivers from my eyes. I didn’t have a job, no insurance, no money and the fact that me and my ex aren’t together anymore. The doctor and I talked about my “opinions”…..ABORTION….KEEP….OR ADOPTION? I don’t believe in abortions and I would hate myself if I ever did that so that was a no. Adoption sounded good but my friend was adopted and she went threw the war and I wouldn’t want my child to go threw that and think I didn’t want he or she. So I talked to my doctor about keeping the baby and she told me about all these programs that could help me take care of myself and the baby. I told Dave that I was pregnant and all he could say to me was I don’t want it and that I better get rid of it. That love I felt for him faded away. Its hard going to all these appointments and things alone and picking out cribs and car seats alone just makes me feel alone. Although today I feel like I made the right decision because as my baby grows inside me I feel whole. I don’t feel alone anymore. I don’t know if that makes too much sense to anyone else but knowing that when I give birth on April 8th the day after my mothers birthday I will have this baby that I can give my heart and soul to, which just makes me feel on top of the world. I might not like all the doctor’s appointments and looking for daycares and ways to support me and my baby but its well worth it all. My mom was right the joy of being a mother is the best feeling in the world. My life may be like a living roller coaster but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is one battle I have won.
Pennsauken, NJ