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Debbie Joslin (AK Alaska)
joslin@wildak.net
(907) 895 4565 |
Isaiah's story is on our
Treasured Memory Album page. |
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This is a portion of a speech given by
Eagle Forum Alaska
President, Debbie Joslin on the capitol steps, January 22, 2008:
Click Here for full speech
In 1976, I exercised the right the Supreme Court had handed me, and I
aborted my unborn child. I did not want an abortion. But like many women, I
felt that I too had no choice. I had no husband, no family I could go to,
and no crisis pregnancy center. But, my boyfriend had heard there was a
place called Planned Parenthood where we could rid ourselves of a problem. I
did what was expected of me. I was not forced. But like millions of other
women, I hoped to the last that someone would offer me another choice. It
never came and so I ended a life, my own child’s life. I found that abortion
didn’t offer me reproductive freedom. It brought destruction, pain and
regret and it robbed me of my child. The promises abortion offered were all
a lie and I know now that there was a better choice.
Twenty-three years later, in 1999 I was married and we had three healthy
children. In January of that year, I went for a routine ultrasound on the
baby we expected to be born in May. The technician was all business and
didn’t engage in any small talk. Finally, I was told the doctor would like
to talk with me. He described a heart condition I had never heard of before,
hypoplastic left heart, a heart with only three chambers. I remember him
saying to me that my personal physician would explain my options. There was
something about the way he said it…. “We aren’t going to kill him if that is
what you’re talking about.” He didn’t answer because that is what he meant.
Soon after, I found out that our little boy we named Isaiah also had a
possible brain cyst, and a missing or unconnected stomach. I got the name of
a perinatologist in Anchorage and called to make an appointment. Over the
phone I spoke with the specialist and told her all I knew of Isaiah’s
condition. Based on a phone conversation and not an examination, she told me
he probably had a chromosomal abnormality and should be aborted. I told her
that was not an option. I told her I hated abortion.
She went ahead and scheduled an appointment for me to be seen in her office
at Providence hospital the following week. My husband and I drove from Delta
Junction at forty below, 350 miles to Anchorage. When we arrived at the
hospital we were first seen by the genetic counselor. We were treated as if
we were ignorant for continuing on with the pregnancy. I underwent a second
ultrasound with more sophisticated equipment and was told of a myriad of
other potential problems. I was told Isaiah would probably miscarry and even
if he was born alive he would only live for a few minutes. I was told that
his condition was incompatible with life, that he was going to die anyway,
and to continue with the pregnancy would be very expensive and hard on my
other children. She told me that if I continued with the pregnancy I would
be putting my own life in danger and it would be very irresponsible of me to
leave my other children motherless.
We left that day very discouraged but I knew too much about abortion to be
moved by anything they said to me. I was scared for Isaiah and I was scared
I would die after all that the doctor had told me. We had phone
conversations with the genetic counselor over the next two weeks and finally
discovered that Isaiah had Trisomy 13, a chromosomal abnormality. The doctor
told me that ALL babies with Trisomy 13 die. Later I found out that 90% of
all babies born with Trisomy 13 die before they are six months old. But they
do not all die. They lied about the prognosis for Isaiah and about the risk
to my own health. I discovered later that my unborn baby’s health problems
were never a risk to my health. They withheld information from me and gave
me misinformation all in an attempt to persuade me to have an abortion. They
chided me, “You should have had your amnio earlier,” a reference to the fact
that I was too far along to legally have an abortion in Alaska. No matter,
they were ready to send me to Tiller’s abortion clinic in Wichita, KS. They
could be sure that Tiller would perform an abortion on me even though I was
too far along in Kansas too. They would simply say my life was in danger and
skirt the law in that fashion.
Finally, after I had been asked many times about having an abortion and two
weeks had passed, they told me that if I didn’t want to terminate the
pregnancy I could deliver the baby at Providence and the doctor could
arrange for the nursing staff to not interfere so we could be sure Isaiah
would die. I declined that offer too and was finally told of a parent
support group for families whose children had Trisomy 13. The Genetic
Counselor apologized when she gave me the 800 number, “They are, well,
rather positive.” She seemed apologetic as though I would miss the negative
advice they had been dishing out.
I carried my baby to term and I am glad I did. Isaiah was born May 10, 1999
and lived and was loved for 32 days. Through answered prayer and God’s
mercy, the few minutes we were told to expect turned out to be a month. We
loved him and he brought us much joy. His oxygen saturation monitor showed
us that he responded with improved vital signs whenever he was being held or
stroked by someone who loved him. When he died our hearts were broken but we
were not racked with guilt and we have no shame. We gave Isaiah the best
care we could give and we loved him as we love our other children and we are
thankful to have had that short time with him. We have never for one moment
regretted giving our son a chance to live and love, a chance to know what it
is like to be held in his momma’s arms and to be kissed by his big strong
Daddy. Contrary to what the doctor told us, giving life to Isaiah was not
too expensive. It was priceless. Giving life to Isaiah was not too hard on
our other children, it was a blessing to them.
Debbie Joslin joslin@wildak.net
907 895 4565
This is a portion of a speech given by
Eagle Forum Alaska
President, Debbie Joslin on the capitol steps, January 22, 2008:
Click Here for full speech
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Living with Trisomy 13
Focused on prayerful support and gifts of love
to those touched by a Trisomy 13 child.
Inspired By An Angel
Attn: LivingWithTrisomy13
15802 Springdale St.. #68
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
info@LivingWithTrisomy13.org
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All text and graphics ©
LivingWithTrisomy13.org 2005-2010 - all rights reserved
Use prohibited without permission
All information found on this site was submitted to
us directly by the families
and used on this site with their permission. |
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Cover photo of Pamela Sullivan & her precious daughter Maria, copyright Pamela
Sullivan 2004, used with permission. |
If We Hold On Together Song Copyright 2002 by Patricia Welch, Ltd. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
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*Disclaimer
All material on this site reflects our personal journey with raising a Trisomy
13 (Patau Syndrome) - child. It is not meant to replace any medical advise of a professional
familiar with your specific condition. The personal journeys of any parents on
this site are only their opinions and their own journey with having a Trisomy 13
child. You should consult with your own physician or other medical professional
regarding the opinions or recommendations expressed within these pages as to
your own child's symptoms and medical condition. |
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