April 7, 2021 by Pamela Jane · Health

40 Years Later, I Still Have Conflicting Emotions About My Abortion

She's thankful she had access to a safe abortion, but Pamela Jane still has some unresolved emotions, especially now that her adopted daughter has come of age.

When I was ask myself what I am thankful during these dark times, my mind goes back to a backyard cottage sheltered by eucalyptus trees in San Francisco where I lived in 1980 with my boyfriend, Gabe. That was the year I got pregnant in spite using an IUD my doctor claimed was 99 percent effective (this was not the one percent I wanted to belong to).

When my husband and I failed to conceive, we adopted a newborn.

Nine months later I went into labor. It was a lonely and painful delivery; no obstetrician or midwife assisted, and no anesthesiologist materialized to administer an epidural. It was just me, writhing alone on the cold tile of the bathroom floor.

Whoops! Want to read more?

Become a member to get these perks:

- - - - Read all our bold, bodacious articles by top writers.
        
        Get discounts on trips and events, including Paris, Italy, Scotland, New York City.
        
        Join our members-only "Tribe" community to connect with like-minded women.

Join now—as low as $39 a year!

When’s the Best Time to Write a Memoir? Over 50, of Course

More women our age are pouring their stories out in memoirs, both as a way to process experiences and to help others who have struggled. Meet a few here.

Have you given so much of yourself to others that you can’t actually figure out what you want for yourself now? Here are five ways to change that.

A new TikTok filter creates a movie-star version of your face. This sucks for women our age who already feel so much pressure to look younger.

The #MeToo movement seems to have spurred many daughters of well-known men to re-examine that key relationship in books, films, and plays.

« The Hardest Decision: Eating Meat Again After 30 Years as a Vegetarian

The 14 Best Podcasts for Women Over 50: From Hot Flashes to Hot Sex »

Love our content?

We are the Voice of Smart, Bold Women 45 and over! Our mantra is Age Boldly! No where else will you find authentic, original content like this. So give a little or give a lot. We want to continue publishing stories about love later in life, adult children never leaving home, wearing a bikini after 50 and trips of a lifetime! Thank you in advance for supporting NextTribe.

SUPPORT US