I grew up in a roundly abusive house where everyone tiptoed around my father. Being strong-willed and independent, we clashed often; consequently, I left home at thirteen by “running away.” I was able to continue school by staying with various friends, some known and sometimes unknown to their parents. I slept under a friend’s bed for three weeks before being caught once. I was often at the mercy of my host(s) and had to leave in the middle of the night more than once. I did avail myself of Planned Parenthood’s services and am grateful to them for providing my health care and birth control for ten years. Moving forward a few years, I was living with a man who was several years older than I (I was sixteen and he was thirty-two). When I took antibiotics for an illness, my contraceptive pill’s effectiveness was lessened (unbeknownst to me due to my own ignorance) and I found myself pregnant. I was still going to high school; I was unhappy, depressed really, and in an inappropriate relationship with an adult in order to secure shelter and food. He didn’t want evidence of his pedophilia and I knew that I was incapable of being a mother, so I had an abortion. I do not regret it; I have never regretted it. I KNOW that it was the best decision that I could make. Now I have four healthy, grown children and life is wonderful!