Stinky Opinions

I've heard it said before that "opinions are like butt-holes...everybody has one and most of the time they stink!"  Well, I guess it's safe to express my opinion on my blog, even if everybody else may think it stinks!

I believe that today will go down in history for our state.  Today, we vote on Ammendment 26: whether or not a fertilized egg is/ should be considered a person.  I am for sure the most non-political person EVER!!  I do not watch the news (mainly b/c My Little Pony or Berenstein Bears is always on!) or read the newspaper.  I even got through 6 years of college without taking a single government or history class! (don't tell Ole Miss, or they make take my degree back!)  So, I first heard of 26 from my mom, who heard about it through her church.  And of course, she told me to vote yes!  I hadn't really thought much else about it until I saw all the debate about it on facebook (I know...fb should not be my only means of current events, but...).  So I started researching this for myself.  When I first heard all of the opposition about ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages being investigated, and birth control, my first thought was "This is ABSURD!"  And I still think it is ridiculous to think that a woman would be criminally charged for ending an ectopic pregnancy or that the doctor would be charged for saving a pregnant woman's life!  I think all that is just a lot of crap to make people who do think that fertilized eggs are people vote no.  So, in my opinion, the only valid "issues" that
26 presents is 1. Abortion and 2. IVF.

1. Abortion- This is definitely black and white to me!  I believe that abortion is wrong in any and all circumstances.  "What about the rape victim?"  There are presently 150 babies aborted in Mississippi every month.  Less than 1% of those are because of rape.  In addition, two sins don't make it right!  Yes, rape is a heinous crime that in my opinion should receive the death penalty.  "How can you believe in capital punishment?  Isn't it sanctity of human life that's important?"  I believe that God forgives ALL sin...so if the rapist asks for God's forgiveness, then he will live eternally right next to me in Heaven!  But, I strongly believe that our actions have consequences, so his punishment here on earth may be death.  I definitely do not want to live in a society that has no consequences for our actions...and I think that's what we that live in the US are trying to do.  Abortion is paying the ultimate punishment for someone else's sins...not the baby's!  "That will be 150 more babies/ month that we will have to pay for through Medicaid!"  This could definitely be the case, but I know for fact there are hundreds of couples right here in Mississippi that would love to adopt, but can't afford it or it takes too long.  Maybe with an increased supply, the cost may go down?  OR maybe people will be more responsible if they don't have an easy way out.  I pray for the latter!  "What about the pregnant woman who needs chemo that will harm the baby or she will die?"  Let's just say for instance:  It is February 2011, I am 3 months pregnant with my second child (Madi) and the doctors say that they have found a tumor and I need chemo.  This would truly be a TERRIBLE circumstance and I am thankful it is only hypothetical, but I'm sure it could come up.  I remember when it got close to my induction date with my first child (Emma), I told Nick and my mom, that if anything happened to me, to make sure that Emma knew how much I loved her and would have gladly died for her to be born!  I felt the same about Madi!  So, in that terrible hypothetical situation, I believe I would choose to wait until Madi could be safely delivered to start chemo, even if it meant I would die...And I know I am not the only momma that feels that way!  I am not scared to die...I know exactly where I will awaken the second I take my last breath!  Of course, I don't WANT to die anytime soon, and I am so thankful for everyday God blesses me to spend with my girls!!  None of us are promised tomorrow.  Now, that being said, I would certainly not judge any women that was forced to make that terrible decision to end her baby's life to save her own, and I don't think any judge/jury/court would either!

2. IVF- Many of you know that Nick and I had a very difficult time getting pregnant.  After "trying" for 6-9 months, then Clomid for 3 months, we finally found out we were pregnant in March of 2006!!  We were beyond excited!  However, after having NO symptoms of miscarriage, our 8 week sonogram showed a sac, but no baby. We were devastated to say the least!  The doc said she wanted to do another sonogram in 1 week, just to make sure I just wasn't as far along as we thought.  That sonogram showed a baby with a heartbeat!!  Talk about exciting and answered prayer!!  BUT, doc said we weren't out of the woods yet, and wanted to do another sonogram in 1 week.  At the end of that week I started bleeding, and sonogram confirmed I was having a miscarriage.  Emotional Roller Coaster...I was so devastated, angry, depressed, and sad all at the same time, and it took me a really long time to move forward.  Notice I did NOT say "get over" because you never "get over" losing a child, and that is EXACTLY what my "fertilized egg" was...a child.  After about 6 months, I started taking Femara (ovulation med a lot like Clomid, without as many side effects).  After 6 months of a double dose, we found out we were expecting Emma!!  My pregnancy with her was perfect, even though every little thing freaked me out that I was going to miscarry again.  We wanted to have kids about 2 years apart, so I didn't get back on the pill after Emma was born.  After her 2nd birthday came and went, we started "trying" again.  I took my double dose of Femara 8 months out of that year, with no luck.  I finally decided that we probably weren't going to have any more kids, and was FINALLY okay with it!  Then Nick said that we needed to have another one.  So, even though I got back on my meds and used ovulation tests, I was SHOCKED that we actually got pregnant the 1st month back trying!!  And there came Madi!  So, IVF... on one hand I completely understand the anxiety, frustration, hopelessness, and depression that goes along with "trying" to get pregnant.  I will never understand why a loving, Christian, married couple can't get pregnant, but a teenage, single, crack-head can have 4 kids!!  I did learn that having a child was completely out of my control and I would have to depend on Him!  That is very difficult for an OCD perfectionist that usually gets her way like me!  Fortunately, we did not have to consider IVF, so my only experience with IVF is through a very dear friend of mine!  After years of "trying" she and her husband chose the IVF route and their beautiful baby boy is perfect in every way, thanks to IVF!!!  I am not sure how many eggs were fertilized, but I know they implanted 2 embryos (this clinic only allows implantation of 1 or 2) and 1 survived.  I also know that she and her husband had to get legal documents stating what would happen to the other 2 frozen embryos they have in case of divorce or death of one or both of them.  My friend says she will definitely implant those 2 embryos because they are her babies!!  So, it seems to me that the fertility clinics (or at least this one) already acknowledges these "fertilized eggs" as babies!  The scare is that 26 will limit the number of eggs that can be fertilized, which I'm not so sure isn't a GOOD thing!  I don't think God intended for us to have litters of babies at one time like "Octomom"! And it seems to me it would be very difficult to "toss out" your fertilized eggs that didn't make the cut.  I do think that we should "limit" to some degree our scientific advances that involve creating/cloning life.  I'm scared that we could go too far.  I'm not saying in any way that IVF is wrong, not Christian, or anything of the sort!!  I'm thankful that modern medicine is available for those who 20 years ago would have never had the opportunity to conceive a child!!  I wouldn't have been able to conceive either of my children without the help of modern medicine!  I just think that if we remember that these "fertilized eggs" are in fact babies, we will conduct IVF in ways that accomplish the goal...getting pregnant, while glorifying God at the same time!!

I am very thankful to live in a country where we can share our opinions (even if they do "stink") and vote on important issues!!  We don't all have to agree, and whatever the outcome of 26 today, I know that God is in control!!