"For every story of a successful hospital birth there is a story of a successful home birth, and the same with disaster stories. However, it comes down to freedom. Should a woman have the freedom to decide where to give birth? Yes. Should she have the freedom to decide who will be there? Yes. Babies get born in cars, in ambulances, in airplanes, in fields, all the time, and turn out fine. I will stand on my right to decide to give birth in my own bedroom, with medical personnel present, and make my decisions about how my body and my child will be treated during the birthing process. I will not be told when I must give birth (40 weeks are usually miscounted). I will not be rushed into surgery because of a "non progressing labor," or be told how I must position myself when giving birth (did you know that laying on one's back is the *worst* position for the mother?) or anything else. You can have your epidural, I will take my natural birth."
- Sarah Bryce
- 45
I am not very good about remembering birthdays or sending cards.
- Ron Rooks
- 132
My physical pain is just too great. I can barely write this message. I feel as if I have lost my battle to walk independently. Every day after I practice walking using a walker I get searing, stabbing nerve pain down both paralyzed feet. I am in bed with nightmarish stabbing pain. Am scaring my roommate because I have needed to scream today every few minutes. I'm downing Lyrica like candy. After two days of bed rest I usually feel much better, and the pain is manageable. Well, this is it. Sometimes God does say no. I won't walk again until either I have an operation for the pain, and/or I get much better drugs. Swimming will be my exercise until I can't do that. It is cruel to encourage someone to experience this level of pain to achieve independence. I might have several years left, and I want them to be as pain free as possible since I have some freedom of choice in this regard. Hope this torture will end.
- Guy Walton
- 274
