As I had previously posted, today was my big day. Today was the day that I got to go in, get assessed, and determine whether or not I am able to get a medical abortion as opposed to the surgical one.
So far, the experience has been awesome and calm. I gotta hand it to the staff that I am working it. It’s been comfortable. I found out though that medical abortion in Canada is actually very hard to get and apparently I lucked out with my timing. Medical abortions, at least in Manitoba, are done based on the availability of the doctor and very much dependent on your gestational stage. If you don’t catch it under 7 weeks, you are shit out of luck. Beyond that, I was very surprised to learn that some people in this city are so misinformed that it can cause issues if you don’t know where to go. There are doctors that believe that you can get RU-486 in Canada. You can’t. It’s illegal to import it. Not only that, but not every hospital is pro-choice….so imagine what happens when some doctor who is not all that bright tells a patient that they can get RU-486 at…oh let’s say St. Boniface Hospital. That hospital is notorious in how badly it treats women who seek abortions and post abortive women. My advice if you’re a woman in Winnipeg, has had an abortion, has disclosed that fact, and plan to give birth? St. Boniface will treat you like shit. Health Sciences Centre will have a more woman friendly facility open soon and OF COURSE you should really, really, REALLY check out the new birthing centre in the city.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand….
So. In addition to all the testing of the vitals and whatnot, there was an ultrasound involved. Yes, I did ask to see it because I really wanted to get a sense of what some women who are forced to look at them may possibly go through. My doctor obliged and showed me exactly what a pregnancy at basically 6 weeks gestation looks like. So here I am, staring at the screen at this almighty fetus picture that is TOTALLY GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND and–uhhhhhh….where the fuck is this thing?! I had to have it pointed out to me. All you can really see is the slightly transparent gestational sack and this weird, miniature blob like thing. Now, I already didn’t get the whole mandatory ultrasound laws, but now? I am like what the fuck, guys? What the fuck?! I’m supposed to be touched by a dot on a screen during a time where I really don’t want to be pregnant? What do anti-choice lawmakers hope to achieve with this technique exactly? Oh ho ho, you got me there, anti-choice lawmakers, I am just so emotionally changed by a fucking dot on a fucking screen!
Which brings me to a story of great hilarity. Some anti-choice troll on Facebook claimed that she saw the heartbeats of her 4 week old gestating twins during her ultrasound. Now, common sense already dictates that she’s full of shit, but I thought I’d confirm it with a professional OBGYN. First off, at 5 weeks with a single fetus….you cannot see any damn heartbeat. So I asked about this little factoid of the 4 week old wonder twins and sure enough, before I even finished, she said “nope”. Too bad the troll deleted her thread, I would so love to shove that in her face….of course, you can always expect anti-choicers to lie to you about everything just so THEY can have peace of mind knowing some stranger had a baby that said anti-choicers don’t actually give a shit about. Speaking of which, let’s bust another myth!
Abortion Clinic/Doctors Don’t Inform You Of What To Expect
So I do qualify for the medical abortion. Tomorrow is day 2, I get a blood test to check the hormone levels, a shot of methotrexate, and I get sent home with misoprostol and Tylenol 3s. So far, I’ve had a counselling session on Monday, another quasi-session today along with a barrage of tests to make sure that I can do this in a healthy manner, LOTS of literature explaining all of the symptoms, side effects to expect, when the bleeding is good and when it’s not, a list of things I can’t eat while this is happening (folic acid foods), and a basic time line. Along with that, it was made VERY clear to me that 5-10% of women do not have a successful medical abortion and will have to have a surgical abortion. It was made extremely clear that while most women are lucky enough to finish aborting within 2 days, sometimes it can take weeks (at any time, you can opt out and ask for the surgical abortion). I was made aware that I would have to do a few follow ups to monitor my hormone level and an ultrasound to assure full evacuation. At any time that they couldn’t get a hold of me, I had to provide 3 contacts so that they can find me (because this is serious shit). I had to read everything, learn the side effects, was made well aware that things can go wrong. I also had to sign a consent form.
…….sooooo what’s this about not being told everything?
I also want to add that I had to go through the same counselling, literature, consent form signing (so many of them…)etc etc when I had a surgical abortion some years ago. Putting that out there in case a Trolly McDoucheyface wants to be all like “MEDICAL ABORSHUNS NOT TEH SAME!!”
So yay for medical abortion! I’m disappointed that the option is not more widely available in Canada, since I know a lot of people that would LOVE to get something less invasive going. Lucky for me I have the best medical team I could ask for. All pro-choice, all professional. I would refer anyone. Tune in tomorrow when I share my methotrexate follies!
Any idea how much methotrexate they’re giving you? I’m on it for my RA, and they warn you at 10 mgs (in pill form).
You are such a fucking awesome lady. Seriously. I hope all continues to go as smoothly as possible. Thank you x1000 for blogging this experience.
You’re so awesome. It’s awesome that you’re brave enough to invite the troll-hate by talking about your own abortion in the first place, but it’s super awesome that you’re being so detailed and educational.
Thank you so much for blogging about this! Ignore the trolls — it’s really important for people to know what it’s really like.
Thanks, again, Marie Anelle! This is so much more informative than most sites out there!
I don’t know very much about this process, but can’t come up with the reason they would need so desperately to reach you that they want THREE alternative people. Can you explain?
I remember my very first ultrasound when I was pg with my oldest. My dr. was into checking for ectopic pg along with the positive pg test. She had a run of patients with them and was being extra careful.
Anyway, I look at the screen and I’m like WTF is that? A dot? I have freckles bigger than that! Later on I got a twitching lima bean (for real, that’s exactly what it looked like, size and everything).
I think back to that those ultrasounds every time someone gets on their high horse about forcing women to view an ultrasound before abortion. WTF? Some woman is supposed to feel bad about ejecting a blob she does not want in her body and definitely doesn’t want it turning into a real live child she needs to care for.
I know some people are enormously sentimental about the early ultrasounds where you can first see the heartbeat, but my family is a little more pragmatic. I have a niece whose fetal nickname was “The Prawn” and a nephew who was Skeletor (that was the 20 week ultrasound). I have never seen an ultrasound where the fetus looked cuddly, even when it was my own very wanted children.
MA, you make a very important, and often overlooked, point. Even when abortion is legal, any hospital or doctor can create barriers to access. Medications may not be available, doctors may be relatively scarce and booked up, hospitals may be hostile to abortion. Making abortion legal is the beginning, not the end, of access.
The reason for the ultrasound requirement has nothing to do with the science of gestation and everything to do with the inflicting of guilt and imposition of barriers. The antis will come up with anything and everything they can think of to delay the moment when the woman is on the table or receiving the medications. I can’t think of another procedure that requires this kind of delay. You don’t even have to get a second opinion to get chemotherapy. It’s not medicine, it’s war on women.
MA, I’m thinking of you and hoping all goes well. *hugs*
On the same not, one thing I heard during the Siri abortion controversy was that it might not be Siri’s fault that she brings up CPCs before actual abortion providers because CPCs use the word abortion all the time to bring in women seeking abortions. Actual abortion providers are much less likely to use the word abortion much, because they’re afraid to get too much attention (for very good, well documented reasons). I can’t say it’s a self-created barrier to access, because the clinicians are afraid because of antis’ actions. But it is a barrier that isn’t related to the legality of abortion.
We have one clinic in town (250,000 people) that advertises that it provides abortion (and vasectomies and tubals). But my own OB provides abortions to patients at her practice and never advertises it anywhere. I never would have known (even as a patient) if we hadn’t talked about it when I needed a D & C following an incomplete miscarriage. She thinks it’s a service she needs to provide to her patients, but she doesn’t want to be known as an “abortionist.”
This is amazing! Thank you for being public about your experience.
I had two abortions, both “surgical” and both in doctor’s offices — in the US. The first was in 1981 and was very painful. The doctor was wierd, but I was sooooooo relieved when it was over. The second was in 1993 and was less traumatic and painful than having a tooth pulled — with novocaine. Again, huge relief.
The worst part about both of them was the alone-ness. In a world where women who have abortions are seen as selfish, murderers, like that, it’s hard to open a conversation with anyone about it.
I’m not sorry I had them. In addition to life challenges at the time of each abortion, I know that am NOT cut out to be a mother in this lifetime.
So thank you again for opening up about your experiences.
FourInchHeels, they require emergency contacts because some women don’t follow up, and if they are in that 5% where it was unsuccessful, they can suffer life threatening consequences. Severe infections and such.
Ah, you’re in my neck of the woods. Yeah I don’t appreciate the attitude St B has towards this issue as well as others. I feel like if you’re publicly funded you should be nonsecular.
You mentioned the misinformation surrounding medical abortion and RU-486 in Canada. Unfortunately, unknowledgeable or anti-choice health professionals are a reality throughout Canada and we (Canadians for Choice) hear stories about this everyday on our phone line.
To find the nearest medical (or surgical) abortion provider, women can call our toll-free national Information and Referral Line: 1-888-642-2725
We provide accurate, nonjudgemental information about all options and have the most up-to-date national directory of abortion providers.
I’m glad that your access wasn’t blocked! Thank you for sharing your experience and helping to dismantle the stigma around abortion
Thank you for your well written blog about such a sensitive issue. You are a very brave woman.