I was 24. Already a single parent to a beautiful 2 year old daughter, born with cerebral palsy. Between work and her constant doctor visits, life wasn’t easy. No support from her dad, but I was fine with making things work on my own.

I feel the urgent need to share my story considering what the Republican party is trying to do to a woman's right to choose what happens to her body.

#youknowme

I wasn't sure about sharing my story, but now I feel like I have no choice. Just like all women in Missouri are about to have no choice.

When I was 16, I was told by a doctor that I would never get pregnant. When I was 23 years old, I had left college with no degree, bummed around a few communes with disastrous results, and was back at home trying to make sense out of my life.

Towards the end of my senior year of high school, I had a casual encounter with a guy that was a little older than me. One thing led to the another and we ended up having sex.

I never considered writing about my abortion experience. Maybe because it was traumatizing, maybe because it was personal

It was October 2015 when I found out that I was pregnant. My breasts had been ridiculously sore