I had a very "not-so-normal" life growing up in Las Vegas, NV. With so much to do, and so few ways to control it, the possibilities are endless.
When I was 16 years old, I went to Planned Parenthood because I was 2 weeks late. My father was a VERY strict Catholic, and didn't believe in sex before marriage, so needless to say that I was scared out of my mind! Sure enough, I was pregnant. I knew it, God was punishing me for all the bad things I had done in my life. How could I be having a baby? I can't even drive! It was October, 1995.
About a week later, I finally got up the nerve to tell my dad, and not so surprising, he kicked me out and signed me over to my boyfriend's Aunt. Not the best way to start out being a mother, but at least my boyfriend didn't leave me, right? Now, there is a lot more to this story, but this blog would turn into a book if I went into every detail, let's just say I wasn't the best kid, and I had a lot of problems before my dad gave up on me.
There are many other teenage girls in this situation, so I understand that my story is not differentiating itself, yet. When I was 13, there was a girl in my 8th grade class that got pregnant and had a baby.
I went to an OBGYN, which scared the crap out of me because I had never been to a "Female" doctor before. He asked me why it took me so long to come see him. I explained to him that I was waiting for my welfare to kick in, which only took 1 week, so it had been 3 weeks since I figured out I was late, why was he freaking out? He stated I was 5 months pregnant. Uh, what? That is impossible. He started questioning me about cramps, morning sickness, how could I not have known? I still wasn't showing, I had no morning sickness, and I swear that I was only 2 weeks late when I went to Planned Parenthood.
Crying uncontrollably, I thought back over the last 3 months and remembered.....what had I done? The drugs, drinking, staying up for days at a time, my baby was going to be broke! I ruined his or her life before they were even born! I was so scared, I told the doctor everything. Apparently, in Nevada (they should do this in all states), they have a probationary term stating that anyone known to do drugs is subject to mandatory drug testing throughout their pregnancy and if they all come back negative, you get to keep the baby. On the plus side, the baby's heartbeat was strong, and there were no clear signs of any deformities during that visit. But, just to be sure, the doctor scheduled me to have an ultra-sound.
The soonest I could get in for the ultra-sound was in 3 weeks, so by this time, it was December, and I was almost 5 months pregnant. Still hardly showing, I was skinny as a rail back then, with just a little bulge. Now, this is where my story gets interesting.....
Imagine when you were 16, what were you doing? Hanging out with your friends, playing sports? I was laying on a cold table, in a hospital, with goo smeared all over my stomach, waiting for a nurse (who was looking at me like I was trash) to tell me that my child was going to be handicapped, or deformed, or worse! She put the tip of the handle onto my stomach and started rolling it in circles. I was so scared, I was shaking. Finally, she spoke, but the words that came out of her mouth were the last words I expected to hear, "There's their heads".
Complete disbelief went thru my mind, and into my core. I didn't understand, what does that mean? I just I huh, what? "Oh, you didn't know you were having twins?". I started crying and shaking so bad that they had to stop the ultra-sound, they couldn't get any measurements on either of the babies. Babies, as in 2, as in more than 1, I was only 16! This most definitely could not be happening to me?!?! But here I am, and it did.
This is the beginning (kind of) of the story of my life. I would love to write a book, but I do not have the patience, or creativity, to do so. But I can get my story out there, and if I can help just one person, then it will be worth it. I will try to post a short part every day until I am done. I always said that I had a Lifetime Movie life, what do you think? Let me know, talk to you tomorrow.
