The Clinic

THE CLINIC

THE CLINIC

By R. A. Allen

Disclaimer:  The following scene depicts a fictional account of events reportedly occurring daily within the Clinic.

                The hypocritical, dishonest, highly edited videos about our Clinic must be repudiated.  They present a mis-truth, one hundred and eighty degrees opposite from what we really represent.  Everything we seek to accomplish grows from hearts of compassion.  We love women.  We love life.  We cannot, we must not continue to allow those who hate us to preempt the right to call themselves pro-lifers. We are the true pro-lifers.  In order to prove our compassion and love for life I have decided to open the hidden files from our Clinic. These case files demonstrate the lengths to which we go in order to protect life.  They reveal our intense love for mankind and the love which motivates our every action.  Once you have seen our hearts in action you will never again doubt the magnanimity of our dedication to human service.

                My position at the Clinic involves conducting initial interviews with clients.  They come to me at their most vulnerable time, troubled, worried and stressed.  Many have shared with me how my welcoming, supporting spirit has made it possible for them to face a seemingly impossible dilemma.  It has been my privilege to extend grace on behalf of a loving higher power to those who desperately need someone to affirm their inherent worth.  They have often been abused by those who should have defended them, who should have valued them, and that is a shame.  You will see in the following case studies how the self-worth accorded to our clients has restored them to physical mental, emotional and spiritual health.

                Signed:  Roberta

CASE STUDY # 6431

                When Mary (not her real name) entered my office her condition was obvious.  I estimated her at about seven months.   My first concern, as always with a late choice client, involved discovering the reason for her decision.   In my experience there exists a compelling reason for such a decision and Mary’s case was no exception.  I began enquire gently about her relationship status and discovered she had been living with a loving significant other for over five years.   Mutual gratification characterized their bond.  He had never abused her in any way, nor had he been unfaithful.  When he suggested going off the pill she had agreed immediately even though the reason he offered seemed somewhat unconventional. 

                “I really want to make love to someone who is pregnant,” he had whispered lovingly in her ear.  “It would satisfy a deep urge of mine to feel your baby bump as we engage in intercourse.”

                Mary smiled shyly while describing the excitement both of them experienced with the addition of possible pregnancy to their mating.  “We felt like we were starting all over again,” she explained.  “His attention to my physical needs, his care for my health and his passion in bed exceeded any interaction we had up to that point.”

                Although they had never really discussed it, Mary assumed that her boyfriend wanted the baby.  But it turned out he had made the appointment for her with our Clinic.  Earlier that week the fetus had moved while they were in the midst of cohabitation.   They had enjoyed the session immensely which made his post-coital announcement even more surprising. 

                “He kissed me and then said the time had come.  He would make the Clinic appointment himself.   His fantasy had been fulfilled.”

                The tears began to flow and I offered my well-used box of Kleenex.   When she recovered, the story continued.  “I just can’t lose him.  My life would be over if he left me now.  I know when he means what he says.  Can you help?”

                Of course I assured her of our love and compassion.  There remained no question in my mind as to how her paperwork should be completed.  Here sat a woman whose life was in danger.  She had said it herself, “my life would be over.”  She had come to the right place.  She had come to the Clinic.

CASE STUDY # 5814

My heart goes out to the young girls who find their way to the Clinic.  So sweet, so naïve.  No one, not even their parents, have spent the time necessary to prepare them for the realities of life.  Cecilia (not her real name) represented so many of those who come to the Clinic.  Just 13, she had fallen in love with a man in his early twenties who took advantage of her innocence.   She told me that she had pled with her mother to provide birth control, but religious bigotry prevailed.  The mother valued her own narrow-mindedness over the well-being of her child.  I cannot begin to tell you how many times we hear such nonsense in our pre-admission interviews. 

As a result of her parent’s intolerance, Cecilia became pregnant.  The predicament in which she found herself caused her to despair of life itself.  When she spoke with me it became obvious that were the Clinic to fail her, the next step would be suicide.   Talking with her parents remained out of the question.  The boyfriend had already moved on to a new love interest.  My suggestion that we report him to the authorities caused her to panic further.

“I could never do that.  I still love him.  This wasn’t his fault.  My parents would find out.  You won’t do that will you?”  As the tears flowed like Niagara Falls I quickly assured her we would not betray her confidences.  Instead, I gently reminded her that privacy laws protected her totally.  Her parents would never know.  Her boyfriend would not be told.  This decision lay with her alone, she possessed the right to choose the best course for her own well-being. 

When I said that, she came around the desk and rewarded me with a big hug.   Her face transformed from tearful to hopeful.   The dawn of life replaced the midnight of death.  She had come to the right place.  She had come to the Clinic.

CASE STUDY # 6223

                Fortuitous.  The word for the day.  Elizabeth shared the urgent message the Clinic had received when we first arrived that morning.   Medical Measures, which handles the distribution of all the side products here at the Clinic, desperately needed a pair of fetal kidneys.  The life of a newborn hung in the balance.  We were all greatly moved by the story, you can be sure.  The infant, born just slightly premature experienced kidney failure upon birth and would not be able to go home with her loving parents unless a transplant could take place immediately.  No time for her to be placed on a waiting list, the operation needed to be completed that very day.

                Not thirty minutes later I sat across the desk from a distraught young female begging me to admit her to the Clinic.  Admittedly the request involved a late-term procedure.  But the circumstances definitely warranted the request.  She and her husband already had two pre-school age children.  They had been anticipating the birth of their third, but just the previous day disaster had struck.  Her husband had been terminated, dismissed from his job without previous notice. 

                “Not even a severance package,” she wept.  “No bonus, no insurance, no nothing.  We have some money set aside but not nearly enough to take on the responsibility of another child.  We decided that trying again later provided the only logical method of facing this crisis.”

                The emotion with which she made her appeal for a surgical solution impressed me tremendously.  So I did what I do best.  I offered her an alternative designed to ease her distress.

                “What if we could turn this tragedy into a blessing?  Would you like to see the happiness of another couple enhanced by means of your decision?  It is possible, you know.”

                The relief on her face displayed itself immediately.  I quickly produced the proper, legal documentation for her to sign.  Our Clinic nurse readied a room and informed the resident physician of the circumstances, the necessity of preserving the needed kidneys throughout the performing of the procedure.  One hour later our patient entered the recovery room ,  fervently thankful their family crisis had been averted.  At the same time the van from Medical Measures pulled into the Clinic lot and took possession of a beautiful, healthy pair of fetal kidneys, ready to transport them to the hospital where the life of a newborn child would be saved.  Once again the Clinic performed just as planned, fulfilling its mission with compassion and grace.  

                There you are.  Just three of the hundreds of case studies in my files must convince you of the tremendous contribution to society provided by the Clinic.  You must clearly recognize our love and compassion.  You must acknowledge that we are truly those who deserve to be known as pro-life.  I am so pleased to have shared these experiences with you. 

                Signed, Roberta.