Consultation

 

Mrs. Jones, I’m afraid I have bad news.  Your health has deteriorated significantly since the beginning of your pregnancy.  Your blood pressure is dangerously high, as are your triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, your blood glucose is at pre-diabetic levels and your weight gain has been extremely excessive.  We can’t find an organic cause for the vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain, but those are concerning.  If we don’t do an intervention soon, there will be dire consequences for your long-term health.

Oh, my.

I’m also concerned about your mental health.  You report not sleeping well, listlessness, bouts of crying and not able to complete your household chores.  Along the weight gain and abdominal issues, this indicates you are suffering from depression.  I hate to say this, but I think that the only solution is a termination.

But, but, isn’t it too late for that?

Oh, no.  With the new law the governor just signed . . . but we only have a little time to make a decision.

I . . . I don’t know.

You should also think of the child.  What sort of life will he have with a mother who is physically and mentally ill?  I think this is the best solution for everyone involved.

Ok.  Do I need to make an appointment?

Oh, no.  It’s a simple procedure.  We will do it right here in the office.  And don’t worry, it will be completely painless.

Thank you, doctor.

Well, then, let’s get started.

 

Mommy?

Published in Domestic Policy
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  1. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    Joe, this is almost too dark to like.

    • #1
  2. PHCheese Inactive
    PHCheese
    @PHCheese

    Last week I made a snarky remark about post birth abortion and here we are this week. Thanks Democrats.

    • #2
  3. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    There is a thing called post-partum depression.  Some women get it. It can last a year or two (I’m spitballing here).

    During this time women are not themselves.  They can react in crazy ways.  Sometimes they even try to harm their babies.

    We, a compassionate society, intervene, to save both the mother’s health and sanity, and the child’s life, until she has come back to her senses. She, and the baby, are usually grateful for this.

    This new law suggests that the best course of action from now on is for us to just stay out of it, let the mother, no matter what her mental and emotional state from the incredible trauma she is in the middle of, to call the shots here.

    Fair warning, though. The old joke is that, during the pain of delivery, she screams that she wants to kill her husband for getting her into this. Hmm.  Well, why should he be spared?  She is, after all, in distress, and apparently that’s enough.  Sorry, Dad.

    For that matter, why are we not considering all of the angst and trouble and irritation and emotional distress this mother is going to cause the child as it grows up? We were all children once, we know how much our parents annoyed us from time to time.  Shouldn’t the baby be listened to?  Especially if it’s a girl?  I mean, it’s right there on the tray, crying and everything. Sorry Mom.

    • #3
  4. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    There is a thing called post-partum depression. Some women get it. It can last a year or two (I’m spitballing here).

    During this time women are not themselves. They can react in crazy ways. Sometimes they even try to harm their babies.

    We, a compassionate society, intervene, to save both the mother’s health and sanity, and the child’s life, until she has come back to her senses. She, and the baby, are usually grateful for this.

    This new law suggests that the best course of action from now on is for us to just stay out of it, let the mother, no matter what her mental and emotional state from the incredible trauma she is in the middle of, to call the shots here.

    Fair warning, though. The old joke is that, during the pain of delivery, she screams that she wants to kill her husband for getting her into this. Hmm. Well, why should he be spared? She is, after all, in distress, and apparently that’s enough. Sorry, Dad.

    For that matter, why are we not considering all of the angst and trouble and irritation and emotional distress this mother is going to cause the child as it grows up? We were all children once, we know how much our parents annoyed us from time to time. Shouldn’t the baby be listened to? Especially if it’s a girl? I mean, it’s right there on the tray, crying and everything. Sorry Mom.

    I’m with you, except why are you apologizing? You have nothing to apologize for. We shouldn’t be sending the message that there is something wrong with termination. [That is sarcasm. I’m not really a leftnik.]

    • #4
  5. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    • #5
  6. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    Moloch is hungry and needs to be fed.

    • #6
  7. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    Yes, they keep talking about “the health of the mother”.  We have always been supposed to be imagining some way some complication from the situation is going to seriously threaten the mother’s life. What possible way is the mother’s health threatened – or affected in any way – at that point, if the baby is delivered alive? Same baby, same essential procedure.  Why do you have to kill it?

    And what’s in it for the doctor?  Does he or the clinic make more money if they kill the baby? What is the motive here?

    • #7
  8. PHCheese Inactive
    PHCheese
    @PHCheese

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    Yes, they keep talking about “the health of the mother”. We have always been supposed to be imagining some way some complication from the situation is going to seriously threaten the mother’s life. What possible way is the mother’s health threatened – or affected in any way – at that point, if the baby is delivered alive? Same baby, same essential procedure. Why do you have to kill it?

    And what’s in it for the doctor? Does he or the clinic make more money if they kill the baby? What is the motive here?

    They also talk about reproductive rights. Should be non reproductive rights.

    • #8
  9. RyanFalcone Member
    RyanFalcone
    @RyanFalcone

    I was born a month premature. My mom woke up feeling awful that morning, turned to my dad and said “This is the worst constipation I’ve ever had!” I was born an hour later. You can’t imagine the jokes that my family members have run with over the years regarding that story. It is funny and joyful to see my mom laughing till tears flow as people remind her of that early morning 45 years ago. Today, that exclamation from a pregnant woman is grounds for killing the baby.

    • #9
  10. Nancy Spalding Inactive
    Nancy Spalding
    @NancySpalding

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    I read a piece in a Medical Ethics journal a few (several?)  years ago on “post birth abortion” which was very straightforward, clear. the thing about adoption is, the mother might have regrets or sad feelings about the child being raised by others, so should be able to terminate. (this  was up to 2 years, in cases of new job opportunities or motherhood being more difficult than expected or…)  The editors were shocked that the article was responded to with horror after it got out of its small professional circle. I will see if I can find the cite. this discussion has been going on for a long time. 

    • #10
  11. Nancy Spalding Inactive
    Nancy Spalding
    @NancySpalding

    https://jme.bmj.com/content/medethics/39/5/261.full.pdf

    the real interests of a living person always out weigh the interests of a potential person. 

    from the abstract: “adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people, the authors argue that what we call ‘after-birth abortion’ (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.”

    • #11
  12. Blue State Blues Member
    Blue State Blues
    @BlueStateBlues

    Kermit Gosnell was just a few years ahead of his time. 

    • #12
  13. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    PHCheese (View Comment):

    Last week I made a snarky remark about post birth abortion and here we are this week. Thanks Democrats.

    In my first year of teaching back in the late 1960s we used to kiddingly talk about “retroactive” abortions” for those severely difficult kids we sometimes had to deal with. It was a joke, a way of blowing off steam, no one would have dreamed that 52 years later members of one of the nations two  major political parties would be discussing this very thing with serious intent to make it happen. Ask me why I am unsurprised that none of the teachers’ unions have expressed surprise or indignation. Unbelievable!

    • #13
  14. Postmodern Hoplite Coolidge
    Postmodern Hoplite
    @PostmodernHoplite

    I’m 55 years-old. I cannot believe that we are even having this conversation within the broader American society.

    If I separate the intellectual aspect, and simply consider the question of infanticide as an abstract thought experiment, then my mind can engage the question rationally. However, the horror of the act itself, combined with the reality that this is not an abstract thought experiment, sickens me. I have lived to see infanticide as actual public policy being implemented by elected government officials within the United States of America.

    I weep for my country.

    • #14
  15. Nancy Spalding Inactive
    Nancy Spalding
    @NancySpalding

    Postmodern Hoplite (View Comment):

    I’m 55 years-old. I cannot believe that we are even having this conversation within the broader American society.

    If I separate the intellectual aspect, and simply consider the question of infanticide as an abstract thought experiment, then my mind can engage the question rationally. However, the horror of the act itself, combined with the reality that this is not an abstract thought experiment, sickens me. I have lived to see infanticide as actual public policy being implemented by elected government officials within the United States of America.

    I weep for my country.

    Me too, all of this. we cannot even justify it by an appeal to Baal to get us out of trouble; we are sacrificing our future to the god of me, of Convenience… as a sin, bad enough (I have plenty on my conscience), but as a proud right? 

    • #15
  16. JuliaBlaschke Lincoln
    JuliaBlaschke
    @JuliaBlaschke

    We will have to make all women sterile and grow perfect, custom babies in pods. Of course, if you get one you still don’t like you can simply kill it and get another one. Say up to about 18 years old. Maybe even later if they have the wrong politics. I’m sure Governors Cuomo and Northam would say it was fine as long as the pod people were kept comfortable while a decision is reached. 

    • #16
  17. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    JoelB (View Comment):

    Joe, this is almost too dark to like.

    That was exactly my reaction! But it was well done.

    • #17
  18. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Seawriter (View Comment):
    Moloch is hungry and needs to be fed.

    Is that more real than anybody wants to admit?

    • #18
  19. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    Yes, they keep talking about “the health of the mother”. We have always been supposed to be imagining some way some complication from the situation is going to seriously threaten the mother’s life. What possible way is the mother’s health threatened – or affected in any way – at that point, if the baby is delivered alive? Same baby, same essential procedure. Why do you have to kill it?

    And what’s in it for the doctor? Does he or the clinic make more money if they kill the baby? What is the motive here?

    Yes, it means that, but moreover I think of their incessant use of “back ally” this and “unsterile and dangerous” that — Gosnell notwithstanding.  And I think, Ah, she wanted the sex, but doesn’t want the naturally-intended outcome, which will cramp her style and interfere with her play dates.

    And so yes, Moloch needs to be fed.

    • #19
  20. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Nancy Spalding (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    As I keep saying, what’s missing from the debate about abortion, especially the reported rationale for aborting a child while the mother is already dilated is: What about adoption??

    I read a piece in a Medical Ethics journal a few (several?) years ago on “post birth abortion” which was very straightforward, clear. the thing about adoption is, the mother might have regrets or sad feelings about the child being raised by others, so should be able to terminate. (this was up to 2 years, in cases of new job opportunities or motherhood being more difficult than expected or…) The editors were shocked that the article was responded to with horror after it got out of its small professional circle. I will see if I can find the cite. this discussion has been going on for a long time.

    Thanks.  The whole “mental or emotional health of the mother” comes into play up until the moment the head is out of the vagina, and I fear, soon to be once it takes its first breath, and as ethicists argue, up until the child reaches two years, and after that it will be an IQ test or a Rorschach test or something.

    • #20
  21. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Seawriter (View Comment):
    Moloch is hungry and needs to be fed.

    Is that more real than anybody wants to admit?

    I am willing to admit it. So are most pro-life people. Pro-choice folk – they do not want to admit they worship Moloch, but they do – and they feed him.

    • #21
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