I didn’t notice my skipped period . I had switched birth control pills, and my menstrual cycle had always been a little irregular. It wasn’t like a movie, either. When I started vomiting, it didn’t even dawn on me that I was pregnant. I thought it was some symptom of cancer.

Nor can I remember where or how I ended up getting a pregnancy test. I just know that at some point I figured I couldn’t take a home test for anything else, so I might as well rule this possibility out.

But I had a sex life with my live-in boyfriend and a flighty relationship to Loestrin, I hadn’t had a period in over a month, and I was constantly nauseated. Of course the stick’s indicator turned into a tiny pink plus sign.

There was no decision to make. Or rather, there was only one decision. I would get an abortion. I told my boyfriend in one breath that I was pregnant and would call Planned Parenthood the next morning and make an appointment. His reaction made so little difference to me that I’m not sure what it was — he probably nodded and hugged me.