A Close Call
Lin Mayr, Oakland, Calif.
Our beautiful twin girls, Alexandra and Brennan, were born on Feb. 18, 2005. It was a wonderful day, at first.
My wife, Wendy, was going to give birth and was set for a C-section that afternoon. Then there were complications. She lost a lot of blood and ended up in surgery. The doctor told me, “We have done all we can.”
I stood there in the hospital hallway, feeling helpless. Wendy hadn't even seen the babies, or held them. She might never hold them. If something happened to her, would the hospital let me have my children? Would my children be in foster care while a court heard my case? I was scared.
Fortunately, all turned out OK. Wendy came out of the ICU after three very long days. I took her home a week after the babies were born. The birth certificates were signed, and both our names were on them as the parents. So this was a happy ending…
But it was too close of a call. Our family was not protected by the law. That was just not right and not fair. All families need to have equal protection under the law!
My dream is that one day, all families will have this protection.
Thanks, HRC, for working toward this goal.
March 8, 2006