You must.

She won't live.
She won't be healthy.
You could both die.
She could have Down Syndrome.
You must have an abortion.

These are all of the lies my mother was told when she was pregnant with me. There were probably more, these are just the ones that I personally know of. I was born a tiny baby, premature and fighting for my little life. My mother lay in a hospital bed, fighting for her own, vomiting and sick as could be. She was in pain. I was probably in pain, as well. I was in the NICU for quite awhile while nurses stood over me. I didn't have Down Syndrome. The first lie was cleared up. Despite everything, I was as healthy as I could possibly be given the circumstances.

My mother didn't have the support of a husband, my father is a dead-beat drug addict. My mother tried to help him, tried so hard. I was the last piece of hope for him. Everyone thought I would be the one to turn him around. It didn't work. My aunt helped take care of me while mom was in the hospital and I was able to be taken home.

I lived. The second lie was cleared up.

It's funny. Out of her four children, I turned out to be the healthiest. The one that grew the fastest, the one that horseback rides, plays sports, is active. I don't have down syndrome, although nothing would change if I did, I lived. I'm still living! I'm healthy, despite my anxiety problems. My mother is still living, in fact, she's sitting next to me, talking to my adopted brother David who was a drug addicted baby, who died after his mother gave birth and was brought back minutes later, thank God.

She didn't have an abortion, she didn't need to. We both lived. We're both healthy.

She lost over 20 pounds during her pregnancy. She had to clog the doors with towels because if she smelt anything, she would puke. But for some reason, she hung onto the thought of life. A life that wasn't hers to take.

She listened to the song "God must've spent a little more time on you" by Alabama throughout her pregnancy and still, when she listens to it, she cries.

Life is truly more precious than any diamond or pearl.

Fight for life. It's worth it.