A PP Patient's view on the West Texas War on Women.

Local women's healthcare centers close in the Permian Basin including the Midland Planned Parenthood and now the San Angelo Planned Parenthood. It would make the most sense to interview women that will be affected or have been affected by previous clinic closures correct? Or maybe interview local medical professionals that could speak to what the centers closure would mean for their practice and for low income women that used Planned Parenthood as their primary health provider. Thats what you would think, however, Newswest 9, a local Midland news station choose to interview a Catholic Bishop. This isn't the first time they have chosen to interview religious leaders in lou of say, citizens that would be affected or medical staff of the clinic or neighboring clinics.

Now I will start this off with saying this isn't about religion or attacking anyone's religion because I believe people should have the right to their own beliefs, and one's faith is a very personal choice. I was also born and raised Catholic myself and am familiar with the views of the Catholic church. However, I don't feel that the person you choose to interview about the closure of a women's health clinic should be a religious leader. I feel people affected by the closures or other medical professionals should be sought for interviews oppose to those with an interest in hotbutton issues on both sides of the abortion argument.

Bishop Michael Pfeifer says in an interview that there are other places women can go for cheap testing and health support.

Link to full story: http://www.newswest9.com/story/23294241/second-planned-parenthood-center-in-west-texas-shuts-down

So I decided to contact one of these "Life Centers" to ask if I could schedule a pap, a very common test used to test for abnormalities including cervical cancer. Below you can see the response I got on facebook. I have the convo and you can also click on the screen shot below

So I saw a report on TV that the life center provides women's healthcare to low income women so I was wondering when I can schedule a pap and hpv test? Thank you!

Today

11:26am The Life Center Thank you for contacting The Life Center. Our agency is a pregnancy help center. We would like to refer you to the following Texas Women's Health Program Providers: Premier Family Care Inc.(Midland) 432-686-6600 Permian Premier Health Services (Odessa) 432-582-8000

As you can see, they do not provide any medical care. They referred me to the women's healthcare program (which Planned Parenthood cannot accept anymore). And two other healthcare centers. Why would a healthcare center refer me to another healthcare center? Probably because they don't offer any type of healthcare. If you go to their website it's full of pictures of babies and abortion alternatives. Nothing mentioned about paps, or any type of women's healthcare. In fact, I had to try and do some digging on their website because it lacked a general section about their mission. It looks like they might have an ultrasound machine, maybe. But that really doesn't help a woman in my position that needs a annual pap. I mean, it might help, if I'm in a far stage of cancer they might be able to see it using that. I also don't see any mention of contraception besides abstinence, which I don't need someone to explain to me and I'm not a teenager so I don't need a general sex talk about the birds and the bees either.

I finally found on their facebook what they DO offer: Our services include: • Free urine pregnancy testing • Free STI/STD consultation and testing referrals • Free limited obstetrical ultrasound scan • Free prenatal pregnancy and parenting classes • Free life skills training • Free nutrition education • Free consultations with a registered nurse • Free baby care items to clients throughout pregnancy • Adoption information and referrals • Earn while-you-learn incentive program - baby boutique

As you can see they don't do any testing besides the pee-stick pregnancy test and refer you out for any real medical advice or testing.

With all due respect I'm not sure why he would recommend women go to a center that provides no medical care. I'm not sure if he knows what these centers offer or even the services that women need regularly as a pap is recommended for most women every 1 - 3 years. He goes on to say that anything good at Planned Parenthood was outweighed by the bad. I have to disagree.

"We have been asking and asking the Lord for this favor...also to ask forgiveness for the precious little ones, all the thousands and thousands that have been killed, destroyed to abortion," he [Pfifer] said.

Because of Planned Parenthood my mom was able to find out she had cervical cancer through the results of an pap she got at Planned Parenthood. They also helped her through the process of getting the cancer removed and helped her get through the process of getting prenatal care for my sister. Planned Parenthood has been there for me as a young College student for me and my sister. It was the only place we'd go see a doctor regularly because we do not have health insurance. I was comfortable visiting both the Odessa and Midland Planned Parenthood centers when I moved the Basin since I knew they were a place I could trust since I have gone to the Lubbock Clinic for years. I'll also add I've never been pregnant or got an abortion.

He also claims that his prayers have been answered by the closure of these clinics. Mine have not been answered as I have been praying that people would understand that most women use Planned Parenthood for variety of reasons, not just abortion. In fact, most of the Clinics I've visited did NOT preform abortions at all. Most women go in for routine Paps, STD testing, pregnancy tests, and birth control education/ prescriptions. You can even get blood pressure screenings there which are vital to heart health. Many women don't know their blood pressure or what normal blood pressure is (I'll elaborate on that on another post).

Yes there are "other places", but not all women will be able to afford them, or will receive spotty information. I called several centers in the Midland/Odessa area that were listed as providers for WHP and many of them were dead numbers, listed by error meaning they don't cover WHP patients, don't know if they take it, or cannot get you an appointment for weeks. My work schedule comes out once a week, making an appointment weeks in advance doesn't work best for me. At Planned Parenthood I could always get in during the same week I called. My sister recently made an appointment at another clinic and has to make it for three weeks in advance.


Since I was not asked to be interviewed for whatever reason here is what I would say on how I feel about women's health centers in Texas closing: I would never pray or hope that poor women would have one less place to go for healthcare. That would entail more women going without paps, leading to undetected cancer. Someone would lost their friend, sister, mom...or mom and sister in some cases.

Planned Parenthood has been there for me and my family, and countless other women and their families with the great services they provide to them and their communities. I imagine the communities will lose out from the services they provided when they are gone, and they won't realize it until it affects someone they know personally, and the state will not realize it until welfare costs rise in the near future as these clinics helped women prevent pregnancies and decide when the best time was for them to start a family. It also affects others like me and my sister whom have a great place to go for healthcare, or had rather. It also affected my father and our whole family to catch my mother's cervical cancer in time for successful treatment.

I would like to thank the men and women that worked at these clinics for their amazing service to me and the communities they served. I would also like for people to look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on hotbutton issues. I imagine news organizations love to harp on that and overlook the fabulous services Planned Parenthood provides. Maybe it's just me, but I think women's health is pretty important and deserves a story. I also think women affected by clinic closures that affect them deserve a voice. I am doing what I can to be that voice for the women that seemingly don't have one here in West Texas simply because they aren't in Austin or are low income.