Leaked Roe opinion sparks anger
As the draft opinion on Roe v. Wade was being leaked, Sen. Susan Collins was on CNN attempting to soft-pedal her involvement with helping to turn the court majority conservative. We can all remember her saying, in 2019, as she voted to confirm Kavanaugh, that she didn’t believe that he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Half of the states in the U.S. are poised to restrict (or further restrict) women’s rights to reproductive choice. As a woman of an age to remember that, in my lifetime, that choice didn’t exist, the prospect is outrageous. All women, no matter what their circumstances, own their own bodies, and should make their own decisions. All children should be born into circumstances where they are wanted, loved and provided for.
I am angry. I will fight any notion that someone else can decide for a woman if, when, or whether to have a child. Because this is just the beginning of the rights of women being eroded until we are made to be silent, invisible, and powerless. We can’t afford to be silent on this issue.
Ruthanne Harrison,
Richmond
Relieved to avoid the ER
I am someone who is unafraid to complain when something goes wrong, so it feels equally important to speak up when something goes well. Recently, my husband had a frightening experience with one of his eyes. It was late, around 9 p.m. and we didn’t want to go to the overly busy local emergency room unless we really needed to. Fortunately, we both are patients of Brunswick Eye Care. I remembered they had an after-hours number and called it. Very promptly we had our call returned by Dr. Catherine Gallagher. She asked us both a lot of questions and took her time with us. Since the problem seemed to be resolving she didn’t think a trip to the ER was necessary unless something changed and instead she offered us an appointment the next day in her office. Of course, we kept the appointment and after a number of tests, we were relieved to be sent home with some eye drops and suggestions.
Fortunately, all has been well since. The experience reminded me of the old days when you could call your own doctor directly and either he/she would call or have a covering colleague call you back. The infamous voicemail response of “go to the ER” if you are experiencing an emergency, or the long, long waits just to leave a message, or use the patient portal if you could remember your password at such a time, were replaced by a conversation with a medical professional.
It was such a positive and comforting experience, I want to thank all the doctors at Brunswick Eye Care for their professional and caring willingness to offer such a helpful service.
Linda Heller,
Brunswick
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
