[O]f the three embryos that were implanted, all three took. We were
faced with the news of triplets. I was shocked, knowing the burden that
would entail, but since G-d gave us three, I was prepared to do whatever
I needed to do to help, manage, and provide.
My wife? Something snapped. She insisted that we do a "selective
reduction" from three to one, or else she would have a full abortion.
She was adamant. She would not carry three. She would not carry two.
I was presented with a Coventry-esque decision: save one, or save
none. I chose the former, though I tried on several occasions to
convince her to at least keep twins. I failed…. My mantra became "Save
one, or save none."
Before the procedure, my wife's eyes teared up; she asked the doctor
over and over if they would feel pain, and was assured they would not. I
asked again if my wife was sure about this because once done, it could
not be undone. She said she was sure, but her tears and her looking away
from the screen, deliberately, and her wanting me to not look either,
told me the truth: she knew as well that this was wrong….
My wife didn't look, but I had to. I had to know what would happen to my children. I had to know how they would die.
Each retreated, pushing away, as the needle entered the amniotic sac. They did not inject into the placenta, but directly into each child's torso.
Each one crumpled as the needle pierced the body. I saw the heart stop
in the first, and mine almost did, too. The other's heart fought, but
ten minutes later they looked again, and it too had ceased…. Continue at Stand to Reason
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