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| Joyce Zounis, Colorado |
| “Do not tell anyone of this" were the words spoken to me as my mom and not on what was about to happen but of missing cheer leading practice. The room was filled with many girls and to my mom’s dismay we saw someone we knew. I sat in a room waiting for my name to be called just like any other doctor’ s appointment but this was like no other. They said it won't hurt; it did! They said it would be over real quick; it has lasted 29 years! Eleven years after my first abortion, I was having my seventh. I was in the same waiting room, walking the same hall, wearing the same gown, taking the same pill, and laying on the same table. To this abortionist’s dis-gust, my pregnancy was further along and required more of his time. Several hours later the vacuum-like noise broke a decade-old trance – “what have I done?” I began to weep uncontrollably, and this enraged the abortionist. His gestures were rough, and he was morbidly pleased to have me see his bloody garments when he was finished. The nurse quickly moved me to the recovery room and gave me crackers. Within 10 minutes I was rushed out the back door and nauseous on my way home. Eleven years, three clinics, two states, seven abortions, and not once was I told of the physical risks I would suffer later: the necessity of bi-lateral mammograms and fear of breast cancer; ovarian cysts; being bed ridden for five months in my last pregnancy and having to explain the possibly of “mommy dying” to my four young children due to placenta previa, which resulted in my losing all but two pints of blood; and, a partial hysterectomy at delivery. Not once was I told of the emotional trauma I would suffer; uncontrollable anger flamed by betrayal, unspeakable seclusion, and the inability to trust. That child loss through choice would devour my dignity as I justi-fied the twisted truth. Or that deception would slowly creep into all areas of my life including the need to discretely reveal several of my abortions as miscarriages. Desperate and deplorable I did become. I was never told I would feel like I was the only one going crazy. Everyone talks about the “right to choose;” but no one talks about the choice; which in my case led to sabotaging many life joys. I will never forget hearing my firstborn’s heartbeat. Instead of joy I was in shock, terrified that the nurses could see right through me and what I had done to my other children. I was never told you would need to grieve and cry for your unborn; that your life would be forever altered by the horrors of your ‘chosen’ loss, tormented by the innate longing to hold and know your dead children and their dreams. Or that my five living children would suffer with an impossible mom; trapped by the hidden sadness of her gullible past. Through divine intervention in 1990, I participated in an abortion recovery program. Awestruck, I was able to face and be released from my secret sorrows. And finally, I was able to mourn my seven baby boys publicly. Today my mom joins me in telling others that abortion hurts women. I was wrong. Abortion was not the right answer for my untimely pregnancies. This mom of 12 children chooses to be a voice of truth. Abortion is a private prison that sucks the life out of you and your children, and their children, and their children. |
| Joyce is the host of Beyond the Bandaide, a radio talk-show. Her experience includes guest hosting on Daystar’s Denver Celebration TV. Joyce appears with Norma McCorvey, who was "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade in the internationally released documentary "I Was Wrong.” Joyce co-facilitates the nationwide weekly conference call for HIS A. R.M.Y. (Abortion Recovery Ministering Yahweh). Visit HisArmy. net for more information Joyce's story of childhood sexual abuse and child loss through choice (abortion) is also featured in the book Motherhood Interrupted by Jane Brennan. Joyce has served as the National Director of Women's Outreach, the Colorado State Leader and the chair of the National Advisory Committee for Operation Outcry (OO). She has produced and hosted OO’s radio show, Voices Of Abortion, and she produced the first season of OO’s TV show, Faces Of Abortion. She has served as the Communication Chair for Pure By Choice, a faith-based program dedicated to the advancement of the purity revolution and as a board member of Hope, A Place of Rest, a ministry for pregnancy loss. She has volunteered with pregnancy care centers across the nation and her experience includes client advocacy; facilitating abortion recovery and coordinating pregnancy loss programs; special event planning, media advocacy and training new volunteers. She has also served as the Director of Colorado Pregnancy Centers. |
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