Life is precious - think before you throw it away

There are so many ways to describe the issue of abortion today - a woman's right to choose, pro-choice and so on. The real difference is between right and wrong; or more correctly, the difference between life and death.

In 1978, I met my future wife and we were married within a year. In 1980 we were blessed with our first child. Everything seemed normal the first three weeks of TT's life, until he stopped breathing. We rushed him to the hospital and after extensive tests he was diagnosed with severe birth defects. The prognosis was for him to only live a few years.

After a short stay at the hospital, we bundled up our little boy and went home. Time went by and it became very clear that our son was different. He was never able to take care of himself. He was never able to talk, walk or feed himself. We found ourselves doing everything for him.

Over the next couple of years we added two more children to our family. Life went on except with isolated periods of panic when TT would go into seizure and stop breathing. As time passed, TT proved the doctors wrong; our son was a fighter and refused to give up.

By the mid-'90s we moved TT into our bed because he would stop breathing or aspirate fluid into his lungs, and my wife and I took shifts to keep things under control.

By the early 2000s, the illness became more constant and TT's body was struggling - and yet when he saw me come home from work he would start clapping and get that sparkle in his eyes. If he was feeling OK he would crawl over and give me a kiss. That's what love is all about.

TT taught us all about love, compassion, kindness, fun, happiness and life in general. His mind never developed to the level of a 1-year-old but he was so smart.

In the fall of 2003, TT developed a blood clot in his leg. During a period of several weeks he became weaker and weaker. Finally he lost his battle to live, and we lost our son.

Some might have said, "Oh your wife should have aborted that fetus." But we loved that little boy so much, and we wouldn't have traded the nearly 24 years of joy and happiness he gave us.

How someone could end the life of child in the womb is beyond me. In today's world we have the means by which pregnancy can be prevented. Because people choose not to be responsible does not give them the right to kill innocent life.

There is always adoption if you can't take care of the baby. Lots of people want to adopt - I know, our daughter is adopted.

If you become pregnant, think about your options, please just think about it.

Life is so precious and once it's gone it can't be brought back. I know that I miss TT every day of my life and I don't want anyone to miss what he gave me.

TT David passed away on Oct. 8, 2003.

• Steven L. David lives in Carson City.