To the editor:

We have been asked to vote on changing the wording of our constitution in August. A “yes” vote on the constitutional question will remove a woman’s right to a legal abortion in the State of Kansas. A “no” vote will leave the constitution unchanged.

The legislature has the ability to regulate any abortion procedure but not to ban it outright. A “yes” vote will take away that restriction. What do you think this current crop of legislators will do? Ask your legislator. If they are truthful, they will tell you that there will be a bill to ban abortion in the next session.

If abortion is banned in Kansas, not only will women lose a right, doctors and nurses will not be allowed to fully care for their patients.

On July 23, 1964, my wife, while at the hospital, began having labor pains. She was in hard labor for 23 hours. Around the 20th hour, she developed Toxemia. Her blood pressure shot way up. They worked constantly trying to control it. The baby was in the birth canal and they were having problems picking up a heartbeat. The doctor told us, “we have to get that baby out.” As they wheeled her to the operating room, he and the nurse stayed with me and I was asked, “if we have to make a choice, should we save the mother or the baby?” I told them to save my wife. About an hour later the nurse came and escorted me to the nursery where she introduced me to my bruised, battered and very much alive son. A son that I’m very proud of and love dearly.

The hospital: Saint Joseph’s of Larned. The nurse: a sister.

Would I have been given that be an option if abortion was banned? 

Could the doctor and nurse have been charged with murder if they had to abort the baby to save my wife’s life?

Please don’t take that choice away from my family.

Jim Hayden

Great Bend