Caught Between Oaths and Laws

What happens when dedicated doctors find themselves caught between their medical oaths and restrictive laws? Join us on this heart-wrenching episode of Story Charmed Life as we unveil the stark reality of healthcare in abortion-restricted states. Hear firsthand from Dr. Kylie Cooper and Dr. Amelia Huntsberger in Idaho, who grapple daily with the impossible choices forced upon them. We bring you the poignant story of Kayla Smith, whose desperate journey out of state for a medically necessary abortion underscores the catastrophic impact of these laws. And walk in the shoes of Dr. Sarah Thompson as she shares her emotional struggle to balance her ethical duty to her patients against the legal constraints she faces.

In the following chapter, we address the power of empathy and collective action in transforming reproductive health care laws. By diving deeper than the headlines, we can truly understand the personal stories of those affected and take meaningful steps towards change. We discuss the importance of community conversations, engaging with lawmakers, and supporting organizations fighting for reproductive rights. This episode is a call to action—encouraging listeners to vote, advocate, and push for a compassionate healthcare system that upholds the dignity and health of women and the doctors who serve them.

Chapters

• 0:00 Healthcare Crisis in Abortion-Restricted States
• 9:33 Empathy, Action, and Healthcare Reform

Transcript

Dustin: 0:00

Welcome to Story Charmed Life, where we harness the power of storytelling to inspire personal growth and transformation. And today we're diving into a gripping tale that will challenge your perspective and ignite your empathy. Imagine you've spent years honing your skills to save lives, only to find yourself in a position where your hands are tied by laws that force you to ignore your training and put patients at risk. This is the reality for doctors like Kylie Cooper in Idaho and other states with strict abortion bans. Picture this: it's a warm summer day in 2022, and Dr Cooper is sitting in her office, a growing sense of dread gnawing at her insides. She's an obstetrician specializing in high-risk pregnancies, a maternal fetal medicine expert, but today she feels more like a tightrope walker, balancing precariously between her medical oath and the law.

Dustin: 1:05

Just two days after Idaho's draconian abortion ban goes into effect, Kayla Smith walks into Cooper's office. Kayla is four months pregnant with a boy she and her husband have already named Brooks. But, as Cooper peers at the tiny heart on the ultrasound, she realizes the devastating truth. Brooks will not survive. The left half of his heart has barely formed. At any other time, Cooper would have been able to offer Kayla options, including a medically necessary abortion. But under Idaho's new law, performing an abortion for any reason is now a felony. Cooper finds herself in an impossible situation, forced to tell her patient that she has no choice but to continue a dangerous, non-viable pregnancy. Can you imagine the weight of that moment, the tears shared between doctor and patient, the crushing realization that the very laws meant to protect life are now putting lives at risk? This is just the beginning of our journey into the heart of a healthcare crisis that's forcing doctors to choose between their patients and their freedom.

Dustin: 2:20

In a small town in Idaho, Dr. Amelia Huntsberger has been the trusted OBGYN for years. She's delivered countless babies, shared in the joys and sorrows of her patients and become a pillar of her community. But now she's packing up her office, saying goodbye to the families she's cared for, all because of a law that makes it impossible for her to practice medicine as she knows it should be practiced. Huntsberger isn't alone. In the first 15 months after Idaho's ban, the state lost more than 50 OBGYN's. That's one-fifth of the total. Among maternal fetal medicine specialists like Dr. Cooper, the exodus has been even more dramatic. Of the nine practicing in 2022, five have left or significantly reduced their hours. Can you feel the ripple effect of these departures? It's not just about doctors leaving. It's about communities losing access to vital health care. It's about women in rural areas having to drive hours to find an OBGYN. It's about high-risk pregnancies being managed by doctors who may not have the specialized training they need.

Dustin: 3:37

But here's where the story takes an even more thought-provoking turn. Dr. Sarah Thompson, a Catholic obstetrician working in a Catholic hospital, finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about abortion. She is confronted with cases of women whose water breaks too early, putting them at risk of life-threatening infections. Before the ban, she would have offered to terminate these non-viable pregnancies to protect the mother's health. Now she's forced to tell patients they have no choice but to wait. Wait until they go into labor, become infected or until the fetus's heart stops beating. Thompson, a former military doctor, describes this as morally disgusting. She's torn between her legal obligations and her duty to her patients. Every time I take care of a patient in this scenario, she says, it makes me question why I'm staying here.

Dustin: 4:40

As we pause to reflect on Thompson's dilemma, imagine the weight of knowing you have the skills to help someone, to potentially save their life, but being legally barred from doing so? How would that affect you? How would it change the way you view your profession, your purpose? This is the reality for doctors across Idaho and other states with similar laws. They're not just facing a legal challenge. They're facing a moral crisis that strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a healer.

Dustin: 5:14

Let's return to the scene of Kayla Smith for a moment. She's the woman who had to travel to Seattle for an abortion after learning her son had a fatal heart condition. But her story didn't end there. Kayla and her family ultimately left Idaho for Washington so she could have another child in a safer state. Think about that for a moment. An entire family uprooted, not just for an abortion, but for the chance to have a healthy pregnancy in the future.

Dustin: 5:45

Not everyone has the means to move to another state. What about the women who can't afford to leave? What about those who have deep roots in their communities? The human cost extends beyond the patients. Doctors like Thompson are experiencing severe moral distress. Although she was once a military doctor practicing in an active war zone, she never had to seek a mental health counselor to cope. But the stress of practicing under these restrictions in Idaho has driven her to seek counseling now. This speaks volumes about the psychological toll these laws are taking on health care providers.

Dustin: 6:28

And then there are the stories that break your heart. A woman who lost four pints of blood delivering her dead fetus in a hospital's holding area. Another who was turned away from three separate hospitals while bleeding, with one telling her she could wait in the parking lot until her condition became life-threatening. These aren't just statistics. These are real women with families, dreams and futures being put at risk by laws that claim to protect life. St Luke's, the largest hospital in Idaho, started airlifting some patients with complications out of state after the trigger ban took effect. Think about that for a moment. Women in medical distress being put on planes and flown across state lines just to receive the care they need. It's a scenario that sounds more like a dystopian novel than modern health care in America. The burning question becomes, where do we go from here? The situation seems dire, but there's always hope when people come together to fight for what's right. Let's start with the glimmer of hope we saw in June 2024.

Dustin: 7:43

The Supreme Court's decision to reinstate the injunction allowing emergency abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act provided some relief to doctors like Sarah Thompson. But, as Thompson quickly realized, this was far from a definitive solution. The court's dismissal of the case was really a non-decision, leaving the conflict between federal and state law unresolved. It's a band-aid at best, and one that could easily be torn off by a future administration that chooses not to enforce this act. So what can be done? There are several paths forward, each with its own challenges.

Dustin: 8:25

Legislative Change: doctors are still pushing for Idaho to add medical exceptions to the law. However, progress has been slow. In 2024, the state legislature did nothing to address the issue and a hearing where Thompson was set to speak was canceled at the last minute by Republicans. Ballot Initiatives: a group in Idaho is planning a ballot initiative to put the question of abortion directly to voters. However, this won't happen until 2026, leaving women and doctors in limbo for two more years. Legal Challenges: Kayla Smith, whose story we heard earlier, has joined a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights challenging the limited scope of exceptions under Idaho's ban. Individual Action: some doctors like Thompson are choosing to stay and fight. She's come up with a backup plan to become a traveling doctor if necessary, but she's committed to staying in Idaho for now, thinking of the women who can't afford to leave the state for care.

Dustin: 9:33

This is where you, our listeners, come in. The power to change this situation lies in our collective ability to empathize, to understand and to act. Here's what you can do. Educate yourself: learn about the complexities of these laws and their real-world impacts. Don't just rely on headlines. Dig deeper into the stories of those affected. Speak up: share these stories in this podcast episode with others. Start conversations in your community about the importance of comprehensive health care for women. Engage with your representatives. Let your lawmakers know that you care about this issue. Demand clear, compassionate laws that protect both women and doctors. Support organizations: consider supporting groups that are fighting for reproductive rights and health care access in states like Idaho. Vote. When the time comes, make your voice heard at the ballot box. Every vote counts in shaping the future of our health care system. This isn't just about abortion. It's about ensuring that every woman has access to the full spectrum of health care she needs. It's about allowing doctors to practice medicine without fear. It's about creating a society where compassion and medical expertise guide our healthcare decisions, not political ideology.

Dustin: 11:06

What I love most about a good movie or novel is the chance to walk in another character's shoes for a moment, understanding the triumphs, plight and predicaments of someone that I might not have crossed paths with just yet in the real world. Great storytelling allows us to step outside of ourselves for a moment and truly connect with the experiences of others. By taking the time to understand and empathize with others, we cultivate deeper relationships and create a more compassionate world for all of us. So let's all approach this real-life issue with the highest level of personal investment. Because, in the end, this could be any of us. Our sisters, our daughters, our friends. The path forward isn't easy but it's one we must walk together. By embracing empathy, understanding and action, we can create a healthcare system that truly serves everyone, empowering us to be well, do extraordinary things and live a story-charmed life.