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.

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Episode Transcript

Dustin (00:00):
Welcome to Story Charmed Life, where we harness the
power of storytelling to inspirepersonal growth and
transformation.
And today we're diving into agripping tale that will
challenge your perspective andignite your empathy.
Imagine you've spent yearshoning your skills to save lives

(00:20):
, only to find yourself in aposition where your hands are
tied by laws that force you toignore your training and put
patients at risk.
This is the reality for doctorslike Kylie Cooper in Idaho and
other states with strictabortion bans.

Picture this (00:38):
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 obstetricianspecializing in high-risk
pregnancies, a maternal fetalmedicine expert, but today she

(00:58):
feels more like a tightropewalker, balancing precariously
between her medical oath and thelaw.
Just two days after Idaho'sdraconian abortion ban goes into
effect, Kayla Smith walks intoCooper's office.
Kayla is four months pregnantwith a boy she and her husband
have already named Brooks.
But, as Cooper peers at thetiny heart on the ultrasound,

(01:23):
she realizes the devastatingtruth.
Brooks will not survive.
The left half of his heart hasbarely formed.
At any other time, Cooper wouldhave been able to offer Kayla
options, including a medicallynecessary abortion.
But under Idaho's new law,performing an abortion for any

(01:44):
reason is now a felony.
Cooper finds herself in animpossible situation, forced to
tell her patient that she has nochoice but to continue a
dangerous, non-viable pregnancy.
Can you imagine the weight ofthat moment, the tears shared
between doctor and patient, thecrushing realization that the

(02:05):
very laws meant to protect lifeare now putting lives at risk?
This is just the beginning ofour journey into the heart of a
healthcare crisis that's forcingdoctors to choose between their
patients and their freedom.
In a small town in Idaho, Dr.
Amelia Huntsberger has been thetrusted OBGYN for years.

(02:27):
She's delivered countlessbabies, shared in the joys and
sorrows of her patients andbecome a pillar of her community
.
But now she's packing up heroffice, saying goodbye to the
families she's cared for, allbecause of a law that makes it
impossible for her to practicemedicine as she knows it should
be practiced.

(02:48):
Huntsberger isn't alone.
In the first 15 months afterIdaho's ban, the state lost more
than 50 OBGYN's.
That's one-fifth of the total.
Among maternal fetal medicinespecialists like Dr.
Cooper, the exodus has beeneven more dramatic.
Of the nine practicing in 2022,five have left or significantly

(03:11):
reduced their hours.
Can you feel the ripple effectof these departures?
It's not just about doctorsleaving.
It's about communities losingaccess to vital health care.
It's about women in rural areashaving to drive hours to find
an OBGYN.
It's about high-riskpregnancies being managed by

(03:34):
doctors who may not have thespecialized training they need.
But here's where the story takesan even more thought-provoking
turn.
Dr.
Sarah Thompson, a Catholicobstetrician working in a
Catholic hospital, finds herselfquestioning everything she
thought she knew about abortion.
She is confronted with cases ofwomen whose water breaks too

(03:56):
early, putting them at risk oflife-threatening infections.
Before the ban, she would haveoffered to terminate these
non-viable pregnancies toprotect the mother's health.
Now she's forced to tellpatients they have no choice but
to wait.
Wait until they go into labor,become infected or until the

(04:17):
fetus's heart stops beating.
Thompson, a former militarydoctor, describes this as
morally disgusting.
She's torn between her legalobligations and her duty to her
patients.
Every time I take care of apatient in this scenario, she
says, it makes me question whyI'm staying here.

(04:40):
As we pause to reflect onThompson's dilemma, imagine the
weight of knowing you have theskills to help someone, to
potentially save their life, butbeing legally barred from doing
so?
How would that affect you?
How would it change the way youview your profession, your
purpose?
This is the reality for doctorsacross Idaho and other states

(05:03):
with similar laws.
They're not just facing a legalchallenge.
They're facing a moral crisisthat strikes at the very heart
of what it means to be a healer.
Let's return to the scene ofKayla Smith for a moment.
She's the woman who had totravel to Seattle for an
abortion after learning her sonhad a fatal heart condition.

(05:24):
But her story didn't end there.
Kayla and her family ultimatelyleft Idaho for Washington so
she could have another child ina safer state.
Think about that for a moment.
An entire family uprooted, notjust for an abortion, but for
the chance to have a healthypregnancy in the future.

(05:45):
Not everyone has the means tomove to another state.
What about the women who can'tafford to leave?
What about those who have deeproots in their communities?
The human cost extends beyondthe patients.
Doctors like Thompson areexperiencing severe moral
distress.
Although she was once amilitary doctor practicing in an

(06:09):
active war zone, she never hadto seek a mental health
counselor to cope.
But the stress of practicingunder these restrictions in
Idaho has driven her to seekcounseling now.
This speaks volumes about thepsychological toll these laws
are taking on health careproviders.
And then there are the storiesthat break your heart.

(06:30):
A woman who lost four pints ofblood delivering her dead fetus
in a hospital's holding area.
Another who was turned awayfrom three separate hospitals
while bleeding, with one tellingher she could wait in the
parking lot until her conditionbecame life-threatening.
These aren't just statistics.

(06:50):
These are real women withfamilies, dreams and futures
being put at risk by laws thatclaim to protect life.
St Luke's, the largest hospitalin Idaho, started airlifting
some patients with complicationsout of state after the trigger
ban took effect.
Think about that for a moment.

(07:11):
Women in medical distress beingput on planes and flown across
state lines just to receive thecare they need.
It's a scenario that soundsmore like a dystopian novel than
modern health care in America.
The burning question becomes,where do we go from here?
The situation seems dire, butthere's always hope when people

(07:35):
come together to fight forwhat's right.
Let's start with the glimmer ofhope we saw in June 2024.
The Supreme Court's decision toreinstate the injunction
allowing emergency abortionsunder the Emergency Medical
Treatment and Active Labor Actprovided some relief to doctors
like Sarah Thompson.
But, as Thompson quicklyrealized, this was far from a

(07:59):
definitive solution.
The court's dismissal of thecase was really a non-decision,
leaving the conflict betweenfederal and state law unresolved
.
It's a band-aid at best, andone that could easily be torn
off by a future administrationthat chooses not to enforce this
act.
So what can be done?

(08:20):
There are several paths forward, each with its own challenges.

Legislative Change (08:25):
doctors are still pushing for Idaho to add
medical exceptions to the law.
However, progress has been slow.
In 2024, the state legislaturedid nothing to address the issue
and a hearing where Thompsonwas set to speak was canceled at
the last minute by Republicans.

Ballot Initiatives (08:45):
a group in Idaho is planning a ballot
initiative to put the questionof abortion directly to voters.
However, this won't happenuntil 2026, leaving women and
doctors in limbo for two moreyears.

Legal Challenges (09:02):
Kayla Smith, whose story we heard earlier,
has joined a lawsuit filed bythe Center for Reproductive
Rights challenging the limitedscope of exceptions under
Idaho's ban.

Individual Action (09:15):
some doctors like Thompson are choosing to
stay and fight.
She's come up with a backupplan to become a traveling
doctor if necessary, but she'scommitted to staying in Idaho
for now, thinking of the womenwho can't afford to leave the
state for care.
This is where you, our listeners, come in.

(09:36):
The power to change thissituation lies in our collective
ability to empathize, tounderstand and to act.
Here's what you can do.

Educate yourself (09:46):
learn about the complexities of these laws
and their real-world impacts.
Don't just rely on headlines.
Dig deeper into the stories ofthose affected.

Speak up (09:57):
share these stories in this podcast episode with
others.
Start conversations in yourcommunity about the importance
of comprehensive health care forwomen.
Engage with yourrepresentatives.
Let your lawmakers know thatyou care about this issue.
Demand clear, compassionatelaws that protect both women and

(10:20):
doctors.

Support organizations (10:21):
consider supporting groups that are
fighting for reproductive rightsand health care access in
states like Idaho.
Vote.
When the time comes, make yourvoice heard at the ballot box.
Every vote counts in shapingthe future of our health care
system.
This isn't just about abortion.

(10:43):
It's about ensuring that everywoman has access to the full
spectrum of health care sheneeds.
It's about allowing doctors topractice medicine without fear.
It's about creating a societywhere compassion and medical
expertise guide our healthcaredecisions, not political

(11:04):
ideology.
What I love most about a goodmovie or novel is the chance to
walk in another character'sshoes for a moment,
understanding the triumphs,plight and predicaments of
someone that I might not havecrossed paths with just yet in
the real world.
Great storytelling allows us tostep outside of ourselves for a
moment and truly connect withthe experiences of others.

(11:27):
By taking the time tounderstand and empathize with
others, we cultivate deeperrelationships and create a more
compassionate world for all ofus.
So let's all approach thisreal-life issue with the highest
level of personal investment.
Because, in the end, this couldbe any of us.

(11:47):
Our sisters, our daughters, ourfriends.
The path forward isn't easy butit's one we must walk together.
By embracing empathy,understanding and action, we can
create a healthcare system thattruly serves everyone,
empowering us to be well, doextraordinary things and live a

(12:08):
story-charmed life.