The current issue of "Fang," the student newspaper at Lake Highlands High School, has a fascinating article entitled "But I can’t be pregnant!" by LHHS student Alex Osorio. In it, Alex writes openly about her experiences discovering her pregnancy, telling her father, dealing with fear, experiencing the pain of childbirth, and raising a baby. At several points along her journey, she says "all I could do is cry."

Alex doesn’t glamorize her situation. She describes vomiting from morning sickness and feeling ashamed to tell family and friends. She recounts the long hours of childbirth and the "outrageous amounts of pain" she faced. She talks about going home with the baby and realizing the nurses weren’t there to help her anymore. She describes trading senior parties for dirty diapers. Her basic message is this – "Sex isn’t a game," and pregnancy was the "hardest obstacle" she’ll ever face. A cautionary tale by a person who’s living it. I wonder if the kids will listen. Copies of "Fang" are available at Highlands Cafe.

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