Pat Thomas and Tasha Branscomb
Recorded
June 22, 2024
01:27:36
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddc002667
Description
Mother Pat Thomas (75) and daughter Latasha "Tasha" Branscomb (50) discuss Pat's career in the medical field, especially her work as a Healthcare Assistant at Planned Parenthood, where she's been serving for 18 years and counting. They reflect on how Louisiana's abortion ban has impacted Pat's ability to care for birthing people.Subject Log / Time Code
Pat Thomas (PT) remembers becoming a parent and shares her first memories of Latasha Branscomb (LB).
PT and LB compare and contrast their upbringings. LB appreciates her childhood visits to PT's rural hometown in Mississippi and remembers working the land and picking peas.
PT shares that, as a child, she wanted to become a librarian when she grew up. She recounts her journey to becoming a nurse's aide, describes her responsibilities, and expresses admiration for her nursing supervisor.
PT recalls her community's secretive attitude towards pregnancy while growing up. She explains that very few babies were born in her town, that midwives did the birthing work, and that abortions were practically unheard of.
PT recounts coming to work for Planned Parenthood after Hurricane Katrina. She describes her patients' vibrant energy after receiving medical care and remembers feeling fearless during her first few weeks in her position.
PT lists her responsibilities at Planned Parenthood, which include greeting patients, taking vitals, setting up medical equipment, and giving injections.
PT celebrates Planned Parenthood's transgender clinic. She affectionately describes the teenage patients who come to the center to receive the Depo-Provera birth control shot.
PT remembers the hurt she felt when she first found out about Louisiana's abortion ban. She explains that it pains her that her Planned Parenthood center can no longer offer abortions to patients.
PT describes the devastation of a former patient who tested positive for HIV. LB remembers that PT cried over this patient, even though PT hardly sheds tears.
PT lists the services that her Planned Parenthood center currently offers, which include pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and pap smears. She emphasizes that Planned Parenthood offers dedicated follow-up care after pap smears with abnormal results.
PT and LB assert the importance of supporting children not just in their family, but in their broader community, as well.
LB describes what it was like to watch PT decide to retire. PT explains her decision to return to work part-time at Planned Parenthood.
LB remembers when PT's Planned Parenthood coworkers showed up to support PT at the hospital when PT's husband (and LB's father) fell ill. PT lists and appreciates her colleagues.
PT hopes to remain humble, keep working, and adopt a puppy. She hopes that LB will continue to love her grandchildren (who are also PT's great-grandchildren).
LB appreciates PT's sternness and lessons. LB remembers feeling scared, at first, of becoming a parent, but explains that she loves it now.
LB reflects on how PT helped her get out of the dark hole that she was in from 2011 to 2019. LB remembers calling Planned Parenthood just so she could talk to PT.
LB expresses concern over PT working at Planned Parenthood.
LB shares her hopes for her children and grandchildren.
LB reflects on playing a maternal role in her family, especially with her brothers.
PT asserts that she would like to be remembers as someone who loved everybody. LB wants to remember PT as the loving, kind, and hardworking person that she is.
PT shares that she didn't learn about abortion until she was graduating from high school. She explains that, growing up, there were never any conversations about sex or abortion and that abortion services weren't readily available because she grew up before the Roe v. Wade decision.
PT and LB lament that the United States, in terms of reproductive rights, is going backwards.
LB recounts discovering, in 2011, that her husband was molesting her daughter. She reflects on how she is now very protective of her children and grandchildren.
PT and LB wish for a legislative turnaround regarding reproductive rights.
LB compares her old clinic's response to her uterine fibroids to that of Planned Parenthood. She explains that her old clinic did nothing about the fibroids, while Planned Parenthood referred her for surgery immediately.
PT reflects on how she engaged with patients getting abortions. She advises pregnant people in the post-Roe era to do what is right for them.
PT describes the judgement she's faced for working at Planned Parenthood, but highlights the essential care the organization provides.
PT explains that she is able to stay hopeful because she believes that women will inevitably enact positive change.
Participants
- Pat Thomas
- Tasha Branscomb