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As a nurse, now retired, I have worked with many different doctors. Many are good, kind, and clearly called by God. Others are arrogant, full of themselves, and may have been reared that way, pressured into the field, or are just jerks. Then, there are those who were called, and then gave into temptation, disappointing God. Clearly, many of us have not always acted the way we would have wanted to, looking back. What many people,"civilians", don't realize is that what Drs. say about patients, behind patients' backs are sometimes not what Drs. say to patients in the room. There are also numerous doctors that have excellent skills, yet a horrible bedside manner. Unfortunately, sometimes, it seems that when one needs a highly specialized Dr, it can be difficult to find someone with both skills. I have always said, if you want the best outcome, ask a nurse. If you want someone with a great bedside manner, ask a nurse. If you want someone with a good outcome and a great bedside manners, ask a nurse....but understand there may be 3 different answers to those questions! And, let us not forget hospital politics. What if, in this case (and I have no idea - I am just playing a "devil's advocate"), Dr. Bruner depended on financial support of his “new” surgery? What if he worried that upsetting the political applecart would affect this money? Which decision does he make? Is it best to have financial support so that these surgeries continue (because no insurance pays for ANYTHING experiemental) so that more children are helped and, eventually, it is no longer considered, “experiemental” thereby making it available to everyone (within parameters)? Or, does he upset the applecart who or that pays his salary, finances his desire to help others, and so he says was he is told to say?

I guess, what I am hoping to bring to one's mind, is that we never know the whole story, the whole person, and we can't possibly know what we would do, given an opportunity to be in the other person's shoes, with that person's experiences and knowledge.

It is so horrible to lie - and obviously, given Dr. Bruner’s statements, and Michael Clancy's, it does appear that he did. BUT, I KNOW MOST of us have lied, given an opportunity to: not hurt another person, further a "good" cause, or it seemed the best decision at that time. If Dr. Bruner agreed that the child reached out, he has to tell moms that their child will not be paralyzed during the procedure and may feel pain. He'd have to admit that anesthesia in such unique cases is also still experimental and not foolproof. Would this be something a parent would want to hear? He'd have to be open to questions about the other surgery, the one with the older baby being posed vs this one, and there begins a web of possibilities as to why someone would choose not to tell the truth. I am not saying it is the right thing. Afterall, I doubt the doctor would have realized that a photojournalist's career would be so devastatingly be affected....OR, he may have thought that one person's career may not be worth the loss of so many babies’ health....? Like I mentioned, I don't know any more about this case than what I have read on this site. But, I DO remember seeing the original picture when it was first published...and I felt blessed that God would allow it to be captured for EVERYONE to see...and realize that, yes, a baby is a baby - not just what Planned Parenthood or the abortionists say it is.

I worked in high risk labor and delivery for almost a decade, across from Dr. Tiller's clinic. Please understand, and do not believe for one minute, that just because abortion is legal (supposedly a pro-choicer's reason to contnue the insanity), that there are no infections, complications, loss of uteruses, or death. Do not believe for one minute that these girls/women are educated to what is REALLY happening with their babies. There are laws every doctor must follow when a baby is born alive (no matter what the gestational-how many weeks a woman is pregnant - age), whether a baby is stillborn or aborted beyond a certain gestational age, or if it weighs beyond a certain amount... and these laws do not impress him. He has an incinerator on site. I am only privy to what his patients have told us, but I don't know why a woman would lie about having been further along than she was or lie about what was told to her. Sometimes the only time a woman realizes the truth is when she carries a wanted baby beyond a certain point or it weighs beyond a certain amount, and she miscarries - and is shocked to discover the baby has to have a funeral, receives a death certificate, etc. and questions why, when she knows she didn't have to with her abortion - and that baby weighed more than this one, or she was further along than she was with this one... .

As someone caring for these women, and being very much a “prolife” advocate, I would like to take an opportunity to caution other “pro-lifers”, who I know mean well, but, can at times, come across judgmental to the women who aborted a child. I think there was only one woman I have cared for, who didn't express regret and shame. And, just because the one whose history I obtained, did not offer a remark, doesn't mean she didn't feel it either. I believe we need to talk more about trying to save women from the guilt, shame, and judgment they will feel - not from others, but, instinctively, from themselves, and the Holy Spirit. They will also regret it if they miscarry a wanted baby, have a stillborn, if a child of theirs in the future dies, if anything bad ever happens to them again - they DO perceive it as God's judgment. They also believe it when, because of the unstoppable bleeding, and/or DIC (a serious complication) occurs, resulting in the uterus having to be taken, meaning they will never carry a child they want. I believe it is a mentally, emotionally, and physically unhealthy act for the woman - not to mention what it does to the child, when a woman aborts a baby. If men really loved their wives, girlfriends, sisters, and mothers, they would never ask them to do go through an abortion. I think it is important to balance what we say to women who have made such a horrible choice, with God's forgiveness. And, for them to understand it is because we care not just for the unborn children, but also for THEM, that we try to educate them about their potential decision. I believe every person has the right for a fully disclosed, complete knowledge of the pros and cons in going through a procedure. And, whether it is an abortion or an elective surgery, one should know exactly what to expect and what alternatives there are. Far too many doctors leave that education to someone else and /or do not disclose everything. EVERY person has the right and SHOULD ALWAYS ask, “What are the pro's, the con's, and the alternatives to this procedure? I didn't mean to make this so lengthy, and I don't mean to say Dr. Bruner doesn't do fine work (he obviously has helped numerous families and children). I'm just saying that he, as well as all other doctors, are human. As humans, we sin. And, just because we have an experience with someone, I don't know that it is fair to think we know everything about their character. I know I have done things I thought I would never do - but felt I had to so I could protect my children...but when someone lies, they are always protecting themselves or someone else and possibly, a cause greater than themselves. It may not be right, but it is human. And, I hope, if this doctor is a Christian, he will ask forgiveness from God, Michael, and the public...and we would forgive him as we have been forgiven. No matter whether he did or didn't do or say, it might not (and probably doesn't) have any impact on his exceptional surgical skills and clinical expertise, and whether he is able to help others. Many patients don't and will never even know about what happened behind the scenes. Those that do, could always ask him, could always choose not to, or could decide that, for them, it doesn't matter and they'd use him anyway, or some may choose trust above all else...and unless they "feel" that from him, decide against using him. But, no matter what the real circumstances of that day the picture was taken, the doctor and Michael made it possible for all of us to be a witness to the miracle of life and God's blessing on a family who did as He asked. For this, I am grateful and also, blessed.