“‘It’s okay, Mommy’s here.’ Your eyes roll back as every muscle in your body tenses. The monitor starts beeping as your oxygen levels drop. You have 50 or more seizures in a day.”
Sonia Beltz
‘It doesn’t LOOK like a seizure.’ There are only 35 people in the whole world with this.’: Mom of son with rare chromosome disorder claims ‘I will never stop advocating for you’
‘Mom, I’m drinking again and can’t stop.’ I was sober for a total of 33 days. I was ready for life to be over.’: Woman battles alcohol addiction, finds ‘blessings of sobriety’
“Alcohol never left me, broke up with me, or rejected me. By the time I realized I needed to slow down, the brakes were off, and I had no control.”
‘What is wrong with me?’ The doctor said it like I already knew. I wasn’t sure what to say.’: Neurodivergent woman shares ‘now’ and ‘then’ perspective after multiple diagnoses
“The harder I tried, the more I knew I didn’t fit in. I was hated by those who were supposed to love me, and I hated myself. If I can thrive, anyone can do it.”
‘How do I know if I’m an alcoholic?’ I got blackout drunk and kissed a total stranger.’: Woman thanks husband for supporting her sobriety journey
“I had a bad concussion, a sprained neck, a separated shoulder, and a few burns and bruises. I was alive. No one knew the truth. I was invincible, and I kept drinking.”
‘There’s something missing in your son.’ I brushed it off as him being ADD like me. I felt guilty and angry.’: Neurodivergent mom to son with autism urges ‘self-empowerment’ for others like her
“‘R*tard’ and ‘lunatic’ became my ‘pet names.’ We still haven’t received a call for an ‘official diagnosis.’ So, I started my own research. I don’t want other children to suffer as I did.”
‘She just doesn’t want to go to school.’ At 18, I became a single mom living with undiagnosed pain.’: Chronic illness warrior becomes advocate with son’s help, ‘I couldn’t live without him’
“I had 9 months symptom-free. ‘I wish I didn’t have to give you this diagnosis.’ I felt like my life was ending.”
‘Sorry to disappoint, but we were adopted.’ He was disgusted. I felt like a possession, not a person.’: Adoptee shares difficult childhood, fosters and adopts daughter
“Serenity was vulnerable and scared, and I could see she personified me and my childhood. I was bound and determined to change and make things better for her.”
‘I had a huge fear of public speaking, until I turned 30.’: Man overcomes social anxiety, depression to pursue stand-up comedian dreams
“I agreed to a small part, but I ended up doing 12 episodes across two seasons. For the first time, I felt like I had a voice.”
‘You’re a girl, right?’ My 8-year-old son asked her if she was homeless. Our kids are not the problem.’: LGBTQ mom shares love story, urges acceptance for same-sex parents
“’Baby, do you mind if my ex and his family move in?’ My family wondered if she was ready to be the mom of 2 special-needs children. Did she really understand what she was signing up for?”
The Day I Was Diagnosed As Autistic Was The Day I Became ‘Normal’
“’You know, he is very ADHD.’ What I found blew open my world. I saw my son, but more so, I saw myself.”
