“Her growth began to slow. ’Rare but not unheard of’ became my life story. My daughter’s heart was giving up. ‘This is really hard news. But you can do this.’ It was exactly what I needed to hear.”
‘Oh, honey.’ She noticed a cleft lip and clubbed feet. ‘This is going to be hard.’: Woman shares journey with daughter’s CHARGE syndrome
‘I’m hurt you’d date my ex!’ She tried to pin abuse on us. We called their phone. No one answered.’: Blended family forced to leave kids details journey, ‘We can’t wait to be together again’
“His son never wanted to see us again. He loves video games and changed his name to ‘leaving.’ He was hurting and did not know how to express it. When we called their phone, no one answered.”
‘She’d take us on ‘missions’ in the night. It was her outlet for being a single mom. I was eventually placed in foster care.’: First generation college graduate and father shares journey, ‘I broke a generational barrier’’
“We experienced the trauma of being ripped away from our mom, as well as each other, and we were forced to live with families we didn’t know. I grew up sooner than I expected.”
‘We were 2 kids who thought we knew what life was about. We were SHOCKED to find out I was pregnant. I felt so ashamed.’: Young mom births daughter with Rett Syndrome, ‘I’m blessed to be part of her story’
“She was my sin who couldn’t be hidden from others. ‘Is this my punishment for how she was brought into the world?’ But I no longer want to hide. She is my reminder to choose LIFE.”
‘One baby’s heart is fine.’ Mom asked, ‘What about the OTHER?’ My first surgery was at 3 days old. It’s as bad as it gets.’: Woman survives heart disease, transplant, ‘Each day I rise’
“The surgeries were risky, and many didn’t make it through. None guaranteed survival.”
‘We need to deliver this baby NOW!’ The NICU is a dance between life and death. We took one step forward, three steps back.’: Mom of micro preemie to become nurse, ‘I’m giving back’
“Our journey was a rollercoaster. It’s wanting to hold your child, but knowing it is best you don’t sometimes. It’s yearning for normalcy in a world of the unfamiliar. For me, there was no greater fear than going back.”
‘A tumor had taken over my entire femur. ‘All signs are leading to cancer.’ They removed 60% of the muscle in my leg. It was torture’: Cancer survivor says, ‘I found the power to keep fighting’
“I spent 3 days wide awake because I couldn’t stop hallucinating giant, juicy spiders crawling over me. I had to sleep with my feet in ice buckets. My skin felt like it was on fire. This was all ‘normal’ in the chemo world.”
‘Welcome to toddlerhood.’ She’d lose her voice from screaming and crying so long. I missed seeing her happy.’: Mom of daughter with Sensory Processing Disorder urges ‘you AREN’T crazy’
“She’d bang her head on the walls and bite her fingers until she broke skin. We left playdates early. ‘I’m getting concerned.’ More and more signs popped up. I KNEW this wasn’t typical toddler behavior.”
‘I can’t do it alone.’ Guilt rained down on me. My daughter clasped my hand. ‘I love you, Mommy.’ That was the moment I decided I deserved true love.’: Mom navigates life after divorce
“I found a tiny, one-bedroom apartment and we ate dinner with dollar store utensils. Our lawyers were mean. We were mean. I cried in the shower a lot. I wasn’t going back. I wasn’t going to feel guilty for showing my daughter what type of love she deserved too.”
‘There’s ALWAYS something wrong.’ I’d sleep for 14 hours and still be exhausted. My body was clearly trying to tell me something.’: Woman battles chronic illnesses, ‘I changed my perspective’
“I was labeled a ‘hypochondriac.’ I’d get home and sleep without being able to do basic things like chores. ‘It’s all in your head!’ My worst fear was looking weak.”