“He suddenly had microcephaly, and none of us understood why. I was terrified. He was so tiny and fragile. All of this was because I contracted a virus while pregnant. I felt so guilty.”
‘There’s no cure.’ He had cysts on his brain. We were at a dead end. I was beyond devastated, but I had to fight.’: Mom advocates for son born with hearing loss, CMV, ‘He’s made me stronger’
Be Kind This Holiday Season—Especially To Your Grieving Friends
“Whether it’s been one year or ten, it’s just never really the same.”
‘Thank God he’s leaving,’ someone said loudly. I whipped around. ‘He has autism.’ My blood BOILED.’: Mom advocates for son with autism, ‘We’re stepping into his world’
“Suddenly, he lost ALL his words. ‘Have you heard him talk recently?’ He stopped making eye contact and couldn’t sleep through the night. We grieved a life we had imagined for our son.”
‘You should leave me. Be with a woman who can give you a child.’ I’d go from screaming to sobbing on the floor. I felt broken.’: Couple battling infertility welcome IVF baby, ‘Never lose hope’
“I found out we weren’t pregnant. 8 hours later, friends of ours told us they were expecting. I’ve never felt so defeated, so broken, so less like a woman in my entire life. I thought everyone would be better off if I wasn’t around.”
‘I’m so sorry. They all died.’ My dreams SHATTERED. I was afraid I’d never get to be a mother.’: Couple battling male-factor infertility share path to parenthood, ‘I’m proud to be their mom’
“It was like a knife was stuck into my chest, over and over again. My worst fears were realized. My plan was to be a mom. JUST. A. MOM. Then my husband said, ‘Let’s use donor sperm.’ He gave me hope.”
‘Are you going to keep her?’ We never thought it would happen to us. I prayed for her to be ‘normal.’: Mom details Down syndrome acceptance journey, ‘She’s changed our lives’
“We were angry. We were scared. We tried to talk ourselves into believing the test was wrong. ‘Why did you choose me to be her mother?’ I felt so inadequate to raise a child with special needs.”
To My Friend Who Would Rather Not Do Christmas This Holiday Season—I See You
“It’s okay if it all feels like too much. It’s okay if you are ready for it all to be over. I may not know what it’s like to walk in your shoes, but you are not alone.”
‘I don’t belong here.’ I had a hard time accepting myself. People were always trying to ‘fix’ me.’: Woman finds acceptance in Deaf community, ‘We have so much to offer’
“I was never invited to a friend’s house. At lunchtime, I couldn’t keep up. I was slapped because I pronounced words wrong. No one else shared my struggle. I found my community and never looked back.”
‘He doesn’t open presents, understand Santa Claus, or notice the glow of Christmas lights.’: Mom to son with autism candidly details holiday grief, ‘Special needs parents, I see you’
“The busy atmosphere and holiday rush put him into sensory overload. The magical memories faded as fast as his eye contact. But this year, after years of trying, he finally put the star on the tree.”
‘You lift him up, no matter how heavy the world seems. You’re his safe place, his best friend. You became a hero in not just one, but two sets of eyes.’: Mom thanks daughter for being ‘hero’ to sibling with autism
“When he was diagnosed with autism, it changed nothing between you. You loved him for being himself. He doesn’t have to pretend with you. Back then, I didn’t truly know how much your role would mean. I’m so happy he has you to walk through this life together.”