“I felt like everyone was passing me by and I was stagnant. I had no control over my body. Then I got a message that changed my life forever. I literally screamed. I was hopeful, excited, optimistic. Slowly, red flags started popping up.”
‘Please, I’ll give anything.’ Hands shaking, I glanced down at the test. Tears silently rolled. When we prepared for bed, my phone started ringing. My stomach dropped. She’d never called before.’
I Reunited With My Birth Parents After 18 Years, And It Was Absolutely Magical
“Since that meeting almost two years ago, my relationship with my birth parents and siblings has grown into something I treasure more than ever.”
‘WHAT!? Going from no kids to 2 under 2 in 1 day?! What on earth were we getting ourselves into?! My husband and I looked at each other. ‘WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?’
“The docs were certain I had mono. I kept thinking to myself, ‘There’s no way this is happening again’. The next day I get an urgent call. The clinic frantically demanded for me to be at the hospital ASAP for an ultrasound. I literally laughed. ‘I’m not pregnant, you must have called the wrong patient.’”
‘I was cussed out by parents who wanted to attend field trips but missed the THREE notes that went home. When they did attend, they sat on their phone. The filter comes off now.’: Teacher decides to leave her profession
“I’ve had parents tell me I’m not allowed to tell their child ‘no.’ Watching them come in… dirty clothes… chaos at home… and knowing they need more than you can give them in a classroom of 21, with less and less support, multiple languages spoken, several different disabilities… it breaks you.”
‘I gave birth to my sixth baby just six weeks ago. I have porn star-sized boobs as my milk finally came in. I’m wondering if I’ll ever look ‘normal down there’ ever again.’
“We all are so well prepared through pregnancy. Now, it feel like I’m giving birth all over again when I poop. I’m wearing mesh panties and bought more when I ran out of my hospital stash.”
‘I know you’re a boy,’ she whispered, kissing my forehead. I’d be able to start my senior year comfortable with myself.’: High school senior comes out as trans, now living as authentic self
“My eyes widened. I hid who I was and planned to never tell a soul. I quietly started my visits at a clinic in Boston, and I was prescribed testosterone during the summer. This was a huge moment for me! This led to a scary leap. I had to publicly come out as transgender to my peers.”
‘Our son fell. I noticed red tracking down his vein. I then checked his elbow – the same. I felt a bit silly, but when the doctor saw it, he wanted him in ASAP.’: Mom warns other parents after child gets sepsis from wound
“My husband convinced me. The only reason I knew is because it had happened to a friend’s son 2 years ago. It isn’t something you can ‘leave’ until Monday when the doctors are back in the office.”
‘The only photos to be found of my husband were on a park bench or in bed. He couldn’t even drive the children or stay alone with them anymore.’: Mom thankful for husband after cardiac arrest, broken back, ‘He shows up for us’
“Duties that were once his, were now solely mine. I struggled to keep a 6-week and 2-year old alive. All I saw was a father tagging along, bringing much less value to his family than he once did before.”
‘I don’t want to sit in the middle!,’ he screamed. The neighbors were staring. I never knew so much anger existed in me until I became a mom. It is terrifying. I don’t even recognize myself.’
“‘I’m going to hold your legs down until you calm down because you’re hurting me when you kick.’ Our neighbors were still watching. It’s shameful, embarrassing, and humiliating. He screamed and kicked and fought. I could feel my anxiety creeping in.”
‘Come feel this,’ the doctor said. I put my hand on her belly. My heart sank.’: Mom recalls daughter’s rare cancer diagnosis after thinking it was just an ‘umbilical cord hernia’
“I snapped the traditional well-check picture of my daughter sitting on the exam table, bragging about our healthy girl. We were about to walk out with a good bill of health when the doctor asked me if I had any concerns. That’s when I remembered her large tummy. He laid her down on the exam table, and his face quickly changed to reflect my concern.”