“There’s a curtain. My wife and I on one side, Jude and the hospital staff on the other. I’m reassuring my wife she’s doing a great job. Just when I think she might literally break my hand, I hear it. Jude’s first cry. The nurses quickly rush to get him warm. He’s still crying. A nurse motions for me to come over. I lean in, whisper in his ear. ‘Hey buddy.’ He stops crying, opens his right eye, and we look at each other for the very first time.”
“My husband asked me to schedule him a doctor’s appointment. This was rare. He never asks for that. He found a hard mass on his right testicle and needed it checked out immediately. ‘The doctor will see you now,’ the receptionist said. Once in the room, the doctor confirmed the news.”
“‘How are you doing, lately?’ They ask. And most of us stick with, ‘I’m fine.’ My mastectomy is coming up, but I am fine! You can’t pay bills, but you are fine. Her marriage is crumbling, and her family will be devastated. She is fine!”
“My boyfriend and I went over mom’s house. As we were leaving, she nonchalantly said, ‘Bob and I are getting married on Saturday. Just a small thing. No one is really going to be there. You’re probably working right?’ My mom was embarrassed by me.”
“One day, without me realizing it, she got too big. Too big to scoop up. Too big to rest on my hip.”
“Kayleigh and I were inseparable friends. After years of infertility, she was the first person I told about my pregnancy. ‘That’s great, babe!’ she squealed. She was such a support, dragging me off to go baby shopping on weekends. I was 4 months pregnant, but it got to the point where my suspicions were just too strong. I confronted her. She looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘No. But he’d be all mine if I wanted him.’ I was totally shocked.”
“Brian lost his mother and the stress of it started causing chest pains. We were dismissed by doctor after doctor, being told it was ‘broken heart syndrome’ brought on by the death of his mother. Finally, one wonderful doctor took him seriously. He could have died.”
“This is my son, Leo. He has severe autism and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. This airline refused to let him fly home because he was distressed when they wouldn’t let him have his doll. Police were called, which caused his meltdown.”
“She hijacked our little one’s fairy visit, asking for proof. I couldn’t stop laughing. My husband and I talked about me putting on a wig, wings, and adding a bright light behind me to actually take a selfie, but that just made the lie even worse. I went with a letter because a note from Tabitha the Tooth Fairy totally isn’t lying.”
“They have the same smile, lips, and ears. They’re this massive blessing that Tim left behind – a beautiful legacy. I’ve learned nothing is permanent, but I’m choosing to love and be present in what I call my permanent now.”
