“My cardiologist told me, ‘It’s all in your head.’ She was mad I couldn’t even stand for an assessment. I tried to push through. How could she say what I was going through wasn’t real?”
‘It’s just growing pains, don’t worry about it!’ I couldn’t even walk. I was terrified. I HAD to speak up for myself.’: Young chronic illness warrior details road to diagnosis, ‘I took on this journey with a smile’
‘I kept wondering, ‘Why hasn’t it happened yet?’ Our story is painful, but I know I’m not alone.’: Waiting mom ‘crafts hope’ for others struggling with infertility, ‘I’m waiting for my rainbow’
“Each month, my period showed up right on schedule. After ‘only’ 6 months, I was so sad. My stomach was bulging to one side. I could tell something was wrong. ‘It’s likely kidney cancer.’ Our world was totally rocked.”
‘Worst case, you’ll end up in respiratory failure.’ I was admitted to the hospital. Little did I know, 17 months later, I’d still be there.’: Woman diagnosed with rare autoimmune disorder, ‘I’m lucky to be alive’
“It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been through in my life. I could barely breathe. ’I think you have myasthenia gravis.’ It’s like being trapped in your body. No one knew if I would make it.”
‘I heard my phone ding and felt my breath catch. ‘A little boy was born last night. He’s in critical condition.’ Without a second thought, we said, ‘YES!’: Couple shares beautiful open adoption
“I was sure we would have heard by now. Not a minute after I let myself lose hope, my phone rang. A little boy had been born the night before. His birth had been traumatic. ‘Is there any reason we’d say no?’ We were sure he was meant to be our little boy.”
‘My daughter looks like she’s seen multiple ghosts. ‘It’s OK Toodleboot. Ignore your parents on the ceiling and that it sounds like the world is on fire. Just GO BACK TO SLEEP.’: Mom’s hilarious struggle with fire alarm
“All is well. All is quiet-ish. And I’m back in my bed, when from the far side of the house I hear… beep.”
‘Will Nash be a baby forever?’ There are days where it hits me like a ton of bricks. More than the pain, I feel joy.’: Mom shares son’s journey with rare ADNP syndrome, ‘I can’t imagine a world without him’
“We waited for the phone call that would change our lives forever. The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Is it fatal?’ A giant wave of relief washed over my whole body. I thought this was the end of our worries, but it wasn’t.”
‘You’re just a worried mom. I’m sure he’s fine!’ She placed the probe on my belly and gasped. ‘How did you know?’: New mom shares ‘powerful’ intuition about son’s cleft lip, ‘I’ll continue to stand up and say something’
“I’d never met anyone with a cleft. I’m not sure if I’d seen one in person either. I had no knowledge of them, but I absolutely knew my son had one. The tech gave me a big hug. ‘You have a powerful gift.’ I knew I was ready to tackle anything.”
‘She stood at the microphone and whispered, ‘Thanks, Dad.’ I wasn’t the only one crying. SHE was teaching ME.’: Daughter with Down syndrome exceeds expectations, ‘She inspired each of us’
“She pulled her fist back toward her waist whispering, ‘YES, I did it!’”
‘In my day, they didn’t have all this autism and ADHD stuff.’ I wasn’t sure how they’d react to the news. It wasn’t something they grew up with.’: Mom to daughter with autism worries about ‘generational gap’ with grandparents, ‘You’re never too old to be educated’
“I braced myself for what I thought would be a skeptical, potentially offensive reaction from them. They were shocked and concerned, as I expected.”
‘My daughter went to the toilet today. On her own. She’s 4. They WILL get there in their OWN time.’: Mom to daughter with autism urges ‘you’re doing GREAT’
“She woke up today and decided she was content to wear underwear and go to the toilet. It was that easy. Actually, it wasn’t easy; that’s why I’m telling you.”