“‘They saw a leak when they changed her feeding tube. ‘It should heal on its own.’ We BEGGED them to listen.”
‘The doctor called. ‘There’s been an accident.’ We begged them to hear us. It seemed like they was giving up.’: Couple loses miracle baby to hospital error, ‘I dream of her, and know she’s ok’
‘Something’s different.’ I felt the vibrations on my skin, but I didn’t hear anything. My heart dropped.’: Mom shares hearing loss journey, ‘The sky’s the limit’
“Would I ever hear my boyfriend say the words ‘I love you’ to me again? How was I going to have a career? ‘Perhaps you’d make a good audiologist.’ I wanted to help others.”
‘I can’t do this. I’m a terrible person.’ Something inside me broke. When I looked in the mirror, I saw an ugly monster.’: Woman shares mental health journey, ‘It’s okay to ask for help’
“My partner made me a cup of tea and left me on the sofa. When he came back 3 hours later, I was in the same place with a cold cup of tea in my hand. I hadn’t moved. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ I broke down.”
‘I think it’s happening again.’ I tried to bury my fears, but couldn’t deny it. Lightning had struck twice.’: Sisters diagnosed with ‘ultra rare’ infantile spasms, ‘They share a deep connection’
“We were sent home with shattered dreams and heavy hearts. They didn’t make eye contact and ate through a tube. Doctors told us we’d have to wait for science to catch up. Their ‘Good luck’ as we walked out the door felt like a kick in the gut.”
‘I drown in piles of laundry and dishes, the pressure to be a good wife. Most days, I feel like I didn’t do enough. The load we carry is heavy, from the moment our feet hit the floor.’: Special needs mom urges ‘ask for help’
“The load we carry is heavy, from the moment our feet hit the floor to the moment our head hits the pillow.”
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.”
‘The test was positive.’ My heart stopped. The world came crashing down around me. I thought my life was ending.’: Man diagnosed with HIV becomes advocate, ‘My world is brighter’
“All I could think was, ‘I’m going to die.’ How would I tell my parents and friends? I found myself sitting on the beach, staring into the ocean. I wanted to throw myself in and not come back. I wanted this pain to be gone.”
‘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.”