‘I’m not scared of getting the virus. I probably won’t die,’ they say. I survived, and now I’m battling post-viral syndrome.’: Woman diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis after COVID-19 recovery

“I used to pride myself on being a hardworking, independent go-getter. It’s been a shock to have to let things go. It’s like a strong hangover, but there was no fun last night, no choice in the matter, and it won’t go away after a good sleep.”

‘My mother said, ‘We need to have a talk.’ She placed me in a trance. She kept me close, controlling all my decisions in the name of ‘love.’: Narcissistic abuse survivor urges ‘you deserve to be safe and happy’

“She made me feel special, then she controlled what clothes I could wear, what friends I could have, where I went to college, and my wedding. She wanted to ‘show me off’ to her friends. But there was a huge price to be paid. She found any excuse to keep me with my vices if it meant keeping me close to her.”

‘The doctor had tears in her eyes. ‘We can’t say if he’ll make it or not.’ Fractures started appearing in the scans, in every limb.’: Woman births baby with Brittle Bone Disease, ‘My job is to love him well’

“At our 20-week ultrasound, we received the news our son’s femurs looked short, in addition to smaller arms. The kicker was he wasn’t fitting any specific mold. ‘We can’t say definitively if he’ll make it or not.’ I leaned on my faith more than ever.”

‘Legs are bowed. All bones, bowed. Extremely short.’ I felt my heart sink. ‘I don’t see the point in continuing. You can end it now, quickly.’: Family cherishes 29 hours with Osteogenesis Imperfecta warrior

“‘Let me see her eyes. Please please, let Maverick meet her alive.’ Before I knew it, I heard, ‘Happy Birthday!’ Huh? She’s here? Why don’t I hear crying? I couldn’t see anything beside the ceiling, doctors moving around. ‘Is she breathing? Is she?’ Tears were flowing from my eyes. She smiled at her brother and her daddy. She waited until we got one more kiss.”

‘I hired a private detective. ‘For a few hundred more bucks, I can bring you face to face with your mother.’ Every time the phone rang, I hoped it was her missing me.’: Woman details life with addicted mother, ‘I vowed to be the best mom I can be’

“The doorbell rang at 6 a.m. I opened the door to see my mom standing between two policemen, muddy and handcuffed. She’d call me ‘Bucky,’ knowing I was self-conscious about my teeth. When I was 19 and getting married, no mom. When I was 20 and having my first baby, no mom. I had the same phone number for several years, but she never dialed it again.”

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