“I was always told I behaved like a boy, but that bounced off me. I didn’t know why I didn’t think, feel, or look like others. I came out as a lesbian and cut my hair short. Something was still missing.”
‘Who’s that boy?’ I wore boys’ clothes and refused makeup. My body didn’t match what was in my head.’: Transgender man shares journey, ‘Coming out can be scary but freeing’
‘Becoming a mom has been the biggest obstacle of my life. ‘We’ll be the best parents if only someone will give us a chance.’ I wasn’t done with my dream.’: Couple battling infertility pursue adoption
“We felt like failures. ‘Why can’t I get pregnant? Am I being punished?’ Our hearts broke with each ’no.’ We kept pushing forward, knowing our perfect match was out there.”
‘Instead of a baby, I’ll be taking out a cyst.’ There were tumors all over my pelvic area. I was bleeding out from the inside.’: Teen cancer warrior goes into remission, urges ‘stand up for yourself’
“I had two ovarian cysts, one the size of a grapefruit. ‘They don’t need to be removed.’ They weren’t going to help me. I had to take matters into my own hands. I never thought of looking through the paperwork.”
‘I can’t live like this.’ My ovaries were the size of softballs, leaking fluid into my abdomen. My family needed me. I had to fight.’: POTS warrior shares motherhood journey, ‘You’re NOT alone’
“My husband was giving me my nightly shot, and I experienced a weird taste in my mouth. I felt like I was choking. ‘You have to keep taking it or risk losing the baby.’ Every day was a battle.”
‘It’s obviously psychological.’ Doctors dismissed my pain. I lost over 20% of my bodyweight in 8 months. I felt like a zombie.’: Chronic illness warrior finds hope, ‘I’m still fighting for answers’
“I was terrified of what my future would look like. I vomit in my mouth at least three times a day, and I can’t drink water. My migraine never went away. It’s been over 80 days without relief. The answers are out there.”
‘Just keep trying!’ My biological clock was ticking. Adoption was dead last on my list. I had NO desire to ‘share’ my child with anyone else.’: Couple pursues adoption after infertility, ‘They mended my heart’
“I viewed infertility as a problem to be solved. ‘If you choose to adopt, your child will always have two sets of parents and families. You’re just going to have to deal with it.’ So much for a spoonful of sugar with our medicine. I scribbled out ‘adoption’ as a choice.”
‘You’re a MONSTER.’ I felt like I needed to ‘win’ her love. But my dad never let me down.’: Childhood abuse survivor adopted, ‘I FINALLY feel loved’
“My dad NEVER let me down. He never promised anything he couldn’t keep. When you think about it, I had my adoptive parents my whole life. They just couldn’t call me theirs until it was legal to do so.”
‘NO! I’m not willing to give this up for ANYTHING!’ I thought no one else could love me.’: Woman finds peace after abusive relationship, ‘If your compassion does not include yourself, it’s incomplete’
“Don’t assume a man or a ring can make you feel the love and acceptance you’re longing for.”
‘We’re being secretly recorded for a reality show!’ There was something wrong with me. I was completely paranoid.’: Woman with Bipolar Disorder becomes advocate, ‘It’s a constant battle’
“I was in a shoe store with my mom, talking to strangers in what I thought was Spanish. I’m not bilingual, but in my mind, I thought I knew the language. I’d been off my whole life, but I never knew why.”
‘All of the sudden, I heard a gunshot and fell to the ground. ‘I can’t feel my legs.’ I lifted my shirt to see a hole in my chest.’: Paraplegic advocates for accessibility, ‘It’s made me who I am’
“It was back to square one. I had to learn to sit up, roll over in bed, get dressed. The one single aggravating moment I remember well was trying to put on my socks, which felt like an impossible feat. It literally took over an hour. It was never easy.”