“I line up rocks with my daughter at the park instead of watching her play with peers. She is a CHILD, not a milestone checklist.”
‘She’s a preemie! She’ll catch up.’ I felt this mama bear roar deep within me. Autism isn’t a dirty word.’: Mom celebrates daughter’s autism, ‘For us, life is more like a dance than a race’
‘Her brain barely exists. Enjoy her while you can.’ I pinched my arm. I wanted to wake up from the nightmare.’: Special needs dad recalls daughter’s journey, ‘Her spirit is contagious’
“At the foot of the crib, I saw something I’d never forget for the rest of my life. The doctor had written, ‘There’s no chance of having a meaningful life.’ I was crushed.”
‘This is what the brink of 35 looks like. A D*MN imperfect woman, who likes this whole ‘aging’ thing.’: Mom shares thoughts on ‘life-changing experience’ of aging
“It looks like looking into a dirty mirror, taking a silent selfie I’ll surely put a filter on later, flashing a goofy-*ss grin, feeling proud I ran two miles, mowed the lawn, and got a shower in while the kids are at grandma’s. Then we remember, alas, it’s only Tuesday, and though the kiddies have a day off of school tomorrow, it’s back to work, the grind, and the monotony a typical Monday through Friday delivers.”
‘If I make her breakfast at 3 a.m. and wash her hair, maybe I can save her!’ I won’t tell her yet.’: Daughter takes care of mom before she passes, ‘I never gave up on you’
“‘Why me?’ she’d ask. But I was 22 and very much alive, how could I know? ‘We aren’t done fighting.’”
‘You need to prepare your son.’ I wasn’t ready for that. I fought attached to an IV pole. I wanted to LIVE.’: Mom with Cystic Fibrosis receives miracle drug, ‘We won the life lottery’
“My mama bear instincts told me to find another way. I told anyone who would listen what my dream for survival was. I fought until I required full-time oxygen.”
‘I don’t know why you’re in pain.’ I had already miscarried, I knew this wasn’t normal. Had I not been persistent, I would have bled out.’: Young woman shares miscarriage grief and ectopic pregnancy, ‘I hope my story can help someone else’
“A few months later, we found out we were pregnant again. It was a day full of pure happiness, and we knew this time it would work out. A week or so later I started having some pain and concerns. We were told it was another miscarriage. Five days after being told we miscarried, the pain was back and so incredibly severe. My OB said, ‘Take some Motrin, and hopefully it would go away.'”
‘How can you hurt yourself when you’re pregnant?’ I wasn’t the mother I dreamed of being. I was scared, not excited.’: Woman recovers from self-harm addiction for son, ‘We’re not alone’
“My addiction was the only thing bringing me peace. Keeping it a secret made me feel stronger. I felt like I was going to let my son down before I even had him.”
‘I was alone in a dark delivery room. My husband called out, ‘Jill?’ His tone told me to brace myself.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome, ‘She’s absolutely perfect’
“I had every negative thought you can think of. ‘Will she be okay? Will our lives revolve around hospital visits now?’ The little girl I envisioned was fading away.”
‘She bawled, ‘It’s always been just you and me.’ She fell in love with her brother the second she saw him.’: Woman adopts at 50 years old, ‘My heart was ready’
“A young woman had recently found out she was expecting. She wanted to meet me. ‘Do you know how old I am?’ God has a real sense of humor!”
‘Someone commented on my postpartum appearance. I cried instantly. You have a choice, every day. Will you heal or will you hurt?’: New mom receives hurtful comment, ‘It did a number on my heart’
“It did a number on my already-raw heart. A week later, I was FaceTiming my mother-in-law. I kept the camera angled towards my husband Luke—careful to ensure no one caught a glimpse of my healing body I was suddenly insecure about. During the call, I was thrust into the camera view.”