“The surgeon oh-so-casually said, ‘While I have you under anesthesia, I can take out the IUD, too.’ Two months later, I was pregnant. I never fully understood how much I wanted to experience pregnancy until my first one ended. In couple’s therapy, tears and snot poured down my face. I tried to explain to my husband how much I wanted to be pregnant. While I was running errands later that day, I saw a rainbow. My friend’s response? ‘God doesn’t mess around when it comes to signs.'”
“24 weeks pregnant, we got devastating results, yet again. But this time was different. We found out our miracle child had a rare diagnosis. We were given the option of terminating her, just after I finished telling the doctor how beautiful she was. After 5 long, painful, and agonizing years, I cried. Nothing was going to stop us from having the family we dreamt of.”
“I had thoughts of ’maybe something is wrong with me. Will I ever have another healthy pregnancy again?’ My doctor told us we could start trying again as soon as we felt ready. I slowly looked down. ‘Alex, there are TWO lines!’ We’d made it to the safe zone. ’I think this baby is going to be just fine, congratulations!’”
“To say I am jealous is an understatement. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I am extremely jealous. It’s just not fair. The going to see Santa Claus, throwing birthday parties – it all stings. Hearing what cool new toy they added to their Christmas list to Santa. My children have never cared about any of that.”
“My mom covered her mouth and ran out of the room with tears in her eyes as my brother sat next to me. I was dying. I took 30 more pills slowly, not realizing what was happening. I should have died, and I almost did.”
“He was sobbing. ‘Abigail…’ My heart dropped. ‘Dad, what the heck is going on?’ He responded, ‘I think your sister was arrested. She called and said the cops were after her. Then the call dropped. I haven’t heard from her since.’ She was last seen at the Denver International Airport. My dad escorted her to security where she was catching a plane to rehab. The reality of what happened hurts too much to face. I find myself getting so angry at her. She was so close. She was on the plane.”
“To the person from my hometown who started a rumor that I was on fertility drugs. To my youngest child’s doctor who asked the question I had been asked a million times. ‘First child?’ ‘Nope! 3rd child, first pregnancy!’ then had the gall to say, ‘but having your own is different, isn’t it?’”
“The meds had stopped working – time was running out. The call came at just the right time. I remember doubling over, nauseous with the news I’d just received: ‘They have a match for lungs.’ I needed to be transported to Boston IMMEDIATELY. I crouched down by my hospital bed, struck with the magnitude of the situation. As prepared as I was, nothing could get me ready for this moment. I couldn’t catch my breath.”
“I have witnessed this tragedy unfolding right in front of my eyes. Our children are in a devastating emotional state! No, ‘they all are just born like this’ is not the answer. No, ‘it is all the school system’s fault’ is not the answer. As painful as it can be to admit, in many cases, WE, parents, are the answer to many of our kids’ struggles! We must make changes before this entire generation of children will be medicated.”
“I finally gave in and made the call. I cut the doctor off. ‘My water just broke.’ Right there in the middle of my kitchen. His tone quickly changed. ‘Get to the hospital ASAP.’ We were snowed in, at the worst possible time. The woman at the desk asked me, ‘Are you pregnant?’ I wasn’t sure how to reply. Do I explain, ‘Yes, I am in labor with my dying son,’ or just let it alone? They wheeled me into the operating room. ‘Oh you just had a baby! Congratulations!’ Those words stung very deep.”
