“I felt constantly judged, criticized, unsupported, and disconnected. I was craving for this love within, yet it was so difficult to make it click. What if we walked into relationships sans the attachment to forever?”
‘Society says divorce ruins people. You’re flawed for not ‘fixing’ or ‘fighting’ for your marriage. But there’s a deeper meaning.’: Mom of 3 is ‘grateful’ for divorce, ‘This was meant to make me grow’
‘There’s nothing else we can do.’ I lost my hair in handfuls at a time. It was hard to look in the mirror. I didn’t see the point in living.’: Chronic illness warrior says ‘I’ll never take life for granted’
“I started to see bald patches on the back of my head. My legs and arms would ache so badly I felt like I would vomit. I lay on the couch, wondering why my body hated me so much. Every day, I woke up with one more symptom, one more medical bill.”
‘Wow, your sister looks so much like your parents!’ Until that moment, it had never occurred to me that I was different. I was bitter and angry.’: Adoptee raises awareness, ‘You’re not alone’
“Growing up, my birth story wasn’t like the ones my friends had. I never knew where I was born or what my biological family looks like. ‘Why do I have black hair and black eyes while you’re blonde? I felt displaced.”
‘You’re too complicated.’ I was the girl who was always on crutches or in a cast. My doctors were stumped.’: Woman diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, ‘My story isn’t over’
“I was bullied by my classmates. ’You’re just faking.’ I had pneumonia, broke my wrist twice, tore my MCL, sprained my ankle again, and had my appendix taken out—all in 3 years. I just wanted to be normal.”
‘You just picked up a virus.’ I was dizzy every second of the day and felt excruciating pain. Why wasn’t this going away?’: Woman advocates for Chronic Lyme Disease, ‘We’re in this together’
“I felt a pit in my stomach. Then the pain started, a sharp pain right above my belly button that wouldn’t go away. I was collapsing every time I got out of bed. I’d drink a ton of water, eat enough, and was still feeling ill.”
‘God, PLEASE heal my child.’ Our future as parents seemed so unsure. We needed a MIRACLE. ‘Just keep pushing, baby.’: Mom to daughter fighting Ebstein’s Anomaly says ‘she’s our little light’
“‘I can’t celebrate, I can’t be happy!’ My dad told me, ‘Yes, you can. You’re going to enjoy these days with her.’ We relished in our sweet baby girl, just like my father told me. We soaked up EVERY milestone.”
‘We need to talk. We’re not sure Max is a fit here.’ We were getting hurt by our son, and had no help.’: Mom advocates for Autistic son, ‘For the first time in many years, I felt like we could do this’
“’What do we do? Mom to mom, I CAN’T do this anymore. Please, PLEASE help me.’ We realized our battle would be uphill, but we’d survive.”
‘I’ll call you when I get to the parking area.’ They decided to coast the truck down the mountain. They had no brakes.’: Daughter honored for organ donation, mom connects with another through ‘divine intervention’
“She called and said, ‘This might be the best day of my life!’ I pleaded with God to keep her safe.”
‘This is the winter of despair.’ It felt like the nail in the coffin. But I was reminded of something. This is an opportunity to make new traditions.’: Mom says ‘This year, I’ll make the magic for my family’
“It doesn’t have to be extravagant or overwhelming. Christmas morning can be a free-for-all, or we can make it last all day. And next year, because of the sacrifices we’ve all made to keep each other safe, we can be together.”
‘All I have to do is lose weight, and I’ll be happy forever.’ I had no idea what I was getting into. I wasn’t strong enough to live this way.’: Woman recovers from eating disorder, ‘It’s a battle’
“I knew I had a purpose. I knew it extended far beyond eating salads and running on the treadmill, and I just had to find it. It was the small bites of chocolate, the rest days, the drinking a fruity drink and not thinking about what was in it, and the freedom of knowing my eating disorder did not have me wrapped around its finger anymore.”