“I’d leave in the middle of class to throw up in the bathroom. I’d lay on the floor during lectures just so I wouldn’t pass out. I woke up choking on my own saliva. It was the hardest time of my life.”
‘You need to wait it out.’ I thought accepting my illness meant I was giving up. It wasn’t really living. I was simply existing.’: Chronic illness warrior says ‘romanticizing my life set me free’
‘For the record, I would’ve picked you.’ I was smiling so hard my face hurt. Time hasn’t slowed down since.’: Couple finds love during lockdown, ‘When you find your person, you just know’
“On a zoom meeting, there was a girl who caught my eye. She had the kindest eyes. I had no idea I was falling in love. ‘If you could date anyone here, who would it be?’ She stalled.”
‘Do I have siblings? Do they think about me or miss me?’ It feels like a part of me is missing.’: Transracial adoptee searches for biological family, ‘I’m embracing my roots’
“I always said I didn’t want to find my biological parents. ‘Why should I try? I have a good life. I have friends, a job, people I love. What if I lose everything?’ I realized I had to accept myself.”
‘A feeling came over me. ‘You’ll be the one to do this.’ My new purpose was to give my dad what he gave me—life.’: Man donates kidney to dad during pandemic, ‘Family is everything’
“My mom told us, ‘Dad needs help.’ There was a sense of urgency. I took the first steps to donate my kidney. The tests showed we were a match. Then I started feeling a slight tickle in my throat.”
‘You’re just having growing pains.’ I’d dislocate my knee twice a week. My joints felt like they were being ripped apart.’: Woman diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome after 17 years
“My doctor looked me in the eyes, ’You’re not crazy. The pain you feel is real.’ It took everything in me not to cry. For the first time in 17 years, a doctor finally believed me.”
‘You’re young, you have plenty of time to try again.’ I knew I never wanted to be pregnant again. ‘Mommy, when am I going to have a baby sister to play with?’: Young couple adopt after miscarriages, ‘We were meant to find him’
“My husband and I were at a family wedding outside of our local town. I remember going to the toilet with my sister-in-law and seeing blood. ‘This is it, Molly, you can do this because you’ve been preparing to lose her for the last 9 months.’ My husband said to me, ‘I won’t make you go through that again.”
‘I HAD to find something! You need a stocking for Santa!’ I wiped my tears in fear of freaking him out.’: Gay man shares touching Christmas story with husband, ‘It was the beginning of our lives’
“It took years to recover. We packed my car and put all of the gifts in the back. ‘ What if my family was rude to him?’ To this day, it is so vivid.”
‘That’s the best kind of cancer to have.’ I wasn’t worthy of calling myself a cancer survivor. I felt myself shrinking.’: Woman raises awareness for Melanoma, ‘My journey is valid’
“A vegan blamed me for having cancer because I eat meat. Someone told me, ‘Anyone who wears sunscreen deserves to get cancer.’ People will say YOU are the cause of your own cancer.”
‘I hate to tell you this, but there’s a MAJOR problem.’ Darkness. Shock. The whole room disappeared around me.’: Couple has baby with anencephaly, ‘He’s impacted so many lives’’
“Each week we grew more hopeful our boy would live long enough to come home. The moment he was placed in my arms was the truest love I’ve ever felt.”
‘I hope you aren’t stuck-up when you’re slimmer.’ It struck me. I’m a kind person because I’m a kind person, not because I’m fat.’: Woman details body positivity journey, ‘You are worthy’
“When I was 8, my mom bought me a new skirt. It was too small in my waist. For the rest of the day, I walked laps on our front lawn. ‘I can walk the weight away.’ I felt immense guilt about myself and my body.”