“I was known as ‘Chelsea with one finger.’ A little girl started screaming like she’d seen a monster. She pointed straight at my hand and screamed as if it were a feral animal coming at her.”
‘I thought you were cute until I found out about your hand.’ This CRUSHED me. I thought I was unlovable.’: Woman with limb difference urges, ‘Be kind to others’
‘I don’t see a baby.’ The screen didn’t look right. There was just a blur and it was fuzzy. My whole body became hot.’: Woman gives birth to miracle baby, ‘I’m forever grateful’
“I was bloated from the chemotherapy and chunks of my hair were falling out. I was ill and exhausted. As defeated as I felt, I wasn’t ready to give up hope for our happy ending.”
‘He is SO loved already.’ No matter what, we were having this baby. The news did not change anything.’: Mom has baby with CHARGE Syndrome, ‘I find such joy in our life’
“While I sometimes long to feel the naivety I felt before that day, I know I am exactly the person I am meant to be right now. I’ve gained confidence and a voice I didn’t know I had. I will ALWAYS fight for him.”
‘We’d never even taken care of a baby before. ‘By the way, they’re nonverbal.’ Our whole life changed in an instant.’: Woman shares foster parent journey, ‘I’ve loved every single one like my own’
“For the next 3 years, I was their mom and they were my kids. They were a part of our family. All of our hopes and dreams unraveled with a single court hearing.”
‘The doctor called. ‘There’s been an accident.’ We begged them to hear us. It seemed like they was giving up.’: Couple loses miracle baby to hospital error, ‘I dream of her, and know she’s ok’
“‘They saw a leak when they changed her feeding tube. ‘It should heal on its own.’ We BEGGED them to listen.”
‘Something’s different.’ I felt the vibrations on my skin, but I didn’t hear anything. My heart dropped.’: Mom shares hearing loss journey, ‘The sky’s the limit’
“Would I ever hear my boyfriend say the words ‘I love you’ to me again? How was I going to have a career? ‘Perhaps you’d make a good audiologist.’ I wanted to help others.”
‘I can’t do this. I’m a terrible person.’ Something inside me broke. When I looked in the mirror, I saw an ugly monster.’: Woman shares mental health journey, ‘It’s okay to ask for help’
“My partner made me a cup of tea and left me on the sofa. When he came back 3 hours later, I was in the same place with a cold cup of tea in my hand. I hadn’t moved. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ I broke down.”
‘I think it’s happening again.’ I tried to bury my fears, but couldn’t deny it. Lightning had struck twice.’: Sisters diagnosed with ‘ultra rare’ infantile spasms, ‘They share a deep connection’
“We were sent home with shattered dreams and heavy hearts. They didn’t make eye contact and ate through a tube. Doctors told us we’d have to wait for science to catch up. Their ‘Good luck’ as we walked out the door felt like a kick in the gut.”
Be Kind This Holiday Season—Especially To Your Grieving Friends
“Whether it’s been one year or ten, it’s just never really the same.”
‘Thank God he’s leaving,’ someone said loudly. I whipped around. ‘He has autism.’ My blood BOILED.’: Mom advocates for son with autism, ‘We’re stepping into his world’
“Suddenly, he lost ALL his words. ‘Have you heard him talk recently?’ He stopped making eye contact and couldn’t sleep through the night. We grieved a life we had imagined for our son.”