“I was 19 years old when I watched my parents shoot up heroin at our kitchen table. This is a picture of what I have left of my dad. I held my father’s hand as they told him there was nothing they could do.”
‘Why don’t you get us some lottery tickets?’ I couldn’t imagine what he could be thinking. Tears streamed down my face.’: Woman details parents’ drug addiction and desire to break the cycle
‘I’m trying mommy, I’m trying. I love you.’ When I looked down, I saw blood. Why am I being punished?’: After miscarriage, woman has miracle baby, ‘I would do it over and over again for her.’
“Why did we have to wait until 12 weeks? That was a stupid rule. After the wedding, we ended up telling pretty much everyone. Family, friends.Then I woke up to use the bathroom. When I looked down, I saw blood.”
‘I’m going to be a nurse like you, mom!’ You are going to change the world, one patient at a time.’: Nurse pens letter to future child, ‘Healthcare needs you’
“It’s not glamorous. Most of the time it’s quite the opposite. Messy. Ugly. Difficult. Painful. Exhausting. You will get burnt out and want to quit. But don’t you dare forget your why. Remember, it’s so worth it.”
‘The family stopped answering. ‘They’ve backed out of the adoption.’ They wanted a healthy baby, not my son with a disability.’: Mom of 5 adopts special needs child after rejections, now in beautiful open adoption with birth mom
“Once Noah was born, the whole room was creepily quiet. Finally, one of the doctors said, ‘It looks like the baby may have a disability.’ Suddenly, the family I thought would love him didn’t even want him because he wasn’t ‘perfect.’ Neither did the next. Then, we found Jerene. ‘Are you interested in a special needs adoption? We have a baby boy who needs a family like, yesterday!’ Already 5 children of her own, her response was, ‘Why not?’ I was bawling.”
‘I think something’s wrong.’ He’s been here 7 years and I feel like we’ve just met. I struggle to get out of bed.’: Special needs mom advocates for mental health, ‘It’s okay to not be okay’
“There were 12 of us under one roof and not enough to go around. I remember braiding one of my classmate’s hair, in order to make some extra cash. I sat and wondered what her life was like.”
‘Whatever you do, do not Google.’ Bruises didn’t warrant a trip to the doctor. My brain was boggled.’: Son diagnosed with severe Hemophilia diagnosis, ‘We face every hurdle head-on’
“I remember sitting on my kitchen floor crying. ‘Most children with this condition lead normal lives.’ My world was caving in. I was a carrier. I caused my baby to have such a horrible condition.”
‘When marriage gets hard, I picture myself old. Grayed hair, shriveled little body, with feet difficult to put in front of the other.’: Woman says ‘our love will be the greatest accomplishment of our lives’
“When my body begins to wear down from sickness or old age, I want you there with me. When I’m scared, resting in a bed, wondering if I’ll really make it to heaven, I want you there with me, looking me right in the eye, reassuring me that it’s okay to leave.”
‘My coordinator called. ‘The parents no longer want to work with you.’ My dream was ripped away.’: Woman documents surrogacy journey, ‘I will keep pushing forward’
“I knew our family was complete, but I felt longing to be pregnant again. I wanted to bring joy to someone else. ‘Your blood pressure is elevated. You need medication.’ I was crushed. Everything I dreamed seemed to be over.”
‘I got pregnant. I can still hear my mom say, ‘Oh Jennifer!’ when I told her.’: Woman credits husband for ‘saving her life’ and finally receiving bipolar diagnoses
“What the people at church did to me was beyond what I even knew until MANY years later. I was a good kid. But I look at it differently now. I wasn’t bad; I had an illness.”
‘No wonder you don’t have friends.’ Did I do something wrong? I wanted to be someone’s ultimate best friend.’: After friendship struggles, woman realizes ‘I need to be my own best friend first’
“Everyone was fake or using me. I had NO ONE to talk to when I ended things. And who would even want to listen? ‘You’re going to have to just get over it.’ I was the only part of the tribe that wilted.”