“I found myself at 21, fatherless and lost. Just as I was beginning to grapple with my grief, I received a call that my mother was found dead. I’m the girl who carries her parents in all she does. I continue to be their legacy.”
‘It was a dream of mine to walk across the stage and see my dad smiling from one big goofy ear to another.’: After losing both parents, young woman urges ‘show up’ for those grieving
‘Despite looking like a patient you see on Grey’s Anatomy, she was SMILING.’: Mom shares daughter’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis, ‘It changed us, but it doesn’t define or limit us’
“It’s similar to coming home with your baby for the first time. The panic and worry set in, and you MASSIVELY question your ability as a parent and wonder if you are going to be able to do this. The good news is YES, you absolutely can!”
Anxiety Can Look Like a Sink Full of Dishes
“Anxiety can look like I’m happy and having a great time, but my brain never stops thinking of what I didn’t accomplish.”
‘Her lungs filled with blood, and her heart stopped. We waited 7 years for the results.’: Mom of daughter with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome advocates ‘there CAN be life after diagnosis’
“If I could go back in time, I’d tell myself not to read about what my baby might NOT be able to do. She’s inquisitive and full of fun and mischief, and she LOVES broccoli. She is my inspiration.”
‘I PROMISE your daughter will have an education. She WILL NOT go hungry anymore.’: Mom shares amazing journey from sponsoring a child to having her own
“Her mother was barely 19, white-haired, weighing less than 70 pounds, and in the end stages of HIV/AIDS. Family rejected them, so they survived on a single grocery bag of beans. We hope our kids grow up with a better understanding of their own privilege.”
‘Will they hold her like I do?’ No, they won’t. I’m supposed to protect you.’: Mom advocates for her children with Down syndrome, dyslexia, and dysgraphia, ‘Our differences should be celebrated’
“Just because she doesn’t have verbal words, doesn’t mean she has nothing to say. And Mason just sees the world in 4D. We are NOT ashamed.”
Living with Autism, I Have a Fear of Being ‘Found Out’
“I deleted the hashtag, and it hasn’t gone back up since. On the same day, I posted about autistic pride. I was still afraid. Maybe if I pretend I don’t have autism, it won’t be an issue in my professional life.”
‘The story of my 5 martinis at 123 pounds and NEVER tossing my cookies went round the restaurant for months.’: Woman shares journey to sobriety, ‘I convinced myself this was perfectly acceptable’
“I couldn’t WAIT for the kids to get home from school, not because I missed them, but because it was a mark of transition from day to evening drinking.”
‘My dad put on the car flashers and whizzed around curves to find meds. I’ll NEVER forget the pain.’: Mom diagnosed with Achalasia urges ‘celebrate the little victories’
“Would I need my esophagus REMOVED? My mind was filled with questions. The nurse couldn’t even PRONOUNCE the disease.”
‘She was gone. ‘We have to finish the donuts.’ And that’s what we did.’: After sister’s death, woman shares family’s unique grief process, ‘We ate donuts’
‘Are you sure it’s her?’ I hoped he was wrong, but I knew he wasn’t. The drive there was a rainy, tear-filled blur. ‘She’s making donuts…’”