‘I don’t know who you are, but I know I love you.’ The mother of my son has no clue who I am.’: Father realizes he’d be raising his son ‘alone’ after wife suffers strokes that erased her memory

“When I first met my wife, it was love at first sight. Looking back on that night brings back great memories, but for my wife, those memories are gone. A quick trip to the hospital turned into an absolute nightmare. We found out she had preeclampsia, but by then, it was too late. ‘Steve, this is not easy to say, but she suffered a severe brain injury. She has lost all her memories, long and short,’ the doctor told me.”

‘I greeted her at the door with tears in my eyes. We couldn’t look past the horror of that day.’: Young widow becomes ‘soul sisters’ with late husband’s cousin after witnessing traumatic death together

“A stray bullet killed my husband 3 days after I delivered our son. His cousin Shelby was holding my baby boy moments before he died. She started sleeping with me that night and over the next year moved into the room with my son and I. For us, this PTSD was life. We couldn’t see past the blood, hear past the screams. Our brains were frozen in time, and the only way for us to climb out, was to be with each other.”

‘Why did you cut her?! She didn’t give you permission to do that.’ My blood boiled. He just stared.’: Doctor performs episiotomy on mother without her permission during childbirth because he had ‘somewhere to be at 7 p.m.’

“Snnniiipppp. My doctor used scissors to cut me open ‘down there’ to make it easier to push the baby out. ‘What did you do?!’ I asked the male, 50-year-old doctor, with fear in my voice. Even the nurses paused. Just 30 minutes before, my doctor told me, ‘I have somewhere to be at 7 o’ clock, so you better be able to push this baby out soon.’ My husband’s rage was rising. I squeezed his hand. ‘We can’t do this now.’”

‘I used to work with a woman who hated me. HATED ME. She turned around in frustration: she did not like me. Not one bit.’: Woman realizes ‘life’s too short’ to waste time on mean people, learns it’s best to ‘let them go’

“Did I mention how she was kind of mean even when we were friends and I was always a little unsure if I could trust her, and some part of me was always concerned that maybe I should have run away as fast as I could in the opposite direction before she stabbed me while I was looking away? When it’s time to, you let them go.”

‘He looks like he’s sleeping, he looks peaceful.’ The police officer told us the divers found a boy’s body.’: Sister recalls baby brother’s tragic drowning, urges ‘you can never be prepared in this situation’

“We began frantically looking in the houseboat, in cupboards, under beds. I called out his name, begging him to stop playing games, hoping he was just playing hide ‘n’ seek. Looking over the river, it was so calm, but you couldn’t see a thing under the surface – it was just too murky. My mom came to the realization that my father needed to be called, to be told his son is missing. ‘It’s going to be okay; we are going to be okay,’ my mom repeated, trying to put on a brave face.”

‘Don’t move!’ He shot me a second time, and left. I sure wasn’t going to die without a fight.’: Woman attacked by ‘close knit’ EMT coworker suffering from PTSD is ‘thankful’ to still be here

“He texted me saying he was going to pop in to say, ‘Hi.’ I was laying on the floor watching TV when he entered. The next thing I knew, I was holding my head with my hands and screaming. I thought he had had a PTSD episode and shot me while thinking I was someone else. I crawled outside and knocked on the neighbor’s door. ‘Please call 911,’ I asked him.”

‘The father apologized. ‘Mind if I try something?’ By the end of the flight, it clicked. He was astounded.’: Dad ‘nearly cries’ after speech pathologist teaches autistic son to communicate on plane for the first time

“On my flight, I sat next to a father and his autistic son. Before it even took off, there was screaming, hitting, grabbing. The father repeatedly apologized, but did little else. He warned it would be a difficult flight. ‘Not to worry.’ I had experience with minimally verbal kiddos. By the end of it, his son was changed.”

‘I’m shocked we haven’t been kicked out of my friend’s chemo. But the doctor likes us, I’m certain of it.’: Woman in hysterics with friend at chemo treatment, they refuse to ‘let the monster consume us’

“From the moment we strode in, to the moment we left, we were in tears. I don’t mean little, drippy tears. I mean big, fat, mascara stained tears. Some whispered as they watched. The ‘Indian Prince’ Doctor nervously smiled. The entire chemo ward waited to see what would happen next. We weren’t crying in pain. Oh no. We were laughing so hard we were crying. I remember being here with my husband after he was diagnosed. I was nervous how I’d feel. But you know – go big or go home.”

‘Your momma used to make me lemon meringue pie. I never did care for it.’ Oh. My. Word!’: Daughter’s heartwarming realization about her parents’ ‘true love’ after mother’s death

“Every special occasion, my mom would make us our favorite pie. For my dad, it was lemon meringue. She always fretted until Daddy’s pie was made. She’d carry it, he’d make a big production, hug her and smack his lips. When I was 24, my mom passed away. As my Dad’s birthday approached, I began to fret. I went to the grocery store to find the ingredients, looking up and down every aisle. Later, I made a way to my Dad’s house to unveil the loveliest pie I’d ever made.”

‘I accidentally signed the paperwork. I was drugged into an incoherent daze. At 38, my parents had to consent to release me.’: Woman now ‘loving life’ after life-long battle with depression, addiction

“I was sitting quietly in my room reading. Two paramedics appeared at my door advising me, ‘We are here to transport you to the public psychiatric ward.’ Say what?!?! I found myself approaching 40, single, and childless. I couldn’t take it anymore. ‘I’ll become a mother on my own!’ My biological clock was DEAFENING.”

‘When they flinch from the stapler dropping, it’s because they weren’t sure if you’re throwing it at them.’: Foster mom pens powerful note to teacher warning of her children’s trauma

“They come from a really, really hard place. The kind of abuse you think can’t be real. They duck for cover. You’ve heard of fight or flight? There is also freeze. One of my kids responds with ‘freeze.’ Her eyes grow wide and her voice silences. It’s how she’s trained herself to survive. My kids need to know you are safe.”

‘Nobody else will ever love you.’ I tried to jump out at a stop sign. But I was stuck. This was my ‘destiny.’: Woman overcomes traumatic childhood, abusive relationship to find her ‘soulmate’

“My father took his own life when I was 5 years old. I remember sitting on our front porch, hugging my mom as the paramedics wheeled him out of the house. I remember living at my grandparents’ house for a while after ‘he left.’ My family decided to keep what happened a secret. I continued to believe what my mom would tell me.”

‘I could stop if I wanted to.’ Famous last words. My mom dreaded seeing my car in the driveway.’: Recovering addict says she’s a girl ‘who spent every day wanting to die,’ but now ‘just wants to live’

“At 19, I was dating a guy who sold drugs. We were at the mall when I felt a cold chill come over my body. It wasn’t something I was familiar with. I knew people who ‘had’ to use drugs to feel normal – I was not one of them. I wasn’t that bad off. ‘If you lived the life I’ve lived, you’d get high, too,’ I justified. I told my boyfriend I didn’t feel well. He looked at me. ‘You’re going through withdrawal.’ This moment changed everything.”

‘Mommy, why do you have lines on your head?’ I’d just gotten out of bed and had yet to look in the mirror.’: Mom embraces wrinkles after son’s ‘innocent question,’ promises to ‘stop editing them out of photos’

“At first, his question confused me. I quickly glanced at my no makeup face and, instantly, I saw the ‘lines’ he was referring to. ‘Those lines on mommy’s head are called wrinkles. They’re proof mommy is living a great, blessed life.’ My wrinkles are certainly not my finest accessories. But my 4-year-old teaches me so much with his innocent questions.”

‘She was unable to find the baby’s legs. She also couldn’t find the left arm.’ I squeezed my husband’s hand.’: Mom knows daughter with limb difference is in their lives ‘for a reason,’ she is surrounded by ‘love, support’

“There were still no legs. All I could picture were two tiny baby legs floating around in my belly with our baby girl. ‘No,’ she said. ‘They didn’t fall off. They just never grew.’ They laid her on my chest. ‘She’s here, she’s okay,’ we said through tears of joy. Our beautiful girl was here. All I could think was that we’d be able to go get mani-pedi’s together when she was older; but you better believe I’m not paying full price for one hand and two toenails!”

‘You matter to me.’ I was a broken 15-year-old that arrived on their doorstep, met with a hug that engulfs you.’: Woman’s heartfelt thanks to couple who rescued her 37 years ago

“I was put on a plane and sent to the live with them. I assume it was easier to ship me off then to actually address the dysfunction I was surrounded in. The divorce had sent my mother into a tailspin and when she wasn’t out partying, she was suicidal. My father did his best, but with his newfound freedom and new girlfriend, no one really wanted me. All my fears had been confirmed.”

‘After a yoga session, my spine slipped forward. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t roll over. I was a vegetable.’: Woman with Spondylolisthesis, chronic illness claims ‘pain is inevitable,’ but ‘suffering is optional’

“I remember laying in bed, feeling trapped inside myself. I had no idea at the time this injury would turn my world upside down and become the barometer for all the decisions I made for the rest of my life. Working, having a family, being active, or doing all the things a normal 30-something-year-old should do are no longer an option.”

‘Where’s your husband?’ the mechanic said. ‘At work?’ I was flustered. ‘That’ll be $5,000.’ My jaw dropped.’: Woman overpriced at auto shop in husband’s absence claims ‘good people outweigh the bad’

“I hadn’t even explained what was wrong with my car yet. ‘No husband. No discussion. $5,000.’ He then went on a whole tirade about how women are always pulling up not knowing a ‘damn thing’ about cars. In my mind I thought, ‘Isn’t that the point of an auto shop?’ For others to TELL you what’s wrong with your car and fix it?! I was infuriated.”

‘Poo. Lathered ALL OVER my kid’s arms, legs, fingers car seat. It was everywhere. Poomagedon.’: Mom hilariously explains her ‘hard day’ stuck inside ‘poop sauna’ car

“While driving in the car with the boys, I smelled something RANK. Like, totally disgusting, something died in this car, what the heck is that smell? RANK. I assumed it was my tiniest munchkin digesting his McDonalds, but I was also genuinely concerned for the butt that was making that incredible smell. When we turned into our destination and I finally had the chance to get a good look, I saw it.”

‘I was a single mom, had 3 fatherless WILD boys, and major baggage. But my daughter is destined for great purpose.’: Mom finally ‘blessed’ with baby girl after 3 boys as a single mother, teen pregnancy

“Single motherhood was rough. The judgement was hard, and I lost friends. Having 3 children while unmarried is frowned upon, especially here in the south. People never took the time to find out why I had 3 children this way, because they had their own assumptions. I didn’t think I’d find someone who’d want to marry me. Then I met Josey. 5 months later, we were married. The emotion was too much. Finally, a daughter.”