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‘There was no sugar-coating it. Her brain was bleeding. We we warned, ‘She may end up blind, deaf, or mute.’: Daughter born with hydrocephalus, ‘I find joy in every single second’
“She’s had 100 brain surgeries. I’ve sat alone in a waiting room in the middle of the night after signing consent forms for emergency surgery, not knowing how she was going to be when she made it out. If she made it out. But it’s obvious she’s not giving up.”
‘She anonymously set up a safety net of basics for a single mother. The seed blossomed and sprouted into another.’: Woman teaches the importance of ‘planting good’ during pandemic
“My friend shared that she was inspired on her way home from her essential job one day. She emphasized she used the word ‘inspired’ intentionally because the train of thought just appeared to her like a gift.”
‘Every day is an adventure. We explore, parasail, and eat… a lot!’: Family says ‘I can’t wait to pull out the map again’
“I wanted to see what the US had to offer. Spending time with the family. Making new memories. Laughing. Eating. Drinking. Having fun. Thanks to COVID-19, that may be the new way to travel for many.”
‘I was at the supermarket buying cake mix when I suddenly heard a loud crack. ‘This may sound strange, but I think my leg just broke.’: Young woman says ‘life is beautifully fragile’ after near-death accident
“I stumbled forward. A man stopped his shopping. I looked him dead in the eye. ‘This may sound strange now, but I think my leg just broke.’ People started gathering around me. Instead of taking my finals, I broke up with my boyfriend, began to lose my friends, and went from doctor to doctor. No one could explain what was wrong with me.”
‘I got the call from her sister: ‘Things are bad. Come now if you want to say goodbye.’ I kissed the top of her head and walked toward the door, for the last time.’: Woman loses best friend to 15-year battle with anorexia, ‘She did not choose this’
“I rubbed lotion on her legs and changed her socks, tasks she could no longer do herself. I wanted so badly to find some way to at least make her more comfortable. Afterwards, I let the door close behind me. I was 29 and she 30, but I knew this was the last time I’d see my sweet best friend on this side of Heaven. She did not choose this.”
‘You shouldn’t have been drinking chocolate milk while doing homework!’ she said in a really harsh tone. I couldn’t bring myself to tell the truth.’: Mom urges ‘give kids a chance to explain’
“I felt so anxious I couldn’t bring myself to speak up and say the truth. It was an honest accident, and a 7-year-old couldn’t have predicted it. I still get frustrated just thinking about it.”
‘Half my bowel was coming out of my body. The doctor said, ‘Hannah, I have no idea what to do with you anymore.’: Woman survives life-long battle with eating disorders after trauma, ‘There is always hope for change’
“Laxatives started out so innocently, but quickly took over my life. ‘You’re not allowed outside. Any change in temperature and you’ll collapse and die.’ I started starving myself at 6. I could no longer move or talk. My lips were going purple. A light bulb went off. If I wanted to see change, I needed to be the one to make the change.”
‘My scream was something you’d hear in a horror movie. My knee was dislocated, deformed.’: Woman overcomes years of severe knee issues, ‘I’m going to come out stronger than ever’
“I couldn’t move my toes. I couldn’t move anything without excruciating pain through my entire leg. I was screaming, freaked out at the sight of it. ‘Haven’t I been through enough?’ I was DONE.”
‘I want you to be open to taking a placement… this week.’ My heart jolted. THREE babies under 18 months old.’: Woman celebrates foster baby’s reunification with bio mom, ‘This isn’t goodbye’
“Her biological mom was a ready to fight to get her baby back home. ‘Your daughter is safe and there is hope for you.’ Penelope’s mom wrote a note back to me. ‘This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later. You will see Penelope again. We’re family now.’ I read it and bawled my eyes out.”
‘My daughters rushed across the hall. ‘Mommy, Bates is spitting up blood. You need to come.’ One of his arteries had opened in his throat.’: Mom urges ‘don’t take your children for granted’
“My son, Bates, was only 7 years old. He started coughing up blood uncontrollably – over and over. It wouldn’t stop. I remember the horrific scene of him leaning over the sink. Earlier that day, I’d been frustrated with him for not remembering to put something away. In this moment, I realized how trivial it seemed.”
