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‘Make sure your kids have a schedule. But let them be kids. Homeschool. You don’t need to homeschool. Teach them life lessons instead. And common core.’: Woman candidly shares reality of mixed messages during pandemic
“Don’t let your kids outside. Don’t leave them home if you go out. Give them fresh air. Keep them home. Is that a cough? Is the tightness in your chest anxiety or the virus? Just breathe. But don’t be irresponsible. That’s not sickness that’s your fear. It’s okay, we’re all stressed. Treat yourself to some junk food. Not too much. You need to keep your immune system up.”
‘They tell me, ‘Go back to your country.’ Many of my patients ask to switch nurses. I’m not Chinese, and I was born and raised in America.’: Nurse vows to continue to fight ‘despite obstacles’
“I head into the shower and visciously scrub my skin until my eczema flares up to match the raw, peeling skin behind my ears from wearing masks all day. I sleep alone, without my special someone. I park my car in crevices to power nap on a makeshift foam mattress in the back of my trunk after a 12-hour shift to head right into another 8-hour shift. I will continue to fight, no matter the obstacles.”
‘We fully believed I was pregnant. I didn’t understand why this was happening. My whole world felt like it was crashing down’: Woman struggles with infertility, ‘Our journey is messy and painful, but also beautiful’
“We haven’t been publicly ‘open’ about who has the ‘problem.’ We don’t feel the need to share it everywhere because it doesn’t matter and quite frankly, it’s no one’s business. At this point, it changed to the reality we may not ever have kids, period.”
‘Babe, there’s something not right with Nevaeh.’ I felt defeated. Why my daughter?’: Mom brings awareness to autism after daughter’s diagnosis, ‘Being different is beautiful and inspiring’
“She isolated herself often. Instead of interacting or playing with toys, she would sit in the corner next to the bookshelf, pretending to read. At first, I turned the other way and denied there was something wrong. I couldn’t mentally prepare myself for something I didn’t want. Then the script flipped. I realized she’s not of any less value.”
‘She was struggling to feed her kids. ‘You can get another job, but you can’t get a life back. Quit whining and be thankful you’re not part of the death toll.’: Woman says ‘it’s okay to mourn and struggle with change’
“My heart broke. When did we decide it was okay to pit each other’s struggles against each other? When did we decide it was okay to compare each other’s grief?”
‘I feel hideous and weak. I want it to end.’ Chemo was killing me.’: Stage 3 breast cancer survivor encourages others during pandemic, ‘You can find beauty, laughter, and joy’
“I don’t know how else to say it. I never once imagined my biggest life lessons would come while being bald and sick as my breast was slowly consumed by cancer. There will be life before and after the pandemic, and I believe the after will be sweeter.”
‘That isn’t going to look as good after 30 years and a baby.’ Well DUH! I’m not getting this for 53-year-old me. I’m getting this for 23-year-old me.’: Woman urges ‘my tattoos are for me, not you’
“My Papaw passed away when I was in high school during a very trying time in my life. My tattoos are a very personal thing to me. They’re artwork that shows how I see the world. Right there on my skin. I love it. But I have a very suit and tie job, and unfortunately, not everyone agrees. And they choose to share their opinion with me.”
‘You’re asking me to take in a 15-year-old teenager who is about to give birth?’ This is not what we signed up for.’: Couple become grandparents at 35, ‘She made our life better’
“’She’s due in 3 weeks and has nowhere to go. Would you guys please take her?’ We can’t do this. On the other hand, how could I say no? This young girl was just desperate for a mom, her mom, and she was getting me instead.”
‘Don’t touch that!’ I screamed as she reached for the elevator button. She was near tears.’: NYC mom of 5 reflects on life in quarantine, ‘We have to find our new normal’
“Here we are, a family of seven with one 13-year-old and four babies under 2, living in the heart of Manhattan. Throw a pandemic in there and life has gotten pretty complicated. Keeping these children busy all day is hard work. It feels like we are moving in slow motion.”
‘Most of us will get this virus. Our hospitals will be overwhelmed. And there is nothing we can do.’: Husband of doctor welcomes baby during pandemic, ‘I couldn’t let the kids see my fear’
“He is a doctor. That’s what you ‘sign up for.’ No. That is not what he signed up for. I would absolutely feel more inclined for him to help if I knew without a shadow of a doubt he had the life saving P.P.E. he needs to stay healthy. He needs it and his family at home needs it. WE NEED IT.”
