“We were two high schoolers sitting in the front seat of a pick-up, planning for the future. Falling in love at 17, we made plans for where we’d live, what we’d do, who we’d be together. We joked about names for our future babies, who they’d look like. Never in a million years did we realize our journey to becoming parents would look like this.”
‘Nick went from the world’s best husband to the world’s best infertility med administrator. As my faith wavered, his positivity never faltered.’: PCOS warrior candidly shares infertility journey
‘It doesn’t feel real.’: World’s most premature baby overcomes 0% chance of survival to celebrate 1st birthday
“I remember picking him up out of his crib and just holding him with tears in my eyes.”
‘I cried, ‘I can’t do this. I want to stop.’ I had to deliver my daughter knowing I’d never hear her cry.’: Woman delivers rainbow baby sister after losing daughter to Mosaic Trisomy 15
“The silence was deafening. I felt the weight of her as they placed her in my arms. She was a little over 4 pounds. She was beautiful. We held her and had pictures taken with her. Then a couple of days later, we left the hospital with a box instead of our daughter.”
‘The male gynecologist told me to ‘grin and bear it.’ I knew my symptoms were real, but no one believed me.’: Woman with severe perimenopause finds relief after 9 years of suffering
“I was embarrassed to go out in public. I felt like I was suffering in silence—were there other women going through this? Would I ever find relief? Would I ever feel like myself again? I could have just accepted my new normal. I could have stopped advocating for myself, especially as my parents’ health declined and my marriage ended. But I didn’t give up.”
‘Every time I gave birth, I awoke the dormant beasts inside me.’: Mom of 3 shares journey to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Lupus diagnoses
“I started wearing sunglasses indoors. My hair was falling out in chunks, my gums bleeding. Sounds hurt. The very smell of air made me sick. I was a shell of myself, withering away, barely hanging on. But then I thought of my little girl. She was so small, not even talking yet. How would she remember me? Who would teach her to do her hair? I had to stop planning my goodbyes, and start fighting.”
‘I used to love being a nurse. Now, I stay for fear of starting over. Help us get that spark back, help us renew the passion.’: Nurse shares heartbreaking plea for kindness during pandemic
“Last year, we were hailed heroes. Somehow, somewhere, we became the enemy. Only a savior when it was convenient.”
‘He said they were ‘non-symptomatic.’ I was sent off feeling relieved it wasn’t worse—if only I knew.’: Woman shares journey with Tarlov Cyst Disease to raise awareness
“When I woke up, I had lost sensation completely in my left leg, and I lost control of my bladder. The pain was excruciating.”
‘Sometimes, I felt in control. Then I was a prisoner in my own head.’: Mom battles antidepressants, misdiagnoses to find ‘understanding’ of PMDD
“I was unhinged. I used to imagine watching my children from heaven, making sure they were safe. I would visit the doctor, pleading for someone to help me. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.”
‘THIS is my wake up call. I took charge of my health once and for all. NO MORE dismissive doctors being the drivers of my journey.’: Chronic illness warrior advocates for herself, ‘I can only control my attitude’
“I never thought the ‘pesky problems’ would become an illness. I felt like I was going CRAZY. No one believed me! I can’t control my circumstances, but I CAN control how I handle them.”
‘You’re extremely complicated.’ My doctor apologized profusely. After a decade of being told it was in my head, my pain was real.’: Woman battles chronic illnesses, ‘I’m still here and still fighting’
“I was constantly told I was a hypochondriac. ’Just drink more water.’ But the pain didn’t go away. I looked in the mirror and realized just how sick I was. I barely recognized myself.”
