“Fast forward 2 weeks. Jay and I were shaking at the knees, anxious for more negative news. After few moments of silence, the ultrasound tech muttered, ‘I think I see another heartbeat here. Yep, I definitely see two.’ After 1,460 days of trying, every single tear, heartache, and moment of suffering was worth it.”
‘It’s Stage 4.’ Two years into the adoption process, I had a strange urge to take a pregnancy test.’: Mom battling endometriosis, infertility births miracle twins after 1,460 days of trying
‘If it happens, it happens.’ I stared at the negative test. I was right, but it still stung. My body had betrayed me.’: Endometriosis warrior shares motherhood journey, ‘My dream came true’
“There was a HUGE chance I’d never get pregnant. My hands were shaking. I turned the test over. ‘Wait, what?’ After seeing negative after negative, you don’t think you’ll ever see a positive.”
‘What the heck just happened?’ I looked 7 months pregnant. Our nurse said, ‘Your ovaries are the size of grapefruits!’: Endometriosis warrior candidly details infertility, IVF journey
“Our rock-solid marriage has been tested to its limits.”
‘You have anxiety.’ I had to lie to get the care I needed. I fought for the surgery I knew would save my life.’: Endometriosis warrior becomes advocate, ‘No one deserves to suffer from this’
“We’re often told we are overdramatic, making it up for attention, mentally unstable— all while suffering severe pain. It wasn’t rainbows, it wasn’t sunshine. It was survival.”
‘It’s bad, and it’s everywhere. There’s too much to take out.’ I fell into his arms. We fought through the grief to stay one.’: Couple battling infertility adopts two sons, ‘We see perfection’
“I lived with a Fentanyl patch, which barely touched the pain. My uterus was sitting on my pelvic floor and had compromised my bladder. Our dream of two or three children became a hope we could just get ONE.”
‘You look fine.’ No one sees what you go through each day. I was afraid no one would want to be around the ‘sick girl.’: Woman advocates for invisible illnesses, ‘We are strong TOGETHER’
“When I tell people, the reply is normally, ‘I know someone who had that and died!’ As you can imagine, it’s incredibly upsetting. Some days, you want to scream.”
‘I’m not disabled! That doesn’t apply to me.’ I was the only one who couldn’t see how ill I truly was. I don’t know how I’m still standing.’: Chronic illness warrior urges ‘you are SO worthy’
“I felt like I had the flu most days. I could never get warm, and I was getting severe migraines. I saw every specialist imaginable. I ended up housebound and bedridden.”
‘Your daughter needs a psych eval. She’s doing this to herself.’ I knew something was wrong.’: Woman describes journey with Chronic Lyme disease, ‘I turned my pain into purpose’
“Doctors loaded me up with medication and sent me to therapy. ‘It’s all in your head.’ I had no desire to live. I was grieving my old life.”
‘How can you hurt yourself when you’re pregnant?’ I wasn’t the mother I dreamed of being. I was scared, not excited.’: Woman recovers from self-harm addiction for son, ‘We’re not alone’
“My addiction was the only thing bringing me peace. Keeping it a secret made me feel stronger. I felt like I was going to let my son down before I even had him.”
‘A 27-year-old woman asking to have a hysterectomy is extremely troubling. My choice has been difficult to understand.’: Woman fights addiction, endometriosis, ‘This is not a decision I’ve made lightly’
“I did not want to carry, create, or be responsible for another life. What will your partner do if he decides he wants children?’ Some called it extreme, I personally felt it was me being responsible.”
