“It started with flu-like symptoms. Loss of appetite, fatigue, and body soreness. I went from feeling fine to almost immediately shut down. I lay down and never got back up. My mom sped past the waiting room, screaming, ‘Help!’ as I lay lifeless.”
‘If she wakes, she’ll never walk again.’ I began to hear subtle sounds. One morning, I tapped her hand. It felt like I’d snapped back into life.’: Woman shares journey with Meningitis, ‘I’m a walking testament of hope’
‘You are on the highest legal dose, but let’s increase anyway.’ I was trapped.’: Health coach overcomes OCD, anxiety, ‘It taught me how to treat my body properly’
“Growing up, I had a very typical, easy going childhood. I had great friends, a loving family, I enjoyed school, was active and involved in sports and activities, and overall was just a happy, content kid. This all drastically changed in February 2004. When I was 8 years old, I woke up in the middle …
It Isn’t Shallow To Want To Look Beautiful—Until It Steals Your Joy
“I went to take a sip of water and all of it dropped out of my mouth. I looked in the mirror to find half of my face sagging. Paralyzed. My face just stopped working.”
‘Kids, will you follow me up the stairs?’ We walked into his bedroom. I knew something was wrong. ‘Where is Mommy? What happened?’: HIV warrior details journey with grief, trauma
“‘Lexi has AIDS’ was written in graffiti outside my science class. Soon, the whole school knew. I was spit on, constantly told, ‘I hope you die.’ I was tired of fighting. ‘I don’t care if I die anymore.’ Immediately, my stepmother began planning my death party. ‘Enough is enough.’ A family friend took me to the school counselor to repost the abuse at home.”
‘Everything went black. ‘Did I pass out?’ I woke up with no memory. They had no idea what was happening to me.’: Woman describes struggles with Lyme Disease, ‘Every day is a gift’
“The stairs became my ‘Mount Everest.’ I lost consciousness 18 times. I woke up in the ER with an IV in my hand. The doctors found nothing wrong with me. We were grasping at straws.”
‘I’ll be back in two hours. Wait for me.’ I squeeze you one last time, kiss your cheek, tell you I love you, and leave. I hate myself for going. I was supposed to BE THERE.’: Woman shares heartbreaking last days of mother with terminal illness
“This can’t be happening.’ You were supposed to wait for me. I jump out of the still-moving car and start running to the front door. I jump on the bed and cradle your head in my arms and sob something terrible. ‘Please come back! I love you.’ I cry and scream into my pillow after they take you away in that horrible, black body bag.”
‘My teacher told the class, ‘You will never meet anyone with AIDS.’ I sat silently screaming in my head, ‘I HAVE IT. YOU KNOW ME!’: HIV ‘stigma warrior’ details journey with virus
“I was getting ready for senior prom when I started throwing up. I slipped out of my Bebe cocktail dress and into sweats. My vision faded. The doctors warned, ‘You’ve gone blind. We have no idea if your vision will come back.’ Soon, I was told I’d be moved to hospice. ‘You’re going to die.'”
‘If you send me home, I will die.’ The doctor looked me in the eyes. ‘We’re all going to die.’: Mental illness, chronic pain warrior finds peace through therapy, ‘I accept myself as I am’
“I’ve been in a car wreck I shouldn’t have walked away from. I’ve attempted suicide 3 times. I’ve come close to death often. ‘Why do I exist?’ Now I knew exactly why I’m here.”
‘I wanted to give them a message in Heaven.’ I unfolded the paper and read the note through a cloud of tears.’: Surviving triplet writes message to deceased siblings
“I was shamed for talking about my children who died. I was told to concentrate on the living child I have, not the two no longer physically in my arms. My 7-year-old sat next to me as I wiped away tears. I asked her about that special note, handwritten with so much love.”
‘My two sisters went off to college, I went to prison. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t matter how you were raised.’: Recovered addict reminds us ‘addiction doesn’t discriminate’
“For every family member blaming themselves, racking their brain of where exactly it went wrong, beating themselves up, crying themselves to sleep, and thinking it was something they did…it’s not your fault. And it’s too heavy to carry.”
