“You have to stay strong, every day.”
‘Everyone thinks you’re free once you leave an abusive relationship. It’s not true.’: Woman shares self-love journey after abuse, ‘I’m stronger than I thought’
‘Will Nash be a baby forever?’ There are days where it hits me like a ton of bricks. More than the pain, I feel joy.’: Mom shares son’s journey with rare ADNP syndrome, ‘I can’t imagine a world without him’
“We waited for the phone call that would change our lives forever. The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Is it fatal?’ A giant wave of relief washed over my whole body. I thought this was the end of our worries, but it wasn’t.”
‘I can’t live like this.’ My ovaries were the size of softballs, leaking fluid into my abdomen. My family needed me. I had to fight.’: POTS warrior shares motherhood journey, ‘You’re NOT alone’
“My husband was giving me my nightly shot, and I experienced a weird taste in my mouth. I felt like I was choking. ‘You have to keep taking it or risk losing the baby.’ Every day was a battle.”
‘We’re being secretly recorded for a reality show!’ There was something wrong with me. I was completely paranoid.’: Woman with Bipolar Disorder becomes advocate, ‘It’s a constant battle’
“I was in a shoe store with my mom, talking to strangers in what I thought was Spanish. I’m not bilingual, but in my mind, I thought I knew the language. I’d been off my whole life, but I never knew why.”
‘I have a problem! This is serious and I can’t stop.’ My organs felt like heavy rocks in my body. I knew my time was coming.’: Woman shares sobriety journey, ‘I’m hopeful for a new way of life’
“I was on my way to a swollen liver. I had to stop drinking or I would die. I weaned myself into sobriety with boxed red wine. I was just starting to scratch the surface.”
‘He’ll have severe disabilities.’ Each smile is priceless. We have an even greater appreciation for the ‘little things.’: Mom advocates for son with undiagnosed condition, ‘He’s one of a kind’
“Our 6-week-old son lay in a hospital bed next to us, all hooked up. The prognosis was grim. Watching your child have seizure after seizure, knowing there’s nothing you can do, is gut-wrenching. He might not understand what’s happening, but he’s so strong.”
‘I live in physical agony. The sea welcomed me into her icy embrace. The first touch of water began to lick my pain away.’: Chronic illness warrior finds pain relief, ‘The tools are within us’
“No reservations of nerves played on my mind. I tasted the salted air and strode into the ocean. You begin to realize nothing really mattered but your mind, your focus, your control. ‘Until next time, my love. I will be back.’”
‘It’s okay, Mommy, just breeaathe.’ My toddler was mirroring my emotions. I knew we were onto something.’: Mom creates ‘peaceful habits’ during pandemic, ‘Focus on what matters most’
“I felt like I was drowning. I needed to up my self-care game or I’d lose it. We were not the only ones experiencing these challenges. I was definitely not alone! It was time to share the discoveries we’d made.”
‘You need to wait it out.’ I thought accepting my illness meant I was giving up. It wasn’t really living. I was simply existing.’: Chronic illness warrior says ‘romanticizing my life set me free’
“I’d leave in the middle of class to throw up in the bathroom. I’d lay on the floor during lectures just so I wouldn’t pass out. I woke up choking on my own saliva. It was the hardest time of my life.”
‘I was scared to stand. I presented my poem on my knees. ‘You’ve inspired us all!’ I never let my disability stop me.’: Young man shares journey with heart condition, ‘I keep pushing through’
“The bus driver accidentally dropped me and broke my leg. After that fall, I was really scared. I didn’t let it stop me. I knew Allah wouldn’t abandon me.”
