“The doctor sent me straight to the hospital. ‘You could have a stroke.’ I vividly remember the first time I held her. Her eyes would roll into the back of her head. I’ll never forget the fear I felt.”
‘She only has a 50% chance of survival.’ I was just a teen! But I HAD to give her a fighting chance.’: Mom births daughter with Rett Syndrome, ‘I choose to live in the present’
‘Will I be able to have a family?’ The rooms were filled with old ladies. I knew in my gut it wasn’t good.’: Breast cancer survivor inspires others, ‘I look forward to a beautiful future’
“I saw the hospital number on my cell. I grabbed my phone. ‘Monique, I’m so, so sorry.’ Questions flooded my mind.”
‘He has no chance of surviving.’ There was fluid around his heart, lungs, and brain. They didn’t believe the pregnancy was viable, but he was SO loved already.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome
“My husband and I always said we wouldn’t terminate a pregnancy. But then we were called into ‘the bad news room.’ They said, ‘There’s a chance of your baby having Down syndrome.’ We didn’t know if he would make it.”
‘I ran to my husband, crying over and over again, ‘I’m not broken!’ I remained hopeful everything was okay. The happiness didn’t last long.’: Couple welcomes rainbow baby, ‘We’re so thankful’
“For 6 years, I was told, ‘All you need to do to get pregnant is to lose weight.’ I was getting nowhere. We were hopeful, with a little extra help, we’d become parents, no matter what the journey may look like.”
‘There’s a tumor around your spine.’ I was SO scared. ‘Have you tried wheelchair basketball? I was afraid to mess up.’: Wheelchair athlete inspires others, ‘I’m driven to be the best’
“I struggled to move my legs and had a persistent cough. ‘It’s her spine.’ I adapted in different ways to find my path.”
‘Our baby was inpatient, and our daughter was admitted for paralysis. She screamed in agony.’: Twin born with heart defect while daughter battles cancer, ‘My only option is to be strong’
“Nothing prepares you to see your baby in that state. Then, our girl needed a biopsy. The hospital was nice enough to let them share rooms.”
‘Prepare yourselves for the worst.’ They didn’t want press getting the news. I was coughing up pints of blood.’: Woman survives meningitis, ‘I am one of the lucky ones’
“’She probably won’t survive the night.’ I couldn’t understand why my parents weren’t protecting me.”
‘I’m not sure how it was missed. It’s SEVERE.’ How had it happened? I looked at my baby covered in tubes and wires.’: Mom births baby with rare congenital heart defect, ‘She’s our warrior’
“I grieved my daughter and prepared for the worst. Ava’s lips and tongue were slowly looking bluer, followed by her fingers. The memory will never leave me.”
‘There’s NO hope without amputation, preferably both legs.’ I was only 18. It broke me.’: Woman born with spina bifida loses both legs, ‘I’m still me, despite my differences’
“NEVER have I felt such unbearable pain. Something was wrong, but I did not know what. I had severe fever attacks, frostbite, and became bedridden. I see life now in a completely different way.”
‘We need to talk. We’re not sure Max is a fit here.’ We were getting hurt by our son, and had no help.’: Mom advocates for Autistic son, ‘For the first time in many years, I felt like we could do this’
“’What do we do? Mom to mom, I CAN’T do this anymore. Please, PLEASE help me.’ We realized our battle would be uphill, but we’d survive.”
