“She tried to embarrass me in front of the class. ‘You’re wrong. I know what was done to my body.’ The room grew quiet as I sat there in shock. She accused me of my disease not being real. I knew right then and there I needed to make a change.”
‘My biology teacher said, ‘You’re lying. There’s no way you’d be alive without a pancreas.’ I held back tears, mortified. She accused me of my disease not being real.’: Diabetic woman details journey, ‘Our stories need to be heard’
‘It’s okay,’ we told her. She was left to wipe the tears. My heart hurt a little for her. I long to see joy within their eyes.’: Camp caregiver’s kindness and encourages girl to ‘face her monster’
“Despite the encouragement, applause, and prayers from her friends, she could not bring herself to do it. But as I walked away, I couldn’t help but wish she could have jumped. And, in that moment, it dawned on me. I think it fits with what we are all facing these days.”
‘I asked her when vacation starts. ‘In a week. I’m DREADING it. I already lied to my church and said Nicholas was 5 so he could go to Vacation Bible School.’ This warmed my soul.’
“One of my girlfriends called. We’ve been friends for almost 20 years. We sugarcoat nothing. Summer is NOT amazing. And if you ask your kids, it’s BORING. These vacation snapshots are the best 5 minutes of the day. The other 23 hours and 55 minutes are a complete cesspool.”
‘There’s one season that really brings out my working mom guilt. Hint, hint, it’s the same as swimsuit season.’
“The teachers are counting down, the students are hyping up, the pools are about to open, and everyone’s ready for some good summer fun! Everyone except those of us who don’t get a break. The faint tune of the ice cream truck on a Tuesday afternoon is all the gut-punch it takes to make my eyes swell with tears.”
‘No, not again! I can’t handle another child like this!’ I was angry at people who asked, ‘Are you gonna try again for a ‘normal’ child? I sat in the bathroom, crying.’
‘I was in survivor mode. I wouldn’t let myself feel. I couldn’t be weak; I had to keep going. People asked, ‘When will they grow out of it?’ I remember getting to a point where I thought, ‘This is going to kill me. I need to accept it.'”
‘They said he has no friends and that no one likes him. I have a 13-year-old son with autism. He went to summer camp and was bullied.’
“They called him names said he was dumb. They stole money and a wrist band that allowed him to play paint ball.”
