“I never talked about FA with friends, classmates, or professors. I exhausted myself doing so much walking around campus, attempting to keep up and pretend everything was ok. I had tunnel vision; walking on my own was all I cared about… until I had no choice.”
‘I knew FA was present, but I refused to acknowledge it — to protect my heart and my free spirit.’: After years of denial, woman embraces mobility aid and life with a rare genetic disease
‘I know it’s only for a few minutes, but having children does not entitle you to handicap parking.’: Mom pens PSA on handicap parking, ‘your convenience is not more important than our safety’
“I know it doesn’t feel like a big deal. I know other people are doing it. But I’ve been the mom unloading two wheelchairs, awkwardly lifting two children out of the vehicle in a normal parking space because a minivan of laughing teenagers with no blue tag pulled into the only available handicap space.”
‘My son’s tiny body was wracked with seizures. I stroked his tense, shaking face, whispering his name that he was safe.’: Mom says her son is a ‘miracle’ despite debilitating Polymicrogyria diagnosis
“This moment was one I’d never in my 33 years of anxiety imagined happening to me. I held my phone steadily pointed towards my little boy, in hopes of capturing his every move on video. I was witnessing something I’d never have wished on the worst of enemies. I searched ‘Polymicrogyria,’ ran to the toilet, threw up my breakfast and curled into a tight ball. When I tell friends my son has a condition that causes epilepsy, they respond by saying, ‘at least that is treatable.’”
‘I can’t walk, yet I’ve traveled to 23 countries, 80 cities. My husband carries me on his back. Up stairs, up mountains, across the world.’: Woman paralyzed in scooter accident, husband’s love reminds her ‘anything is possible’
“We were heading home by scooter when we slipped. After I lost movement in my legs, I was afraid no one could ever love me like this…halved. I didn’t love myself. But he’s always remained by my side. You can lose almost everything, you can lose your legs, and maybe even your wheelchair, but nobody can take away your determination.”
‘It’s really bad this time,’ she whispered. ‘My sister kicked me out. The cops are involved. I’m so scared.’: Paralyzed husband and his wife adopt 19-year-old, only 6 years younger than them
“‘Emily?’ The sniffling voice on the other line was hoarse from sobbing. I sighed. A tearful call in the middle of the night could only mean one thing. She hesitated. ‘Will you and Chris be my foster parents?’ I was caught off guard. We were 23 and 24 at the time, and newly engaged.”
‘A 20-year-old suddenly appeared on our doorstep. He needed a family just as much as we needed him. His foster mom texted me, ‘I’m no longer able to provide care for him.’
“Joe had lived with a caring foster mother for the past 7 years. He has cognitive disabilities and required ongoing care, even though he was now an adult. I emailed friends, ‘I feel sad he is not with us.’ Less than an hour later, I got her text. We had less than a day to decide.”
‘I got a message from a stranger offering condolences for my fiancé. My heart raced. I had NO IDEA what was going on.’: Deputy paralyzed in shooting, girlfriend embraces his ‘new normal’ with open arms
“His last text read, ‘bank robber.’ I raced upstairs, put on clothes. After several unanswered phone calls, Jamie’s sergeant picked up. ‘He’s been shot in the back.’ He was paralyzed from the sternum down. The news didn’t hit until I had to relay it to my parents. I can’t make his pain go away. I can’t make his legs move again. But what I can do is love him.”
‘Who is this?,’ I asked. ‘This is Ty’s assistant principal. I came upon a car accident on my way home. It’s Ty. He is not good.’ ‘Wait, what?’: Couple overcomes horrific car accident, adopts, gets pregnant with miracle child despite infertility
“I told him I would let him know when I was home from school, so he could come pick me up. Little did I know when I made that phone call, the details I heard on the other end would change our lives forever. Nothing would ever, ever be the same.”
‘You’re paralyzed from the waist down.’ I was thrown 50 feet and landed on my back. I was told I’d never walk again.’: Woman makes amazing recovery after car accident, ‘My journey isn’t over’
“I remember my first thought being ‘Lilly!’ I tried to get up, but couldn’t move. I couldn’t feel. I couldn’t do anything. Seconds later, someone screamed, ‘Say something, say something!’ And all I said was, ‘Help.’ I was life-flighted. I died that day. I took my last breath when first responders put me in that helicopter. EMT’s did chest compressions the whole way. I was rushed straight in the OR. No one knew if I would even make it through the night.”
‘I didn’t want my heart broken again’: Wheelchair user finds her ‘true, unconditional love’ after trying to ‘self-sabotage’ the relationship
“He never once made me feel insecure about my disability and never once asked me what my disability meant for my future.”
