“I couldn’t walk like most kids or use my arms. The doctor tried to scare my parents, ‘She won’t survive.’ My mom was frightened when she heard this. She didn’t know if I would have a future or what would become of me.”
‘She won’t have a normal life.’ I realized things needed to change. We shouldn’t be ashamed of our disabilities.’: Woman details journey with Cerebral Palsy, ‘Love yourself always’
‘I hadn’t heard from him all day. ‘ARE YOU ALIVE?’ I started to panic. I never thought it would happen to me.’: Widow finds hope after losing husband, ‘Live as if today is YOUR last day’
“Our love story was a modern-day version of ‘The Notebook.’ When our eyes met, it was a full-blown fireworks extravaganza. His co-worker called me, crying. ‘He’s gone. Mose is gone.’ They handed me his wedding ring and wallet. It was real. The nightmare was happening to ME.”
‘It’s all in your head. Just get over it.’ I tried to end my own life and no one knew. I had lost everything, including myself.’: Woman overcomes mental illness, encourages others ‘never stop fighting’
“When I went off to college, I expected my life to get so much better. I had high hopes of finally feeling whole again. But I spent my time there battling severe suicidal ideations, and I stopped eating and sleeping almost completely. My whole family watched me throw away my dream.”
‘I’m a bad mom.’ I got married when my daughter was 2 and I don’t remember it. There’s so much shame.’: Recovering alcoholic describes journey, ‘I want to set an example for my daughter’
“I’d delete pictures so there was no evidence. In tenth grade, I was kicked out of a private school. ‘I have bad days, I am HUMAN!'”
‘There’s nothing we can do.’ I felt my hopes and dreams slip away. My life was falling apart and nobody could tell me why.’: Woman diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, ‘I’ll never stop fighting’
“My body’s injustice and betrayal would send me fleeing to a quiet place where I wouldn’t be discovered by my kids. I’d hide in my closet, trying my hardest to muffle my crying. As the tears fell from my cheeks and were washed away, I’d wish they were carrying the sickness out of me.”
I Didn’t Know I Was Autistic Until Age 25, And It Was Terrifying
“After spending my entire life reassuring myself I’m not crazy, I hid my secret from everyone.”
‘As I ran from my sleeping kids to snuggle beneath the covers and finally relax, it hit me. The dang chicken!’: Woman’s viral post about ‘mom brain’ is so relatable
“As I lumbered to the kitchen, it hit me. The wet laundry. The check I forgot to write for preschool. The pee-soaked clothes from the accident still in the bathroom sink. I needed a break, and I knew it. But, in the back of my mind, it was all there. Sitting. Waiting. Exhausting.”
‘I’m FINE!’ I heard my son call out. Something very wrong was happening. It was an out-of-body experience.’: Mom of 2 battles PPD, becomes advocate, ‘Motherhood shouldn’t be so hard’
“’I have 2 children under the age of 2. It’s not going to be easy.’ Up with the sun came an abrupt halt and the idyllic mom vanished.”
‘Christmas isn’t going to be the same this year. But through everything, kindness hasn’t been canceled.’: Mom creates ‘12 Days of Christmas Kindness’ to give back, ‘We all need more love this year’
“We played ‘ding dong ditch’ on our neighbors, leaving hot chocolate bombs in our place. We bought extra groceries to donate, shared cookies with strangers, and left an extra-large tip at dinner. If we can be anything in 2020, let’s be kind.”
‘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.”