“I cried. It made this momma mad. I didn’t know what it meant for his future and who would care for him.”
‘There’s no mention of this in his records. Could it be?’ We were the only ones who noticed.’: Family helps foster son get autism diagnosis, ‘No one advocated for him like us’
‘I know it may not feel like it at first, but you were chosen to be a special needs parent for a reason.’: Mom to late son with Down syndrome urges ‘love them a little extra for me’
“Please don’t be scared. On the day you get to meet your beautiful babies, you will have more love than you’ve ever known what to do with.”
‘Where are you right now? If you’re still there, you need to get out! You need to tell your mom.’: Woman finds happiness after years of abuse, neglect
“We went from talking almost every night to talking almost every month. ‘Shelainea, you need to tell your mom.’ The divorce took a toll. She changed for the worst. ‘You shouldn’t be going through my phone!’ I couldn’t believe she was doing this to me.”
I Lost My Brother To An Ear Infection—This Is How I Honor Him Now
“People should just be taking care of other people this way, and we help with the big stuff.”
‘My children BEGGED me to quit. I clung to my right to drink the trauma away. I woke to my pills missing.’: Mom of 2 overcomes alcoholism, ‘My kids celebrate my sobriety with me’
“I moved in with a handsome British banker after 8 months of dating. All the while, he was lying about having a wife. I didn’t see sobriety as anything but a death sentence.”
‘My OB said, ‘If you’re having feelings of harming yourself or your baby, you need to go to the mental institution immediately.’: Mom urges ‘we need as many postpartum check-ins on mama as we do on the baby’
“A few weeks after my first child was born, I called my OB in desperation. ‘I don’t feel good,’ I said. ‘I’m not connecting with the baby. I’m so tired, I don’t think I can do this.’ The most common gift I received after childbirth was alcohol.”
‘I was on mother number 3. She cut off contact. ‘Were you in Terre Haute, IN in 1967?’ My heart was racing.’: Adoptee finds father after 50 years, ‘Our relationship is magical’
“He didn’t have any idea what to do with a little girl. I tucked the papers away and forgot about them. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. Being rejected by the same woman twice in your life is a hard pill to swallow.”
‘My doctor was disinterested in my health. ‘It’s a circus people disease. You don’t have it.’ I felt defeated.’: Woman diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos, ‘I’m thankful for those who’ve stood by me’’
“Overnight, I woke up ill. I was met with disbelief and put-downs. ‘Girls your age struggle with anxiety.’ I struggled to walk up stairs. I would wake up from a full night’s sleep and need to go back to bed an hour later.”
‘I expected him to tell me, ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed. You’ve got to do something about that anxiety.’ He didn’t though.’: Mom grateful for husband’s love when sharing insecurities
“My husband and I had a day date this past weekend. I predicted he would say something like, ‘Why don’t you try to get a better routine going, be a bit more organized, and plan more?’ He didn’t, though. And then, he went a step further.”
‘Is there more than one?’ He said, ‘It’s TRIPLETS!’ The worst was happening. I rode in the ambulance in fear.’: After multiple losses, family welcomes adopted son on ‘Double Rainbow Day’
“It was like a dark cloud was overhead. ‘Should we try one more time? Is it too dangerous?’ I started praying for a sign. And boy did I get one. We took a shaky step. Then another. And another.”