“I could’ve lost my life. I think of the doctor who laughed at me. ‘You’re healthy!’ he’d say. I wanted to give up more times than I can count. But I NEVER wanted someone to walk in my shoes.”
‘What if they don’t believe me?’ The surgeons had NO answers. I was labeled a ‘hypochondriac.’: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome warrior becomes advocate, ‘The frustration fueled a fire in me’
‘3…2…1.’ Darkness. I awoke to women in overalls. ‘Do you know where you are Mrs. Knowles? Elvis didn’t make it. Would you like to see him?’ I just wept and nodded.’: Mom to angel baby details journey, ‘Grief is love with nowhere to go’
“Empty-eyed, my husband wheeled a grey bassinet into the room. ‘I’m sorry. So, so sorry.’ I’d spent the last 2 years teaching women how to birth babies, yet I couldn’t. Elvis was cold in my arms, but so beautiful. I swore I saw his little chest rise and heard a little grunt, but my mind played tricks on me. I held him as the last pulses of energy left his little body.”
‘I called my husband. ‘Get on a plane NOW and get here!’ Things we loved about her were suddenly ‘something.’: Daughter battles neurofibromatsis, ‘She’s taught me about compassion at age 5’
“People kept telling me, ‘You’re obsessed! Just trust the doctors.’ But I needed the WHY. Something was going on with my daughter, and I wanted to know WHAT. I’m glad I trusted my gut.“
I Have A Facial Difference Called Sturge Weber Syndrome, And No I’m Not A Scary Monster Or Villain
“We are all such incredible beings, and we all need to world to see we don’t all have to look the same to conquer or to succeed.”
‘I ran barefoot down the street. My little boy was lying in the road. He looked so precious, like he was sleeping. Then I saw the blood.’: 12-year-old suffers traumatic brain injury, ‘He’s our miracle’
“I ran out to the helipad. I could see his sweet little nose, the dimple in his chin. He had dried blood on the side of his face but he looked peaceful. ‘Baby, you’re going to be okay. Jesus is with you.’ I had faith.”
‘At 18, I nonchalantly said to my friend over dinner, ‘I could always have a baby on my OWN.’ I was unlucky in love. Months before graduation, I committed.’: Single mom by choice says ‘this is the best decision I ever made’
“It wasn’t a plan B, it was my dream. The second they placed him on my chest, my world forever changed.”
‘Your chance of getting pregnant is ZERO.’ I’ve always known my life would look different. Miracle upon miracle happened. There it was, a beating heart.’: Mom of 6 says ‘there’s beauty in the scars’
“Her mother’s uterus had ruptured. The paperwork said, ’Severe brain trauma.’ She was a promise fulfilled. 2 years later, I got a call about an abandoned baby boy. We never left his side. Saying ‘yes’ to hard things keeps the world moving.”
‘It’s called the suicide disease.’ Pus gushed out of my surgical site. Doctors didn’t take me seriously.’: Trigeminal Neuralgia warrior details journey, ‘Helping others gives my suffering purpose’
“My face feels like I’m pressing it on a stove burner. The pain stops me in my tracks and I’m unable to talk. I was told to ‘power through.’ I decided to advocate for myself.”
Tommy Pilling, Husband In Longest-Living Down Syndrome Couple, Dies From Covid-19
His sister-in-law writes, “We are in shock and are heartbroken. Thank you Tommy for showing me what unconditional love was.”
‘I’m only looking for a friend.’ I told myself I wasn’t destined for dating or marriage. I let my disability dictate that.’: Man with muscular dystrophy shares love story, ‘They gave me a new life’
“I had an alert in my inbox. ‘Hi, I’m Jenny.’ I did a double-take. Talking to her was the easiest thing I’d ever done. Neither one of us was looking for love, so we were both surprised when it found us!”
How To Navigate Holidays As A Blended Family
“Being divorced does not mean your kids will suffer. If you treat the situation correctly, you can give your kids a huge, extended family full of love, and gain some friends in the process!”
’I’m going to play outside!’ I called for him but he didn’t answer. I saw him by a tree. Then I saw the rope.’: Mom loses son to deadly internet trend, ‘No child is immune to this’
“It resembles suicide, but it’s not. His bullies DARED him to do this the day before he died.”
‘We either need to end things or get married.’ I was completely blind to what she was doing. I thought I’d found my forever.’: Domestic violence survivor urges ‘you will find love’
“I was blinded by my affection. I found myself escaping into the stairwell to cry, several times a day for weeks. I purchased makeup to cover the bruises, but it slowly wore me out. I could no longer pretend I was okay.”
‘Your chances of naturally conceiving are less than 1%.’ I’d spent half my life dreaming of being a mom. I was shattered.’: Couple share ‘miraculous’ parenthood journey, ‘Life is precious’
“We closed the door on having biological children. I woke up to ten missed calls from my husband. ‘I know how we’re going to grow our family!’ We’d just found our greatest blessing.”
‘Shayla, stop bothering me!’ Now, 7 years later, I’d give anything to hear her call to me. I long to hear my baby say, ‘Mommy.’: Autism mom shares daughter’s diagnosis, ‘We’re her voice’
“We knew it was coming. I thought I was prepared to hear it, to see it made official. I was not. ‘She has autism.’ I was in denial. How could I have done this to my baby?”
‘My cousin is pregnant and incarcerated.’ Could it be real? I told him, ‘This MIGHT be the answer to our prayers.’: Couple pens emotional adoption journey, ‘She WILL know where she came from’
“I took one look at her and said, ‘She’s perfect.’ We had to sit nervously and wait. It was the most nerve-wracking 24 hours of my life.”
‘If you had autism, you’d be a unicorn.’ My social life was thriving, but I was a mess on the inside. I hated not being myself.’: Woman shares autism diagnosis journey, ‘My differences are a gift’
“I was told I was special or unique. I was the center of attention, and not in a good way. From the clothes I wore to the things I said, everything was wrong. I couldn’t fit in with the ‘normal’ people.”
‘No one hugged me and said, ‘Congratulations!’ I celebrated silently. I felt like I’d messed up the timeline.’: Single mom navigates unplanned motherhood
“I sat on my bathroom floor alone in my apartment at 3:00 a.m. ‘There’s no way!’ I wanted to smile, touch my belly, and be excited, but I was scared. I spent the entire first trimester worried about what everyone else thought.”
‘I told a woman at the gym my son got into college. She replied, ‘Don’t celebrate too openly, other families may still be waiting.’: Special needs mom explains importance of celebrating milestones, ‘Let us have this’
“I felt a flicker of rage so strong I had to look down at my hands for a moment.”
‘Oh god, did I just pee myself?!’ I watched the midwife’s face suddenly drop. ‘I am SO sorry, but your amniotic sac has broken.’ I was only 18 weeks pregnant.’: Mom births warrior 1-pound baby, ‘I’m holding a living, breathing miracle’
“The doctors gave me pitiful looks and left the room. I sat there, alone, stunned. Miscarry?! Was that even a term they used at 18 weeks pregnant?! My baby had a heartbeat. I put my hand on my stomach; I could feel little flutters in my stomach. No, I thought. I’m not miscarrying. Not today.”
‘I live in physical agony. The sea welcomed me into her icy embrace. The first touch of water began to lick my pain away.’: Chronic illness warrior finds pain relief, ‘The tools are within us’
“No reservations of nerves played on my mind. I tasted the salted air and strode into the ocean. You begin to realize nothing really mattered but your mind, your focus, your control. ‘Until next time, my love. I will be back.’”
After 1,460 Days Of Battling Infertility, I Gave Birth To Miracle Twins
“Three years into the adoption process, I had a strange urge to take a pregnancy test.”
2021—This Year I’m Making The Rules
“2020 has taught me some things I’m not sure I would have ever learned.”
‘We need Native American families for these kids. Are you interested?’ It took us two seconds to say, ‘Yes, we’re ready.’: Foster mom shares journey, ‘Every child deserves a family’
“When you hold these sweet babies in your arms, you’re entrusted with a lot. They need you showing up for them, fighting for them. No one else is doing it. All you need is a heart that has room to love them. Everything else falls into place.”
‘Whatever it is, we can fix it.’ She was exceeding milestones, then she started regressing.’: Parents pass law to save others after losing daughter to Krabbe disease
“Justin asked, ‘Is she okay?’ They said, ‘Yes, she is perfect!’ We heard a knock on the door. Our world shattered. I prayed they’d find a cure.”