‘What are we supposed to do?’ It must be my fault. I turned to Google for answers and was terrified.’: Mom has surprise baby with Down syndrome, ‘Life looks a lot different now than it did 5 years ago’

“She asked us, ‘Did you know he has Down syndrome?’ I was a little shocked. We told her, ‘No, we haven’t noticed.’ She simply said, ‘Well, he does,’ and walked straight out of the room. Her tone and her demeanor were so condescending. I instantly felt fear, anger, and guilt wash over. There were no offers for resources, no books or pamphlets, no direction on what to do next.”

‘I can’t find a heartbeat.’ I fell from the gurney, slamming my head. She cradled me like the baby I knew I would never get to keep.’: Woman gives birth to son born sleeping, ‘It is excruciating’

“She frantically scanned, her voice trembling, ‘I’m sorry.’ I covered my face and just sobbed. I kept screaming to get her to try again. I can’t even begin to describe what it is like to know you are going to give birth to a dead baby. I tickled his button nose that matched mine. I was in complete awe.”

‘She paused from petting and looked up at me, she said, ‘Can he pray with me?’ I said, ‘Of course.’: Woman says ‘therapy dogs are desperately waiting to hear the words, ‘It’s time for work’

“They are desperately waiting to hear the words, ‘It’s time for work. Hop in the car! Let’s go to the hospital,’ so they can go back to doing what they love most, visiting patients. For many patients, their rooms are flooded with flowers and family. For others, a therapy dog is their first visitor in months.”

‘I’m sorry, but I’m afraid Elijah can’t come back to daycare. We tried everything we could. It’s just not going to work.’ I was crushed.’: Single mom adopts son with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from foster care

“As I sat in my living room, holding my 7-month-old foster child, I half-listened to the psychologist explain the risks I was taking if I adopted him. I heard the words ‘drug abuse’ and ‘fetal disorder.’ I was told, ‘He is not the same sweet boy I once knew.’ I bounced this precious little boy on my lap who giggled softly on top of my knees. He was everything I could have ever dreamed.”

‘I don’t want any more operations!’ It was so hard on me, I decided enough was enough.’: Woman with Apert Syndrome wants people to know, ‘‘I have a great personality if people take the time to get to know me’

“I was about 6 or 7 when I truly realized I was different from other kids. I looked different. There was a lot of staring, whispering, and pointing fingers from other people, as they had never seen anyone like me. I sometimes feel lonely and would love to have more friends.”

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‘I see you refusing to give up your nights out with friends, your weekend bar visits. I see you, and quite frankly, I’m fed up. My life is on hold.’: Woman with chronic illness says ‘we are vulnerable and we matter’

“I have to be honest. For the first few weeks, I thought it was being blown out of proportion. I thought people were unjustifiably scared. I was wrong. Infusion centers have completely shut their doors. Health companies are refusing to send supplies and nurses. My life is on hold, my health is on hold — with no known end in sight.”

‘She was recording her EVERY move that weekend and sending it all directly to me. I just wanted a night for myself!’: Stay-at-home mom urges others ‘don’t be that friend’

“A very good friend of mine was going on a bachelorette getaway. Have you heard of the phrase, ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say. Don’t say anything at all’? That’s all that’s been running through my head for days. My nerves were shot, my boiling point was BOILING. I’ve known her since I was 5. To say I was hurt was an understatement.”

‘I wish I could hold her one more time. I’d give anything in the world to just be quarantined with her.’: Widow urges not to take quarantine for granted, ‘This is a season to take time for the ones we love’

“Don’t take this time for granted. There probably won’t be another season in our lives with so much time to be with the ones we love. We don’t know how this will end. We don’t know when this will end. But we do know that eventually, it will end. I’d give anything for Rachel to be here annoying the heck out of me. I’d give anything for her to be here loving me.”

‘Be grateful all of them are in one house alive and healthy, because mine aren’t. The fighting used to annoy me. Now, I’m glad they’re even here to fight.’: Mom says ‘they will remember what you do during this quarantine’

“People should be ashamed. First, we lost our healthy, incredible daughter on Valentine’s Day from illness and now this pandemic is taking over the world as I am writing this. Families like mine, with six butts to wipe, can’t get any toilet paper when they just need it for everyday living.”

‘Why isn’t anyone congratulating me? Sadly, my daughter’s arrival wasn’t celebrated.’: Woman gives birth to baby with Treacher Collins Syndrome, ‘Our normal is different, but I wouldn’t change it for anything’

“I was excited and ready to meet our baby girl! I realized something was not right. I said, ‘What is happening?’ Why is my husband so confused and scared? Why can’t my mom look at me? Why did my doctor step out? No one said a word. The silence tore me apart. I finally got a glimpse of Bella and… she looked ‘different.’”

‘Is THIS how you act at SCHOOL?!’ ‘NO, I’M NOT YELLING.’ I nailed this homeschool thing for exactly 3 minutes before crazy started coming out of my mouth.’: Mom says to teachers ‘we miss you!’

“‘THE ANSWER IS 4. JUST WRITE DOWN 4. LIFE WILL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU LATER.’ ‘NO, I’M NOT YELLING.’ ‘WIPE YOUR DIRTY HANDS before you touch my computer!’ ‘Because he’s a BABY! Watching Frozen 2 IS HIS HOMEWORK.’ Teachers, we miss you! I am so sorry for all the things my kids are. When school resumes, I’ll bring you gifts of Starbucks and lunch and Adderall and Xanax and Tylenol. Once they’re all back in stock.”

‘Enjoy your two weeks off.’ We would all welcome Netflix and a snack day, but I have been working nonstop.’: Teacher says, ‘Here’s the TRUTH about what we teachers are doing’

“The last few days have been an absolute whirlwind and a total blur. I can’t tell you how many times my Apple Watch has told me to ‘Breathe.’ I woke up at 7:30 a.m. to three texts from my coworkers. I’m currently researching how to use YouTube as a potential platform for sharing videos of lessons. We are working hard for your kids.”

‘Why don’t you lose weight?’ Me, unimpressed by an egotistical doctor: ‘Or you could just do your job.’: Woman with cervical cancer, PCOS beats infertility, ‘Always fight for yourself because you are worth it’

“I quickly became friends with Wanda, the lovely trans-vaginal ultrasound wand I had a hot date with every morning. ‘We found something on your cervix.’ My period stopped. I almost fainted on the subway on my way to work. I started gaining weight. I was told I likely would never naturally have children. Well, f**k.'”