“I had a forty-percent chance of getting it, but always knew I would. Although I tried to avoid it, it was ultimately inevitable.”
‘The government thought I was a superhuman. My parents met in a cult called ‘New Testament Church’ in the 1980s. You can see things ranging from demons, to Big Bird, to Ryan Reynolds.’
‘I am so, so sorry. I gave you the wrong results, I read them wrong, you are actually not pregnant.’ I remember thinking, oh no, here’s where the skeleton comes out of the closet.’: Couple given wrong results during infertility struggle, finally experience ‘miracle’ pregnancy
“He then looked at us, and said, ‘What are you talking about?! No sperm??’ ‘We were told there was no sperm,’ I said. I burst into tears, not believing that what he was saying was true. It couldn’t be true.”
‘What did you do to your child!’ I hadn’t grasped the accusation, I could see the fractures. He continued, ‘I’ve ordered a full CAT scan to determine if you caused brain damage to your daughter!’
“I couldn’t understand how, but there was the evidence right in front of me. Undeniable proof that she indeed was hurt and hurt badly. How could my precious little one-month old baby have four broken bones at once!”
‘She must have known she was pregnant.’ I was four months pregnant, and I had no idea.’: Woman has rainbow baby after miscarrying at home without realizing she was pregnant
“I hadn’t known I was pregnant, but I have photos of Pippit hugging me like this as I slept while I was pregnant with Liam. I was emotional, exhausted and couldn’t help but fall asleep when I least expected to. I had been 4 months pregnant, and I had no idea. It was a shock. I was in disbelief.”
‘She and her brother are both adopted, so we couldn’t even do a half match! That call was devastating. How could we come this far and not have any matches?! We felt hopeless.’
“We searched for weeks, and came up empty handed. I remember so vividly sitting in the waiting room thinking this is just a bad dream and we would wake up!”
‘I laid awake at night, my stomach in knots, terrified it was the boy embryo that took. I couldn’t even picture raising a boy. It brought me to tears. Full blown survivor’s guilt.’
“Gender disappointment after overcoming infertility? I felt awful. I felt selfish. I was mad at the fact there was a perfect little boy growing inside me. How could I be so greedy? So privileged? Women are yearning for a healthy baby, and I’m crying over…well, sex organs.”
‘Baby, I need you to stop crying about everything,’ I said to my 4-year-old son, followed by a heavy sigh.’
“Another day, another sob fest about something that broke his little heart. I will painfully admit, I don’t always handle his sensitivities in the most patient way. ‘Mommy, I’m disappointed I didn’t get a date with you today.’ But there’s not one part of me that wants to ‘toughen him up.'”
‘The doctor is in his Battle Dress Uniform and is straddling me on the exam table. The surgeon told me, ‘you have the best cancer.’ I would learn later how wrong he was.’
“We lived on a military base where my husband was assigned as an active duty Marine. On a day which had started just like every other day of my life, my life changed forever.”
‘I was 15 years old when I found out I was pregnant. I woke up one day, went to my email to see a subject line: ‘Looking for Bonnie Perry?’: Teen mom’s reunion with daughter she gave up for adoption
“I almost threw it away unread, because I was certain it was another detective wanting my money. But I opened it, and read: ‘I am Bonnie’s sister. My mother would like to talk to you.’”
‘There’s a problem in our relationship.’ My father stopped the car. I had an instant sick feeling. In a blink, my hero was gone.’: Woman overcomes abandonment issues, sexual trauma, ‘I can finally stand tall after 36 years’
“At age 13, I fell into a relationship with an older man. He carefully groomed me and became the father figure I was missing. He showered me in gifts and affection. But there was a price to pay. He would follow my school bus and watch me get off. He controlled my every move. Every week, I prayed I’d be the long-lost child reunited with her daddy.”