A Story to Tell

When our daughter Everly was born and diagnosed with a very rare syndrome, we knew of no others like her in the world. It was scary and it was lonely. My life as I knew it had changed forever and I had never been down this road. I wasn’t quite sure where to turn or what to do. I clearly remember sitting at the Ronald McDonald House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, taking my one break from the hospital that day to each lunch. There was another mom sitting at a different table with her child who was medically complex. I remember watching this mom with her child because she seemed so confident, she seemed like she was doing ok. I wondered, “Will I ever get to this place and if so, how do I get there?” This mom and I started talking and before my lunch was completed, we had set up a coffee date for the following day. On my walk back to the hospital, I felt reassured that this conversation might provide me some guidance, some hope for how to move forward with my new life.

That next day, this mom and I spent time sharing our stories and connecting through our similar journeys. I remember feeling so much comfort in knowing that there were other moms like this one out there. They were further along in this journey and they were doing it. Not only were they doing it, but with their new found sense of purpose and perspective, they were thriving in their new world. I will forever be grateful for this coffee date, as this mom provided me with so much courage. I can happily say that since that day, I have never felt completely alone in this journey because I know there are others out there. Hearing her story is exactly what I needed.

Since then, I have been blessed to meet many others that have powerful stories to tell. These stories are filled with trials and triumphs, survival and fight, and a sense of community for others who may be walking in similar shoes. Knowing there are so many others with stories to tell, I would like this section of the blog to be dedicated to “Their Stories”… the stories of others who are brave enough to share with others. My hope is that this will be a place for others to feel a sense of belonging, because that is what we all deserve.

I would like to dedicate this first story to my mom, Nancy Sullivan, who also has a story to tell. You see, my parent’s first baby, Matthew, who would have been my older brother, lived to be three days. My mom was only 25 at the time. It wasn’t until Everly was born, that I was able to somewhat grasp what this time must have been like for her. I remember one day sitting in the NICU lactation room with my mom and her saying to me, “I am so sorry. I don’t know why this is happening.” Although I don’t think there is an answer to explain the “why,” I was (and still am) comforted by the compassion and support my mom provides because she has somewhat walked in my shoes. I am proud of her for the courage she has to share her story so others can feel a little less alone.

So without further ado, the next blog post in this section of the website will be with my mom. She will share about her journey into parenthood and the many important lessons she has learned along the way. Mom, I am proud of you and thank you for being vulnerable enough to share your story with others!

One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.

Brene Brown