When I caught the toaster on fire as a kid, I stood still, unable to make a quick decision about how to handle it. My mom ran into the room, extinguished the flames and barely winked. I thought it was some superpower only moms had.

Several weeks ago, I got an email from Cartier’s PR team inviting me up to San Francisco to attend its Women’s Initiative Awards. From previous experience, I knew that press trips with Cartier are fun and fancy. However, I didn’t know I was in for an experience that would move me deeply.

This piece is part of Bustle's My Life With, which is all about removing the invisibility around living with a chronic illness.

After Emily Levy had a PICC line inserted in a vein in her arm to treat the teenager's chronic neurological Lyme disease, her doctors told her to cover the catheter with the top of a tube sock.

Kim Gamez knew she had a winning concept for a startup within the first six months of launching Mi Padrino, an online event-planning platform for Hispanic traditional celebrations, such as quinceaneras (girls’ 15th year birthday parties), weddings, baptisms and more.