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Alexis Graff | Teen Mental Health

@maketheuc

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🩶 Certified Youth Suicide Prevention Specialist+ Empowerment Speaker [70+ engagements]
🩶 Being who I needed
🌿 Still Stories | for the ones we carry

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From the moment my son came into this world, he struggled. He struggled to breathe, to eat, and just a couple years later, his body struggled to create insulin.
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The second picture doesn't mean anything to you guys, but it was the last picture I took of my 3 year old who was healthy, happy and didn't know of the hardships that would come so soon.
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Swipe to see what two weeks later looked like. He went from being my innocent, healthy boy to being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In just a matter of weeks, something outside of his power took that innocence away and caused him to "grow up" a little quicker.
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As he comes up on his two year diabetes anniversary, I find myself thinking about this a lot. When someone you love has diabetes, it impacts all of you. It's hard on him mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But being the one that has to inflict that pain so he can be healthy also impacts me in each of those ways.
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I'm the one that changes his sensor and pump sites every few days. The one that tells him he can't have something because his levels are too high. The one that wakes up in the night when his alarm is blaring because he is low and needs something to bring him up.
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It's during those moments at night, when he is asleep and my innocent little boy again, that I feel saddened. I have to wake him up, or sometimes prick his finger because his monitor isn't reading, while my other kids get to sleep unbothered.
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I wish it was me that had it. I wish I had to endure the pain that he constantly carries. This little boy is the kindest, most thoughtful child you will ever meet. He is so happy and full of life. He teaches us so much and tests our patience, but I'm so thankful he's part of our family. He is a gift that we often take for granted. Love you bud
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#seethesigns #t1d #type1diabetes #diabetes #childhooddiabetes #hope by @maketheuc

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3 years ago

September is Suicide Prevention month, and I wanted to share part of my story.
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My first encounter with anxiety was when I was in 4th grade. I had just been switched from a public to a private school.
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We had a social studies test the next day, and I knew I needed to study, but I chose to play with my cousins who were down for a few days. (Keep in mind, I was only 10).
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The next day, I took the test, not knowing a single answer. Before we started grading them, I could feel my heart racing so fast; my stomach became a huge knotted mess. I had never felt so nervous/sick/awful/disappointed/afraid in my whole life.
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I asked to go to the bathroom as my voice shook uncontrollably. I was trying so hard to hold it together until I got to the bathroom. Then I knelt down on the cold, hard tile floor next to the toilet, and tears started rolling. Before I knew it, I was sobbing. I felt the urge to vomit, but nothing was happening. I felt so much pain in my stomach.
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I was thinking about how disappointed my parents would be; not to mention my teacher. I was so ashamed. I didn't know what was going to happen to me.
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I wish I could say that I got help, worked through my anxiety, and learned to cope, but I didn't. That was just the beginning of my anxiety journey.
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I woke up every single morning with that same stomach ache I felt that day. I missed a lot of school because of those "sick days." I ended up in the school office every day to get Tums, which I'd hoped would calm my stomach. They didn't. I felt severe nervousness when it came to school work. If I didn't know how to do something, I felt ashamed and would cry.
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As I got older, headaches and severe fatigue added to the constant stomach pain. It led me to multiple doctors, an MRI, and no answers.
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It wasn't until I was 18 that I learned what diagnosis those symptoms were associated with; depression and anxiety. by @maketheuc

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3 years ago

My last post was all about the difficulty that breastfeeding is. I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to being done. But there are some things that I've loved and will deeply miss...

The tiny hands clasped together, holding onto my shirt, or wrapped around my fingers.

The consistent falling asleep mid-meal.

The little body that fits so perfectly in my arms.

The little smiles they give me.

Memorizing all the tiny features: fingernails, toes, eyelashes, ears, fat rolls...

The late night feeds where we are the only ones awake.

The flawless skin that just seems impossible to have created.

I feel like my family is complete but I think I will always yearn for more babies.

I'm so thankful to have been able to enjoy each one of my babies. Life is busy and goes so fast. Don't forget to soak it all in, the good, the bad, and everything in between. 🫶 by @maketheuc

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3 months ago

To the breastfeeding moms, I see you. I feel your pain. Literally.

After having 4 babies, you'd think I'd be a pro at it. Welp, I'm not. Not even close. Of all my babies, this was the only one born with a tongue tie. They didn't catch it in the hospital and I didn't know what I was looking for. So, for weeks, nursing was a decision I contemplated every time I started feeding. I was in soo much pain for the entire feed every time, holding back tears, wondering what I was doing wrong and how much longer I could do it for.

How is it, that something so natural, so beautiful, nourishing, and sacred can be SO difficult. I dont know about you guys but with me, nursing is second nature like 75% of the time. The other 25% is hell. It's clogged ducts that turn to milk blisters. It's using an ice pack after every feed. It's chatting with GPT about how to find relief, emotionally and physically. It's knowing that I still have X amount of time before I can quit nursing. It's trying all the different nursing positions that you're not used to, to try and fix the problem.

I sat in the car for an hour during church today. Trying to feed my little guy. He was crying. I was crying. We expect breastfeeding to come so easily, but it doesn't.

For any other mamas in this era of life, I hope you know you are loved by so many. This will pass. You are not the only one. You can do the hard things. Ask for help. As for me, I will be reaching out to a lactation consultant tomorrow😂

#youarenotalone #youareenough #momswhogetit #momlife #motherhoodunfiltered by @maketheuc

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3 months ago

I keep catching myself wanting things to slow down…

the messes, the noise, the constant “mom, mom, mom…”

and then I have this quiet thought in the middle of it all—

one day, it won’t be like this.

one day, no one will need me this much.
no one will follow me from room to room.
no one will ask me for one more snack or one more hug.

and I know I’ll miss it.

even the chaos. even the parts that feel overwhelming right now.

so I’m trying—really trying—
to soak it in instead of rush through it.

because this isn’t just a busy season…

it’s their childhood.

and I don’t want to miss it while I’m in it.

#momlife
#motherhoodunfiltered
#thisisaseason
#youareenough
#slowdownmoments by @maketheuc

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4 months ago

No one tells you this part…

how one day they stop just being your baby
and start becoming your little best friend

and somehow the ordinary moments

become the ones you never want to forget 🤍

if you feel this, save it for later

#momreels #motherhood #momlife #momswhogetit #babybonding by @maketheuc

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4 months ago

You’re not hard to love.

You were just surrounded by people who didn’t know how.

The right people will never make you question your worth. ❤️

Save this for when you need the reminder.

#youareenough #selfworth #healingjourney #mindsetshift #innerhealing by @maketheuc

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5 months ago

You would never pick apart someone you love the way you do yourself.

So why is it okay when it’s you?

Be honest with yourself on this one.

#selfworth #mindsetshift #selftalk #confidence #realtalk by @maketheuc

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5 months ago

Too real?

#bodyimage #selfworth #confidence #youareenough #realmomlife by @maketheuc

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5 months ago

Real beauty runs deeper than your face. ❤️

#naturalbeauty #selfconfidencequotes #relatable #growth #healingjourney by @maketheuc

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5 months ago

Everything I do is FOR them.

#realtalk #momfitness #relatable #growth #healthyhabit by @maketheuc

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5 months ago

A meaningful life is worth the hard.

#momlife❤️ #dreamlife #relatable #realtalk #growth by @maketheuc

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5 months ago