Black and Blue Ribbons
— Karen Del Vecchio

Recently, I got back on a horse for the first time in several months. It’s been six months since a bad fall resulted in a broken rib and healing complications courtesy of my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). While I did ride a horse a few times earlier in my…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with over-the-counter pain medications. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Recently, I attended my first horse show in several years. I wasn’t riding due to a bad fall last…

Note: This column describes the author’s experiences with fascial counterstrain (FCS). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. I’ve been trying a new type of physical therapy called fascial counterstrain (FCS). Before I started it, I’d been struggling with the after-effects of a fall from my horse that…

Walking through the door for my first Pilates session in nearly six years, I felt a wave of nerves. The last six months had been a difficult recovery from a severely broken rib and a sprained diaphragm, injuries further complicated by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). I was anxious that engaging…

I’ve reached a plateau in my recovery from a badly broken rib and sprained diaphragm that’s been complicated by my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and I’ve been searching for what to do next. Recently, I went in for an evaluation with a physical therapist I’ve known for years, who…

A recent social media post from a weather forecaster noted that the temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity would all fluctuate significantly in the coming days, and that the “aches and pains forecast” was high. These wild weather swings can affect people in a variety of ways, aggravating conditions such as…

It’s been almost five months since I fell off my horse, resulting in a broken rib, a sprained diaphragm, and sore core muscles. I started physical therapy (PT) in November, and it has helped a lot. My range of motion has improved, and most of my muscles are far…

It’s that time of year when it seems as if everyone is getting sick with something, especially at school. Kids are out with colds, the flu, COVID-19, strep throat, and more. Some days it feels like we’re living in a petri dish, as we teachers douse ourselves with hand sanitizer…

One thing that’s particularly difficult about managing Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is that the same activity can affect me differently on different days. I try to keep track of patterns or movements that are likely to cause a pain flare, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always work. Some days, I can…

Recently, I woke up with a slightly sore neck. It wasn’t anything major, but enough to make me notice. I hoped that moving around and stretching would help it go away. At first, it seemed like I might be right; after doing my morning farm chores and a few…

Over the past several weeks, I realized just how exhausted I was as winter break approached. As a teacher, I’m fortunate to have time off for the holidays, and this year I needed it more than ever. Instead of traveling, I spent my break catching up on things at home,…