Black and Blue Ribbons
— Karen Del Vecchio

As I drove along the highway, I could feel my muscles getting tighter. Despite my best efforts to avoid setting off a pain flare, I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to stop this one. While I’ve developed a number of strategies over the years to manage my Ehlers-Danlos…

I suspect that many of us with chronic conditions use self-deprecating humor to cope with our frustrations. For me, it’s a way to show others that while my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) can be challenging sometimes, it won’t keep me from doing what I want to do. A few…

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…