An avid equestrian and educator, Karen has been a columnist at BioNews — the publisher of this site — since 2019. She was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 2009 after years of searching for a diagnosis that explained her symptoms. Karen enjoys working with her students, riding and caring for her two horses (Cherry and Spotty), and connecting with others in the rare disease community through her writing.As I stood up for what felt like the 50th time that day, my knees, back, and hips protested loudly. When I moved into my house awhile back, I put down waterproof plank flooring over the hardwood that was there. The original was nice, but it needed to be refinished…
The end of the school year is always chaotic, and the arrival of warm weather, since I work on a farm, leads to plenty of outdoor chores. All of these responsibilities and the seemingly never-ending to-do lists can cause anxiety, which I manage and is a common co-diagnosis for those…
Spring is a busy time of year for me. Not only is school racing toward the finish line, but spring chores are ramping up on the small horse farm where I live. The grass is growing, flower beds need to be tended, and a variety of other maintenance must be…
We had a teacher work day here at school in which we were encouraged to go off campus for lunch with colleagues. A small group of us headed to a local Mexican restaurant that had just opened. We were all excited to try the food. But sometimes eating out can…
This spring, my allergies have been terrible. I’ve had seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember, but the past few weeks have been some of the worst I’ve experienced in years. I was hoping that the long cold snap we had this past winter would’ve led to fewer…
Injuries, sprains, strains, and bruises are simply a part of life with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Sometimes I know what causes them, and other times I’m clueless. I’m not sure if it’s better to know or not. If I know, I can try to avoid those activities in the future,…
My hip hasn’t bothered me in a while. I guess that means it was about time for it to flare up and remind me that it’s there! That’s how it tends to go with me and my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Some ailments are constant, such as the ones in…
After my alarm went off on a recent morning, I rocketed out of bed when I realized I’d hit snooze so many times that it was more than 30 minutes past when I was supposed to be up. Racing to catch up and get out the door is never a…
I feel like I wear the same three pairs of shoes to work all the time. I don’t know if anyone else notices, but I do. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about it, but the shoes are comfortable. I’ve had issues with plantar fasciitis in the past, and I get blisters…
Some days my body sounds like Rice Krispies that have just had cold milk poured over them. Every time I move I snap, crackle, and pop! With my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), there are times when I can’t move without making noise — though sometimes that’s from me groaning as…
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