Black and Blue Ribbons – a Column by Karen Del Vecchio

May 19, 2020May 15, 2020

Managing Setbacks Through Realistic Positivity

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

Last week, I got some disappointing news. My horse Cherry somehow managed to fracture a bone in her foot. She was fine one day, and then the next she ... Read more

May 12, 2020May 8, 2020

Learning to Manage My Compensations

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is strange. Like many rare diseases, it’s unique to each person. For example, different types of injuries present variables in how a disease manifests. Since many ... Read more

May 5, 2020April 30, 2020

I’m Trying to Make Lemon Pie

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

Like many others, I’ve been forced to accept the current situation as our “new normal” for the foreseeable future. On most days, I get up, take care of the ... Read more

April 28, 2020April 23, 2020

How I Manage Chronic Pain During a Pandemic

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

I’m pretty sure this is the longest I’ve gone without a massage since I learned that they’re critical to my pain management and well-being. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that ... Read more

April 21, 2020April 16, 2020

Finding Positivity in Cooking

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

As I wrote in a recent column, one upside to all the extra time spent at home is that I’ve gotten to spend more time on activities I really ... Read more

April 14, 2020April 10, 2020

Managing Life Without Massage or Pilates

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

Here in Virginia, all nonessential businesses have been closed for several weeks. Frustratingly, I’m unable to access my two main therapies — massage and Pilates. Both of these activities ... Read more

April 2, 2020March 31, 2020

Looking for Positive Moments in Life and Books

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

Like everyone right now, my life and my therapies have been upended by the coronavirus. While it’s easy to get bogged down in all the stress and seemingly all-consuming ... Read more

March 26, 2020March 24, 2020

Managing Stress and Uncertain Times with EDS

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

In this time of uncertainty, stress and anxiety (a very common co-diagnosis with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) management are critical to my self-care. Like virtually everyone else, my life has been ... Read more

March 19, 2020March 18, 2020

Navigating the Sudden Lifestyle Changes with COVID-19

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

It’s hard to believe that only a week has passed since I wrote my last column. Everything is so different that it feels like months ago, not days. In ... Read more

March 12, 2020March 10, 2020

Figuring Out the Source of My Unexplained Injuries with EDS

Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio, Columns

One of the many unusual issues that come with having Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is the way that I can injure myself and not even know how I did it. That ... Read more

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