Black and Blue Ribbons – a Column by Karen Del Vecchio

$massage, 2020, finger, fracture, awareness, sign, surge capacity, tension$

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.

December 22, 2020December 22, 2020

Sharing Some Light This Holiday Season

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

I love the holidays, especially Christmas. This year is certainly different in just about every way, except for one: If anything, I think we all need more holiday cheer ... Read more

December 15, 2020December 10, 2020

Slow and Steady Wins the Recovery Race

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

Last week, I had another follow-up appointment for my finger. In late September, I had surgery to repair a badly broken right ring finger from a freak accident. It ... Read more

December 8, 2020December 3, 2020

Managing Winter Weather and EDS Symptoms

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

Being back to work at school after the holiday is both exciting and a little depressing. I mostly did farm work while I was off. One of the most ... Read more

December 1, 2020November 24, 2020

4 Ways to Manage Anxiety and Lower Stress

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

This year has hardly been traditional. Among the most obvious evidence of that has been COVID-19’s effect on schools. I’m a college counselor who helps high school juniors and ... Read more

November 24, 2020November 20, 2020

I’m Thankful for Community This Thanksgiving

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

The past few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind. I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving, even though it’s certainly going to be very different this year. With COVID-19 spiking, people ... Read more

November 17, 2020November 16, 2020

Mitigating the Effects of EDS on My Injury

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

It’s been seven weeks since I badly broke my right ring finger. Last Monday, I went in for a follow-up appointment with my surgeon. My physical therapist and I ... Read more

November 10, 2020November 6, 2020

Finding Our Common Ground

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

People in the rare disease community experience a variety of syndromes that vary in both severity and how they affect people. Some aspects of rare diseases are universal, while ... Read more

November 3, 2020October 29, 2020

Staying Positive When Frustration Sets In

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

I’m exhausted. I feel like I say that a lot, but it’s true. I’m physically tired, both from going nonstop and from being sore due to falling off my ... Read more

October 27, 2020October 23, 2020

I’m Constantly Grateful for the Benefits of Massage

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

Every day I’m incredibly thankful to be able to see a fantastic massage therapist on a regular basis. People often don’t understand how Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), which causes loose ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 16, 2020

Another Round in the Finger Saga

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

A few weeks ago I was pretty happy to hear that because my finger injury was a break in the bone, my Eherls-Danlos syndrome (EDS) likely wouldn’t significantly impede ... Read more