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.

5 Small Steps That Have Made My Busy Weeks Easier

This school year has been unique, to say the least. As a high school teacher and college counselor, I’ve been lucky to work at an institution that has made an effort to allow everyone to continue attending in person. We have numerous and extensive measures in place that have…

Staying Warm Is Critical for Maintaining Limber Muscles

Is it spring yet? Like for many people in the U.S., the weather in Virginia has been less than stellar lately. We’ve had record-breaking rainfall, and while I’m thankful we’ve been spared the ice storms and frigid conditions of other states, it’s still pretty miserable here. The last two weeks,…

EDS Has Taught Me to Be More Positive

I’m certain I don’t have to tell anyone reading this column that having Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) means overcoming a lot of hurdles and other negative things. These include chronic pain, fatigue, ease of injury, gastrointestinal issues, anxiety and other mental health concerns — and those are just the start…