Black and Blue Ribbons – a Column by Karen Del Vecchio
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.
I saw a cartoon the other day that showed a husband and wife sitting on a sofa. The wife asked her husband how his day was. He answered, “It ... Read more
Well, it’s been a rather eventful week since my last column. I was excited to have an appointment scheduled with a veterinarian last week for my horse Cherry to ... Read more
Life has continued to be a stressful whirlwind of teaching, college counseling, and just trying to manage the all-hands-on-deck reality of working in a school that’s back in session ... Read more
Last weekend, I had a chance to go to my parents’ house for a while. They live only about 45 minutes away, but with everything I’ve had going on ... Read more
Like many people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrom, I often have gastrointestinal issues. I was diagnosed with a gut motility issue as a teenager, but I can really trace the problem ... Read more
Well, the past week and a half has been a baptism by fire, to say the least. I currently have nowhere near enough hours in my day to handle ... Read more
Well, it’s been quite a week. Just two days before school started at the high school where I work, I was asked to pick up a section of Honors ... Read more
I’ve been back to work at a high school for just over two weeks, and it feels strange. Everyone is wearing masks, keeping far apart, and cleaning everything they ... Read more
Last week, I returned to work for the first time since late March. It’s been an odd summer, to say the least. I also haven’t been able to get ... Read more
While the heat of summer unfortunately will continue for weeks to come, summer’s unofficial end is on the horizon as my date for going back to work approaches. As ... Read more
