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.
Summer means I have a break from teaching, which is great for rejuvenating myself for the next school year. But it’s also easy for me to do too much because I have more free time. That must mean I can do more, right? Wrong. To avoid taking on too much…
Over the years, I’ve found a few things that help me manage Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Readers of this column likely know that one important thing is getting massages. It’s really the only thing that seems to help with the pain and with keeping my muscles from locking…
Sometimes the pain from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is just weird. I don’t have a better way to describe it. A specific area may hurt when I’m in a pain flare, but it mostly feels like a vague “pain bubble” that I’m sort of immersed in. But occasionally, I’ll have…
While driving to work recently, I realized I was in one of my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome “twisted pretzel” phases. That’s what I call it when my body feels out of whack. I often notice it when I’m driving and realize that I’m not sitting evenly. This time I felt that…
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how I wound up with a massive bruise on my left arm, courtesy of a grumpy horse. As much as I dislike the huge bruises I get, I also find them interesting. But I didn’t realize until I read the comments on…
Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I didn’t have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), specifically how it shaped my life choices before I knew I had it. Undoubtedly, my life would be radically different. Prior to my diagnosis at age 22, I was an avid soccer…
Even though I’m aware of my physical limitations, I’m often bad about respecting them when doing so would keep me from completing the task at hand. I’m probably a good Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) patient in the sense that I stay as active as possible. But on the flip…
Some weeks just feel eternal. It’s like you’re clawing your way along until Friday, desperate for a chance to get some rest and downtime to prepare for the next week. Sometimes, though, weekends aren’t a break and one week blends right into the next. That’s what happened to me recently…
Apparently, I’ve been compiling an unintended list of stupid things not to do when you have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). First I fell out of a Kubota tractor while driving through a field. Then I was bitten on the arm by a grumpy mare who was having hoof pain…
Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of ways to make myself more comfortable at work, where I’m a teacher and college counselor. With my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), too much time in any one position, whether sitting or standing, can cause discomfort. My workdays fluctuate between lots of time…
Get regular updates to your inbox.