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.Sometimes, when my back pain flares up, I know exactly what caused it. Other times, I have no idea. Last week fell into the “no clue” category. I knew that my back was sore, but it wasn’t until my massage therapist, Kim, really began working on it that I…
I’m back! I had a fantastic time at my recent work conference and learned so much from the colleagues I met there. Last week, I wrote that I was worried about dining options, as I have food sensitivities from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as well as alpha-gal syndrome, a…
I’m preparing for a work conference, and for such events my dietary restrictions are a new element I have to consider carefully. Between the general food sensitivities that come with my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and being diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne disease that makes me allergic…
It’s the season for dry skin. Between the cold weather and frequent hand-washing, I can’t seem to stay ahead of it. I have a variety of heavy-duty lotions, but sometimes my skin still gets too dry. The worst part about that is the itching. I know, you’re not supposed to…
Back during that crazy cold snap in December, I remembered how amazing heating pads can be. Where I live, houses aren’t built with subzero wind chills in mind. So let’s just say that it got rather nippy inside when the wind chill outdoors hit somewhere around -7 F. I learned…
I don’t sit still well. I’m not sure I would’ve survived elementary school if I hadn’t been in a Montessori-style school that allowed me to move around at will, do my math while lying on the floor, and explore new things. I can sit and focus without trouble when I…
I love dogs — I have two rescue dogs — but some days they sure give me a run for my money. I was recently watching a friend’s dogs while she was out of town. My friend lives on a farm, like I do, but her farm is bigger…
A few days ago, I stumbled upon a recent blog post titled “Come As You Are: The Autoimmune Equestrian” on the website Eventing Nation. Eventing, or the triathlon of horse sports, as it’s often called, has a range of levels, from Olympic all the way down to…
I hope everyone had a restful holiday and New Year’s, however you choose to celebrate! Mine didn’t turn out as I had planned. My Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) threw in some challenges, but thankfully, a little ingenuity managed to help me figure out a workaround. Like most of the country,…
I’ve always loved the holiday season. Even though I can’t embrace it with abandon, as I did as a small child, I still revel in the feelings of Christmas. To me, the holiday season is truly about giving to others. This time of year, people are often gentler to…
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