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.The past few weeks have been busy, yet so much fun. I was recently able to visit my grandparents, who live out of state, for the first time since the pandemic started. Now that they and the rest of my extended family are vaccinated, we were finally able to get…
Summer is in full swing here, and one fun part for me is seasonal allergies, or hay fever. I deal with both indoor and outdoor allergies year-round, but they tend to be worse in the summer. I’ve noticed over the years that a weather front moving through can sometimes…
It’s crazy how sometimes time seems to simultaneously crawl and fly by. It feels like just yesterday when I was headed to work as a high school history teacher and a college counselor. On the flip side, I’m certain that was a year ago. Although I work longer than most…
It’s a bit hard to believe it’s already summer. Yet, the blistering heat and lack of rain remind me each morning that, yes, it is actually almost July. This past school year has been exceptionally stressful. While my school was fortunate to meet in person nearly the entire time, the…
A few months ago, when I finally returned to the dentist after being fully vaccinated for COVID-19, we talked about redoing my Invisalign. Although I had braces as a teenager, my teeth began to shift again as I got older. While it wasn’t too bad yet, my dentist told me…
As I sit here working on my column, with a heating pad wrapped around my hip to calm down a recent injury, I wonder about the similarities among those of us with various rare disorders. Of course, someone like me…
As I often do, I had an interesting discussion with my rock-star massage therapist Kim last week. She’d been on vacation for a few weeks, so I’d missed a session and was feeling quite sore. My hip, which I injured a few months ago, recently decided to get…
Well, it’s official. The COVID-19 school year is officially complete! For students, at least. As faculty, we still have a few weeks left, but I still can’t believe it’s over already. This year has felt both like it’s lasted an eternity and gone by in a flash. There have been…
Shoes and I have an interesting relationship. I’ve said before that I seem to be much more susceptible to blisters, but my flat feet are a different issue. Like many people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I’ve always had flat feet. That was one of the many things doctors…
Although sleeping helps me feel my best, it is also my greatest adversary. Like many people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, chronic exhaustion is a constant battle. No matter how much sleep I get, I’m always tired. Add the fact that it’s crunch time at the end of a school year,…
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