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.

A Squirrel Sneezes — and My Pain Flares Up

Overall, things have been going great in my life. My new horse Cherry is learning quickly, my other horse Spots is healing, and Pilates and massages generally keep me pretty well put together. Nevertheless, at times my body decides it just doesn’t feel like cooperating and rebels. As…

I Have Greater Empathy for Others, Thanks to My EDS

One common issue that many people with an Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) deal with is that we “look normal.” While I’m grateful that it’s not blatantly obvious to most people that I have EDS, there are times when it can make things awkward. That well-meaning person who says, “One day you’ll…

Starting a New Adventure with My New Horse

In the intervening weeks since my competition horse Spotty was diagnosed with a disorder affecting his legs, I realized that if I wanted to continue to improve my riding and be able to compete on occasion, I’d have to look for another horse. Now don’t worry, Spotty isn’t going anywhere;…

Farm Chores Are a Unique Form of Therapy

While you likely know by now that I have horses, you may not realize that I live on a small, private, horse-breeding farm. The owner is active duty in the military, so I have my own place on the farm that allows me to help whenever needed. For non-horse…

My Continual Work Toward Managing Stress

It’s been a few weeks since Spotty received his diagnosis. My vet came out to look at my horse and go over ultrasound images taken by my orthopedic specialist at the referral hospital. We came up with a game plan. Although the doctor who diagnosed him advised six to…