Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio

For teachers and students in much of the U.S., it’s that time of year again! As a teacher, I’m back to work already, getting ready for another school year to begin. While in some ways it’s nice to have summers off, I miss the routine that comes with the school…

When I felt the soreness in my back a few weeks ago, I knew it felt different. It was still muscle pain — I hadn’t injured my back in an out-of-the-ordinary way, at least not that I knew — but it didn’t feel the same. Usually with my Ehlers-Danlos…

While I’ve written before about tips for traveling with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I learned some new things recently that were helpful for traveling internationally. I was surprised at how just a few items made a recent trip to Europe much easier. They include the following: A good travel pillow:…

Before leaving for my recent trip to Europe, I was worried about being able to eat properly while there. Given my food sensitivities from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and alpha-gal syndrome, it can be challenging to dine out in the U.S., even when I know the language. How would…

“We’re just going to take a quick run into town. Want to come?” my aunt and cousin, with whom I was staying while in Chamonix, France, asked. I knew we’d be walking, as Chamonix is a pretty small and mostly walkable area in the Alps. I was happy to get…

The past few weeks have been busy. I’ve missed writing my last two columns because of a trip abroad to spend time with my brother and his family. He’s a school administrator, and his wife is currently staying home with their young daughter. They live in Europe and usually come…

Sometimes when I’m lying down, I take stock of how my body feels. Many people do this as a technique to relax or relieve stress, but I’m not sure that works when, like me, you have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). With EDS, doing a mental body scan makes you focus…

As I woke up and realized that I’d been sleeping on my right side, I started inwardly cursing. Nothing good ever comes from me rolling over in my sleep and landing on my right side. In fact, it’s usually a recipe for severe pain, as my badly damaged right shoulder…

Not everything that happens to me is related to my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (although much of it is!). Sometimes accidents happen simply because I’m human. My current nemesis is a ganglion cyst in my right index finger, courtesy of the fact that I accidentally dropped a square beam (6…

As I stood up for what felt like the 50th time that day, my knees, back, and hips protested loudly. When I moved into my house awhile back, I put down waterproof plank flooring over the hardwood that was there. The original was nice, but it needed to be refinished…