Black and Blue Ribbons - a Column by Karen Del Vecchio

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To stretch, or not to stretch, that is the question with my EDS

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…

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This time an EDS curveball was a pleasant surprise

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…

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Even injuries unrelated to EDS can have knock-on effects

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…

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Sometimes I just have to get stuff done despite my EDS

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…

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Welcoming 17 pounds of stress relief into my home

The end of the school year is always chaotic, and the arrival of warm weather, since I work on a farm, leads to plenty of outdoor chores. All of these responsibilities and the seemingly never-ending to-do lists can cause anxiety, which I manage and is a common co-diagnosis for those…

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I’m still managing the long-term consequences of an injury

Spring is a busy time of year for me. Not only is school racing toward the finish line, but spring chores are ramping up on the small horse farm where I live. The grass is growing, flower beds need to be tended, and a variety of other maintenance must be…

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Eating out with food sensitivities can be frustrating

We had a teacher work day here at school in which we were encouraged to go off campus for lunch with colleagues. A small group of us headed to a local Mexican restaurant that had just opened. We were all excited to try the food. But sometimes eating out can…

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Spring allergy symptoms can lead to a pain flare if I’m not careful

This spring, my allergies have been terrible. I’ve had seasonal allergies for as long as I can remember, but the past few weeks have been some of the worst I’ve experienced in years. I was hoping that the long cold snap we had this past winter would’ve led to fewer…

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With EDS, is it better to know what caused an injury or not?

Injuries, sprains, strains, and bruises are simply a part of life with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Sometimes I know what causes them, and other times I’m clueless. I’m not sure if it’s better to know or not. If I know, I can try to avoid those activities in the future,…

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With EDS, it’s always something, I’m continually reminded

My hip hasn’t bothered me in a while. I guess that means it was about time for it to flare up and remind me that it’s there! That’s how it tends to go with me and my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Some ailments are constant, such as the ones in…