Columns

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns my shoulder is probably the most damaged joint in my body. When I was about 15, I dislocated it, broke my collarbone, tore my trapezius muscle, and…

I love snow. It doesn’t snow very often where I live, but I sure enjoy when it does. We got about 5 inches of snow last Thursday. I work as a college counselor at a private high school, so I benefited from the decision to close school on Friday. A…

Presidents Day is a nice three-day weekend to have in the middle of winter and a good time to recharge. As much as I hate to admit it, the chronic fatigue from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) wears me down. The breaks I get working…

We’ve had a very strange “winter” so far here in the mid-Atlantic. I used quotation marks because we’ve barely had a winter. We’ve only had a few days of significant cold. Otherwise, it’s been bizarrely warm — and wet. My region has had so much rain recently that I’m…

Change happens. I have had many roles in my life, including being a daughter, wife, and mother. I’ve also been a student, artisan, neighbor, patient, and advocate. You probably have had similar experiences. Roles have come, and roles have gone. It’s part of the natural waxing and waning of life.

I try hard not to be negative or to complain too much. Overall, my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is not as bad as it could be, and I’ve found ways to manage most of my symptoms. I usually can do what I enjoy with a bit of creativity. Still, I…

As I wrote in last week’s column, I’m dealing with a pain flare. The pain, while better, is still not where it should be. The sensation is difficult to explain. The best way to describe it is numb — I can feel it, but the pain is beneath the…

For the past week or so, I’ve been dealing with a pain flare. As sometimes happens with me, I don’t really know what started it. I have old injuries that are easy to aggravate, and they become the points from which my pain tends to radiate.

One of the great things about working at a school is the time I get off. As someone with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), chronic fatigue is my nemesis. I’m always tired. I usually aim to get eight or nine hours of sleep a night, but I still wake up tired.

Usually, negative feelings are rooted in unmet expectations. Examining those expectations and deciding if they are reasonable can be particularly helpful when life changes. I recently adjusted my expectations for the holiday season, and now that we have made it through and are settling into the new year, I can…