Balancing life and EDS is a delicate dance, and sometimes I get it wrong

Some weeks just feel eternal. It’s like you’re clawing your way along until Friday, desperate for a chance to get some rest and downtime to prepare for the next week. Sometimes, though, weekends aren’t a break and one week blends right into the next. That’s what happened to me recently when soreness and exhaustion piled up from my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).

I attended a local conference that started on a Sunday and lasted through Tuesday. On top of that, a friend was out of town and I was watching her farm for her. I had too much on my plate. Horses need constant care, and it’s not easy to find someone to take care of a farm, so I figured I’d just roll with it.

But between walking all over the convention center, sitting in uncomfortable chairs for hours, and juggling two farms, I was extremely sore. EDS soreness doesn’t involve just one particular area of the body. It’s a weary tenderness that permeates everywhere.

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Sometimes when I have this kind of pain flare, though, it can also be focused in specific areas, such as my shoulder, hip, ankle, or finger. And it occurs in new places, too. This time around, it was in my right wrist. I don’t know why, and I didn’t do anything to aggravate it, but certain movements caused a sharp pain there.

I’m guessing it may have something to do with my finger, which I previously had surgery on after shattering it. While the surgeons did their best to repair it, they told me that due to the number of bone fragments, it likely wouldn’t be perfect afterward. It does get sore sometimes, and I can feel the pain extending to my hand.

While it may not seem to be the case, I actually do try to refrain from overdoing it. But sometimes life gets in the way, and I pay for it later. That’s what having EDS is like. It’s always a balancing act, and sometimes I get it wrong. Then I do my best to put things back together and keep soldiering on.

Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.