Despite an EDS pain flare and an injury, I’m still moving forward

As I landed face first in the cold mud, I was at least glad that the ground was soft and not frozen.

While I marveled at the lack of awareness that led to me tripping and crashing, I was also thinking I had hit my threshold for crappy moments. I’ve had three in the past few weeks, so surely things would start looking up. Thankfully, they have, but I’m sure feeling the physical ramifications of the fall.

I live on a small horse farm, and I was taking a new hay bale out to one of the fields with the tractor. After putting the tractor on idle, I hopped down so I could open the gate to drive through. I saw the branch that had come down in a recent storm and stepped over it, but in the semi-darkness, I didn’t see another piece sticking up. The rogue branch got stuck between my shins and didn’t bend or break when I went to move forward, leading to my spectacular tumble.

Recommended Reading

March 7, 2023 Columns by Karen Del Vecchio

My chronic pain connects in strange and mysterious ways

That’s gonna leave a mark

I felt my right glute, hip, and rib muscles pull as I hit the ground. I knew it wasn’t going to feel good the next day, and I was right. Thanks to my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, incidents like this usually cause more damage and take longer to heal than they would for the average person.

I was already dealing with a pain flare-up, so I was a little concerned that this would ratchet it up a level. Surprisingly, although I certainly feel all those pulled and strained muscles, I don’t know if my overall pain level has really changed. Maybe it just can’t go much higher.

I’m honestly not sure, as I get to a point in my pain flare-ups where I just mentally block out the pain. It’s a common coping mechanism of mine, and while I certainly need it to get through some days, I also wonder if I push myself too far because I don’t fully recognize how I’m feeling.

I decided to go home after work yesterday and relax. I hardly ever do that, as I usually have so many things on my plate and being unproductive only increases my stress. I realized, however, that if I wanted to start feeling better, I needed a good night’s sleep and a little downtime, so I prioritized self-care. When my alarm went off the next morning, I was definitely glad that I had. I actually felt somewhat rested and ready to take on the day.

It’s onward and upward from here!

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.