One of the reasons I decided to start this blog was to shed light on my medical condition, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Every year, thousands of people go without being diagnosed with EDS and are forced to live with symptoms deeming no rational explanation. Before I was diagnosed, my parents and my doctors were perplexed by my constant injury, my terrible gut and immune system, and my body's bendy and fragile tendencies. Getting diagnosed was a relief, because I felt people would finally understand that I actually was in constant pain and wasn't just a cry baby, hypochondriac, or teenage girl looking for attention. The hard part about EDS is that it is rare and it's not the "simple" explanation to the symptoms that patients may be experiencing. There's a saying that goes, "when you hear the sound of hooves, think horses, not zebras." This saying refers to the idea that if you were to hear the sound of hooves, your first instinct would be that they were a horse's hooves, not a zebra's. People diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome are called "medical zebras" because EDS is not the common condition that doctors would expect from their patients. When a patient comes in reporting symptoms like joint pain, frequent breaks, etc., a doctor's first instinct goes to a common explanation, something that EDS is not. The term medical zebra has become a symbol of community for EDS sufferers. We call ourselves "zebras" because it is important that people know that our invisible symptoms that cannot be seen on the outside actually do exist. I thank the Lord everyday that I have been blessed to have been diagnosed at such a young age, but I know there are still people out their unknowingly living with EDS. I believe that God gives us hardships to build us, and to help us help others through their same struggles. If you are at all interested, please help me spread the word about Ehlers Danlos Syndrome!
To learn more about the medical zebra or if you would like to donate, please visit www.zebranation.org
To learn more about the medical zebra or if you would like to donate, please visit www.zebranation.org