The Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Mascot

So they say if you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) that you are like a zebra. Why may you ask? Is it because we are really good at camouflaging ourselves? No. Because we have a fascination with black and white color schemes? No. We are all criminals destined for a life behind bars dragging our proverbial ball and chain? No. Nothing that cool. We are zebras because when we go to doctors and say "this hurts and that hurts" they usually say they don't see anything wrong and if it gallops like a horse and sounds like a horse it must be a horse. But the problem with EDS is that we aren't horses...we gallop like horses, we sound like horses, and we even look a little like a horse, but we are zebras. Get it? Yeah, me too.

I mean I get it. After seven years of being given endless dismissals from doctors we finally have some answers. But honestly, I would have picked a cooler mascot, maybe a leopard. There are many shades, different spots, and lets face it they are fierce and pretty freaking cool. But I'm new to this so zebra it is...I've got my zebra blanket, my zebra bag, a little zebra at my desk, and well that's it because it just gets weird after you have too many zebra items. I am a grown woman after all - well chronologically anyway. 

Now what does it mean to be a zebra? It means you are constantly explaining why you are young and healthy looking but can't exercise. It's not that you are lazy...really. Or why you have chronic fatigue  despite the fact that you just slept for ten hours. It means when you say, "you are OK" that what you mean is that you hurt, but know that the person asking doesn't really want to hear how you dislocated all your ribs, your clavicle, your shoulder, elbow, hips, vertebrae, and the list could go on. And how did you do this? Hmmm, maybe a sneeze, stepping in the shower, or a silly little game with your kids on the floor. Or in a joyful moment you picked up your four year old after she scored her second goal in the game.

How doesn't really matter. What matters is what you do after. Do you derail all your plans and lay down after taking what pain regime you take or do you push through it and likely make it worse? I guess it depends on your mood or your what the world around you looks like that day. Right now, with my dear hubby away on business, I choose to move forward. The two kids will only jump on me if I lay down. And lets face it, that wouldn't be so great for what ever body part isn't dislocated.

Today I choose push on through and enjoy my kids, enjoy the fact that my four year old daughter sang "Tomorrow" from Annie at the top of her lungs at Panera and my seven year old told his sister to stop making fun of my jiggly belly because it was their fault it got all stretched. Ahh, children. They make this zebra laugh so hard I pop a rib!

Intrigued about this EDS thing? Me too, lets see how where this takes us...