Dear Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Dear Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome,
I thought you had me.I really did. You gradually crept uninvited into my life, OUR lives. You took up my time, my energy, and hid from all my doctors. You made them think there was something else the matter. You only showed them one thing; you didn’t let all the things out at the same time so nobody could finish your pitiful little jigsaw puzzle.

You make me hurt, fatigued, foggy in my head. You are mostly invisible so that people don’t know you’re here. And that’s not fair. It's not fair because they don’t see what you do to me inside. How you tamper with my systems; ALL of them.

I know you’re here to stay, but I want to tell you that you haven’t actually got me at all.

You see, I’ve done my understanding. I know my medical stuff now. I’ve finished processing and grieving. I’m coming out the other side. I’m stronger than I ever thought I was. I’m positive. I’m smiling.

We’re not scared of you anymore. My husband, my daughters, my cardiologist, my Geneticist, my physio team, my pain therapist - they all have my back; our backs. And if you DO decide that you want my girls as well, then you’re just greedy. Even if you want just one of them.... If you do, we’ll be Zebras together. And you know what a group of Zebras is? A Dazzle. And that’s what I’ve decided to do. DAZZLE. Starting yesterday, with my Brave New Haircut and today, by telling everyone about you.

     

You think you’re rare, but if everyone knew more about you, maybe The Others could join the dazzle quicker.

It’s Rare Diseases Day.

We’re coming for you, EDS.