My Journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

"On the girl's brown legs there were many small white scars. I was thinking, do those scars cover the whole of you, like the stars and the moons on your dress? I thought that would be pretty too, and I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."

- Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Back, Shoulder and Newness

Let's start with newness. New location. I see I've failed to include here that I've started and important chapter in life, college. I'm successfully moved in and have started class. New inserts. A couple weeks ago I was fitted for a new pair of orthotics at PT. The goal was to make new ones that I hopefully wouldn't hate as much as my last pair. They're in, now all I need to do is set up a time to pick them up and make sure they fit well. I'm optimistic about them, and hoping that they will help keep my right knee more inline and more pain free.

Unfortunately, carrying heavy text books around campus and climbing into a bed that is unnaturally high (don't worry mom, I'm getting it lowered soon...I promise) is taking a tole on my shoulders. I've been waking up more with shoulder pain, and the feeling that my shoulder isn't staying in place as well as it should. I'm hoping that hammering my exercises and trying to limit the stress to my shoulders will calm this down. Fingers crossed!

The back pain is back. It had gone away for a little bit, or at least gotten a lot better, but now it's full swing again. The more I walk around, the worse my back gets because of the movement I have in my SI joints. Unfortunately, I am walking much more than I was at home. I've been trying to counteract that with doing my back stretches, using my heating pad and trying to not overdue things.

I have to say, when I was thinking about the transition to college at this time, last year I never would have thought things would be going this smoothly. I don't have any hip problems. My knee issues are minor, and not causing any damage. And other than my back pain returning and the shifting shoulders, I don't have any new developments causing me issues. I think that is something to be happy about.

Keep calm, and carry on.

2 comments:

  1. I had an iPad that I got specifically to cut down on having to carry heavy books, notebooks, etc. to class. It's great! Of course it's an expensive investment..but my argument worked ;)

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  2. Hang in there. College rigor is a good distraction and overtakes other life issues. Best wishes and keep us informed.

    Barb and Gary

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