preview

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Decent Essays

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Looking back, there were a lot of things that made more sense following my diagnosis with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, commonly referred to as EDS. This is a rare genetic condition separated into six different types; Classical, Hypermobility, Vascular, Kyphoscoliosis, Arthrochalasia, amd Dermatospraxis. There are varying degrees of symptoms and seriousness but a common thread is the defect in the collagen proteins which allow the skin, joints, connective tissues, and organs to function properly. EDS can also lead to many other unrelated diseases or disorders due to the malfunction in the body. The varying types and degrees in which EDS manifests itself makes getting a diagnoses difficult, especially at a young age. …show more content…

I would bruise and bleed very easily, sometimes even someone holding my arm or slight bump would result in noticeable discoloration. Then, in fourth grade I ended up in a cast once again… and again. I was playing in a grade school basketball game, when I decided I thought I could fly and attempted to sail through the air for a jump ball. After landing I got back up and iced for about 4 minutes before returning in the game. I played the rest of the game and after I proceeded to go swimming and ignore the growing bump and bruising on my elbow. The next day I woke up and wrapped my ENTIRE arm shoulder to wrist in sports wrap in an attempt to stop the pain, instability, and swelling… this backfired in relation to all three. After much debate, it was decided I was in fact NOT faking an arm injury and I was taken to Urgent Care. There I was X-Rayed and determined to have no fracture or break… I got a sling and a pat on the back. I returned home feeling very weak and wimpy, but my mother was not as sure that I was fine. The next day, I went to an orthopedic doctor who took one X-Ray and determined I had in fact broken my elbow. I was casted and told to come back in six weeks, little did he know I would be back a little …show more content…

She decided to give me some tests unrelated to the injury to begin my session with her. It was everything from strength determination (I was in the LOWEST 99% tile) to flexibility (In the highest of the 99% tile). After these findings she pulled my mom aside and talked about a disorder she believed I could have. There is no cure, nor any medical treatment that can help. In my case, it means I am extremely injury prone and I will simply have to get used to living with aches and pains. There was a genetics doctor I could go to if I wanted to be officially diagnosed, but my mom decided against it since it wouldn’t offer any medical

Get Access