I've decided to take part in the Ehlers Danlos Society's May Awareness Month challenges - I'll be posting daily photos on my Instagram (@Christinecrochet394) with posts relating to how I cope living with EDS type 3 as well as completing other physical challenges.

I was diagnosed with EDS type 3 in October 2018, following recurring problems with me knees and wrists.  I had MPFL reconstruction on my left knee in August 2017 because of my EDS - which was not diagnosed at the time, which led to the knee hyper-extending and subluxing (almost dislocating), causing vast amounts of pain.  Due to my EDS I now take regular strong painkillers and use mobility aids such as a walking stick or a wheelchair.  

At 22 years of age, many people look at me and don't understand that I'm disabled and that is exactly why I want to do these challenges.  I struggle to sit through my uni lectures, I can't walk long distances and sometimes have to cancel going to events minutes before I'm meant to be leaving for it because my joints have decided they don't want me to go (sublux).  I want to make people aware of what my everyday consists of and what it is I need to do to be able to achieve what is expected of me.  But I also want to show that despite the struggles I face, and others with EDS, I can still accomplish things - some of the challenges I will be aiming to achieve throughout May consist of walking up and down the stairs 50 times (knee dependent) to completing a full 2 hour dance workout.  These are things which are definitely a challenge to me, even though they might not be for someone else.

The Ehlers Danlos Society are an amazing organisation who work to better the understanding of EDS and other Hyper-Mobility Spectrum Disorders and through this, improve the experiences of those with these disorders in medical situations.  Something needed as I myself still encounter doctors and other medical professionals who don't know what EDS is.  Their resources are a lifeline for helping to explain what it is - and the community they help to create is amazingly useful in getting tips on living with EDS from other people with it.