The Ultimate List of Ehlers Danlos Resources

In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of passionate about raising awareness and understanding for the Ehlers Danlos Syndromes (which I've been told is now the right way to say it.)  I have this passion for five reasons.

Reasons 1-4: My kids.  Katie (10), Nano (8), Anna (6), and Davy (4) all have Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome or hEDS which they inherited from me.  I want them to grow up in a world that I didn't grow up in...one that acknowledges and understands their condition and where doctors know what it is and how to treat it.

Reason 5: Everyone else with EDS.  Most people with EDS spent the majority of their lives being told it's all in their heads when that couldn't be further from the truth.  We're already at high risk for depression and suicide due to living in chronic debilitating pain and all of the other EDS symptoms.  Not being believed or understood makes everything so much worse.

So, with that in mind, I put together a list of EDS resources, printables, freebies, awareness products, etc.

10 Facts About Handicapped Parking

I'm 33 years old, and I have a handicapped placard in the glove box of my car.  I got it about a year or so ago, but I've only used it a few times.  There are three reasons for that.  The first is that I only use it on my really bad days when I literally can't handle walking very far.  The second is that often all of the handicapped spots are full, sometimes with vehicles that are parked there illegally.  The third is that I'm scared of backlash because I look healthy and normal unless I'm using one of my mobility devices, and people can be cruel about invisible disabilities.  Stories like this, this, or this seem to pop up at least several times a month, and I know that I just don't have it in me to deal with something like that on my bad days.

So, in light of all the misconceptions surrounding handicapped parking, here are 10 facts about it that might shed some light on their proper use.

1. You can have my placard if you take my disability to go with it.