ABOUT THE BLOG

Phatgurl Phastlife

I started fasting out of necessity. Several years ago my son was experiencing stomach problems and severe joint pain, as well as trouble walking from foot pain. I did what any parent would do and took him to the doctor. We went to see our regular general practitioner who was not sure what the problem might be. He ran tests and when they all came back normal he sent us to a pediatric specialist. That specialist after looking over his chart had my son do some really simple movements during the physical examination and made a referral to another specialist. This was a specialist in genetics. The doctor came in, ran through the predictable script; what brought you in, what hurts, when does it hurt, so on and so forth. Then she started asking stranger questions like are you really flexible? Can you touch the floor without bending your knees? can you do anything strange with your fingers? Yes, yes and yes. Then she turned to me and asked “mom, can you do any of those things?” Of course I can. I proceeded to lay my thumb flat against my arm, both forward and backward. She nodded, and explained that we both suffered from a rare condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome(EDS). 

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues — primarily your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Connective tissue is a complex mixture of proteins and other substances that provide strength and elasticity to the underlying structures in your body.

-https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362125

It was further explained that because connective tissue runs throughout the entire body, we would have a ton of symptoms but really only one issue; EDS. While his would likely be moderate iit would be important to monitor his heart regularly, get regular exercise, and be careful of falls and sprains. I was a different story. Because I am older I had to be a bit more diligent. Being morbidly obese, at the time I was close to 250 lbs, it was putting unnecessary strain on my body. If i did not find a way to both lose weight and strengthen my core my health would continue to deteriorate. I am a hair stylist by trade and never really thought about the strain that the job put on my body. Frequently, during a blow out I would have to stop and pop my shoulder back into place. Upon hearing this the doctor explained that my tendons while that are good at stretching, they are not so good at recoiling. The more they stretch, the more they are going to stretch. Because of this, it is important that I build my skeletal muscle. If i can strengthen my core and build a significant amount of skeletal muscle, they will hold my joints together so that I will be able to function.The flip side of that is do nothing, continue to tear my body down, and possibly end up in a wheelchair. 

As with any lifestyle change, I have stopped and started numerous times, and am likely to do so many more, but it is not how many times you fall; it’s how many times you get back up that count, right

Thank you for visiting be sure to come back soon!