Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Research Paper

I have always longed to help people. Even as a child, I enjoyed bandaging up my little sisters, playing doctor with my incredibly patient dog and even being there for my friends when they needed someone the most. Knowing what I know now, my passion for helping people would fuel the hardships that would come my way in the distant future. 10 years old and little did I know I would experience an incident that would take a toll on my life forever. Walking around Six Flags with my family, my sister and I were horse playing- you know, as girls do- and I saw my chance to pounce. I took it and ran with the "secret" attack that obviously would have been seen miles away. But suddenly, right in the middle of my attack, I felt this tearing, bone cracking
sensation that sent me straight to the ground. Wailing and screaming, unable to move because everyone thought I broke my leg based on its new protruding deformity, I was rushed to the amusement park ER and immediately given medicine to calm down. What was discovered was that my kneecap was dislocated and needed to be put back in place. With three anxious counts, an unbearable feeling, that no 10 year old should feel, shot up and down my leg and continued to do so for the rest of the night. That accident would be the start of many more throughout the rest of my adolescent years.
Soon enough, I had to quit sports and any kind of physical activity that I enjoyed just to ensure my own safety. I had felt like my favorite things were stripped from my own hands. The condition that I had was so consuming, that teachers and counselors would advise that I be homeschooled because of the consistent doctors visits and surgeries that would cause me to miss school and fail. I had never been so offended by the education system not only because of the lack of understanding for medical situation, but also knowing the fact that I could do so much better If I was given the chance to prove my intellect. As time progressed, I continued to worsen. My knees were deteriorating from the vicious dislocations of my knee cap and was to the point where I actually feared walking. Luckily, growing up Seventh Day Adventist, and also growing in a loving community, kept me sane for the most part. There was no doubt that I was depressed but there was also an unassailable truth that God was always there for me. The pain that he allowed me to go through, I now realize was for a purpose. For 8 years I Prayed faithfully in hopes that I would find answers and relief and finally, after 8 never-ending years, I was given answers.
Recently, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, an inherent, and sometimes spontaneous in my particular disease, that affects the connective tissue, mostly the skin, joints and blood vessels. In my case, I have overly flexible joints that easily allows for dislocation in certain areas of my body if i'm not too careful. People with EDS adapt to a healthy, exercise-affiliated lifestyle because there is no set cure. Yes, it definitely is quite the burden to bear but I do know it could be so much worse and I thank God everyday that it's not. I know that I can guarantee the chances of walking again as long as I know my limits. I have the power to become independent again and the self determination that I've developed over the years will not tolerate any loss of hope from here on. Now I am inspired to help those people like me as I was helped through this difficult time. I fell in love with the Physical Therapy program at Children's medical center in Dallas as I was attending it. I currently aspire to become a physical therapist but for now, I am acquiring my Certified Nursing Aid and Emergency Medical Technician certifications to experiment and to also help a broadened spectrum of people in need along the
way. I am thankful to God and to myself for not giving up and for those encouraging people whom of which God sent to me for a purpose to find myself and inspire me to become the young woman that I am today. I promised God and myself that I would return the kindness and humanitarianism to the world wherever I go and I am insistent that the promise I made is and forever will be resolute.