ZEBRAS

 Medical students have been taught for decades that, “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don’t expect to see a zebra.” In other words, look for the more common and usual, not the surprising, diagnosis.

People with rare and chronic diseases spend years searching for answers:

“But you look normal”

“You’re too young to have so many problems”

“You’re too old”

“You can’t have that, it’s too rare”

“No one knows what that is”

The zebra became our symbol because those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder are the unexpected. “Sometimes when you hear hoofbeats, it really is a zebra.”

A group of zebras is called a dazzle. 

I never heard of this EDS and now, because of twitter, cannot stop thinking of it. Am I a misanthrope? I am not. But now, I imagine hearing the voice of my Uncle Ivor:  BASTA DE BOLUDEAR  - Fang jetzt an zu arbeiten!