Hi zebras! I'm Alice, London based 32 y/O and since covid hit I've been diagnosed with endometriosis as well as hypermobility eds. It's been a bit of a learning curve since then, and a lot of info to take in. But everything I learn about hypermobility in particular, suddenly a piece of the puzzle makes sense. I want to get to the point where I feel stronger in myself, and where I feel like I'm in maintenance mode rather than always in recovery. I find the financial side of things very stressful as well: It's almost like, because the medical community don't know enough about certain chronic illnesses, that anyone dealing with them has to go it alone, with no real support, and having to see private practitioners is not only incredibly expensive but its a huge stress as well. A lot of times I have felt like I can't afford to have these conditions /illnesses. I think that having to weigh up each month what you can afford in terms of treatment is something that has really eaten away at my energy levels, and added a lot to the anxiety that I get. Thankfully I've not had a panic attack since learning about our fight or flight mode can be so easily triggered, as I've been able to live more in accordance with that. I certainly identify with the zebra "strong" Jeannie created. I used to think I was weak, because of the injuries, pain, general fatigue and muscle weakness I get, but I realised we cope with so much more than the average person does, and nobody can even tell! I'm always been told by people "you look really well" and "are you feeling better now?" which I find quite tiring in itself! For those reasons and more, I'm so glad Jeannie has made this community. I feel less alone every time I watch one of her videos, and that someone who understands what I'm dealing with is there for me and others. I'm glad that she has taken the time and thought to create a community such as this. (so thank you Jeannie if you read this!) I'm looking forward to brighter days, and maybe even getting to know some of you along the way.

Posted by Deleted (252ff4f9) at 2022-01-09 19:10:22 UTC