Self Defense

The majority of my posts have been light hearted but I need to post something more serious this time around. Yesterday, something really horrible happened in my small town that made national news - if you want to read about it I will post a link on the bottom. I don't want to go into detail about the story but rather focus on the fact that the victim was able to escape a moving car and run to safety. I started thinking about how vulerable all of us EDS-ers would be in such a situation. There's a good chance that we would have ended up falling apart just from jumping from a moving car... but then having the stamina and flat out ability to run to safety? This got me thinking, what should a person with EDS do to protect themselves from a situation like this. I considered taking self defense classes but with my body, I'd probably end up injured just from the classes. They do, however, offer disabled self defense classes (you would have to look around your area) and there are quite a few YouTube videos on this subject as well. Take precaution not to injure yourself in the process though. ;)
Personally, I carry a bright pink can of pepper spray on my key chain but that wouldn't do me any good in a situation much worse than a creep getting too handsy. I don't feel totally comfortable carrying a gun but I know some people are considering it after this occasion. I was thinking about a cute pink taser. However, this lipstick stun gun looks nifty too. They also make some pretty cool self defense key chains.  But of course the best defense is praying that you never need to use any of these products. ;)

What do you all think would be the best route? Do any of you EDS-ers take any precautions?



Link to the crazy story -
http://www.themorningsun.com/article/20130118/NEWS01/130119721/suspect-in-cmu-kidnapping-killed-by-police

Food... Sort of...

Some people forget that the jaw is a joint, and in turn, can have the same difficulties as any other joint to a person with EDS. Personally, I have TMJ, a small overbite, and stretched ligaments in the joint itself. The big blow came when I got into a car accident a few years back and clenched my jaw. It popped the bugger right out on both sides.
So now, with 41 days until my jaw surgery, I figured I should start shrinking my stomach and start finding recipes that taste somewhat like a real meal. Soup is always a good place to start. I found some ones that are mainly broth and a couple that wouldn't be terrible blended. Applesauce is pretty much pre-chewed (*gross thought, I know) so that will do. I got a few nutritional drinks to try and so far the Vanilla Ensure is my top contender. In a packet of recipes sent with my pre-surgical information, I found a recipe where you blend peaches, juice, cinnamon  and nutmeg to make it taste like peach cobbler. Worth a shot, right? The thing I'm not looking forward to is the meat-based baby food. It said to mix bullion with it to thin it out and make it - well - bearable but I'm still a skeptic and working up the gusto to try it. So far I have the suggestion of cream of wheat and protein smoothies... any more ideas? Leave suggestions in the comment section below! Anything - no matter how crazy - is welcome! I'll be writing reviews and surgery updates for you all to follow. I had a hard time finding recipes so I'm going to try to compile as many as possible on here.
As always, stay blessed!  
(*Side note: I can't have dairy, but feel but free to post recipes or ideas for those who can though just as a resource!)

Friends, Family, and Foes... Trimming the Fat

Sometimes you have to let people go. It could be your best friend or your cousin you've known since birth... if they aren't supporting you, they don't deserve your companionship. We struggle and fight every single day of our lives for understanding and the people who are closest to us need to be the ones that hold us together when we start to fall apart. They are the ones that offer to help pay for your wheel chair when you can't afford one... not the one who puts you down for needing one. Out of all the pain that we go through on a daily basis, the pain of having a friend or family member not believe or support you trumps it all. If you are reading this as someone who knows an EDS-er or any Zebra, do not roll your eyes or ask us why we aren't doing one thing or another. We don't choose to live this way. If you find our condition as a nuisance, try living with it. I guarantee you that it's more of a nuisance to us. If you are reading this as an EDS-er, talk to the person in your life causing you anxiety first, but don't be afraid to cut off necessary ties. The last thing you need is someone making you feel guilty when you are doing all you can to survive every day.


Here's a happy little video about part tricks to counteract my depressing post...