Hi, I’m Lemons. I was recently diagnosed with a bunch of conditions which amount to one certainty: I’m pretty darn special. Not that special, but pretty darn special nonetheless. All my life I’ve struggled with stomach issues. Eventually, it occurred to me that it may not be the leading character of my chronic pain story, just its annoying companion; a pukey, bloated Robin to a more multi-systemic Batman.

I have EDS, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type III Hypermobility or now hypermobililty Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In short, it’s a multi-systemic condition that can affect almost any part of the body. My major issues are chronic pain, frequent subluxations of joints and digestive issues. That’s why I need to do things differently: Cook, exercise, move, manage pain, take care of myself…

As unpleasant as the realisation is, I’m not one in a million. There’s a saying in medicine, “When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” Or in less flowery words: whatever the patient presents with is far more likely the usual than the unusual. Amid publicly approved rules to live by and doctors that see and understand horses, it can be challenging to find a path that works for someone that may sound like a horse, but is, in fact, a zebra. Read more about it here.

On my website I share my discoveries and experiments to
a) make sense of them (celebrate or rant as needed)
b) keep developing and adjusting my programme
c) help and learn from others on their own journeys.

“Growing Up and Liking It” encapsulates my own journey of taking back control, cooking yummy food and raising an awesome human. Maybe you get some enjoyment out of it too.