Abundance
Hi! My name is Kim ( @kimnotkristi ). I became disabled over time beginning around 2014 but with signs and symptoms throughout my life prior. In 2020 at the age of 28 and after six years of desperately searching for answers, I was diagnosed with hypermobile type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Along with that I was diagnosed with multiple comorbid conditions including Chiari Malformation 1.5, Basilar Invagination, Cranio-Cervical Instability, Spina Bifida Occulta, Erythromelalgia, and more. The biggest concern was the severe compression of my spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebellum which required surgery to stabilize. Finally, we had answers but it took another year and a half to access that surgery due to medical complexity and insurance roadblocks. I finally had surgery on July 20th, 2021. This surgery I had isn’t going to change the fact that I’m disabled but it will improve my quality of life and I’m so proud of myself for fighting for it. I am not of the mind that all pain and suffering happen for a reason. Sometimes suffering is just suffering. But I know that living in a disabled body isn’t that. Disabled people are inherently abundant and dynamic, feeling simultaneous grief, fear, joy, and hope. I am disabled AND happy AND adventurous AND loved & so much more. The suffering that is often just suffering? A system that requires us to fight to survive. So if you’re seeing this and you’re fighting, I see you. If you can, lean into your joy & find a safe place to rest ♥️
