I am a Zebra.

Why a Zebra?

"When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses, not zebras."

This phrase is taught to medical students throughout their training.

In medicine, the term "zebra" is used in reference to a rare disease or condition.
Doctors are taught to assume that the simplest explanation is usually correct to avoid patients being misdiagnosed with rare illnesses.  Doctors learn to expect common conditions.

But many medical professionals seem to forget that "zebras" DO exist and so getting a diagnosis and treatment can be more difficult for sufferers of rare conditions. 

 Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is considered a rare condition and so EDS sufferers are known as medical zebras.  

Back in October I was finishing off my last few Physiotherapy sessions for my back injury, and I mentioned to my Physiotherapist that I often get pain in my feet and knees (sometimes other joints) after doing absolutely nothing to bring it on.
The best way to describe the foot pain is to imagine that you have been running a 10k race...when you've only been sat down or have done minimal exercise that day.

She had a look and my joints and asked a few questions about my medical history...
"Looks like you have Hypermobility Syndrome. That means you'll be 'Chronically Clumsy' - See how your knees bend backwards..."

And then I realised that my knees weren't normal. I always knew I had 'double jointed' fingers & toes...My elbows were really bendy as a child too. I got told at the age of 6 by a classmate that my crooked finger was 'gross'.

This information was only given to me 3 days before my wedding... I had a lot more to worry about than another new fancy name for my extra bendy extremities!

Last week, I answered a '20 facts' Post on Instagram that I was tagged in & casually mentioned that I have Joint Hypermobility Syndrome...

I had several people ask me questions & requesting Pictures of proof!
I also had a few "I have that too - but only in my Knees/wrists/elbows" comments.

Only having hyper mobile joints in 1 or 2 areas is not Hypermobility SYNDROME. 

It is literally just being hypermobile in selected joints. 

The criteria for diagnosing Hypermobility Syndrome are Called the Beighton & Brighton Score.

Left thumb to Forearm - 1 Point

Right Thumb to Forearm - 1 Point

 Right Pinky extended past 90 degrees - 1 Point

 Left Pinky extended past 90 degrees - 1 Point

Left Knee extended beyond 10 degrees - 1 Point

Right Knee extended beyond 10 degrees - 1 Point

Legs Straight, Palms Touching Floor - 1 Point

Left elbow extended beyond 10 degrees - 1 point

Right elbow extended beyond 10 degrees - 1 point

Total Score - 9/9

Joint hypermobility is often hereditary (runs in families).I have a few family members I know of who have double jointed bodies - My great Granddad & My Sister are 2 of the most obvious ones to me.

 One of the main causes is thought to be genetically determined changes to a type of protein called collagen. Collagen is found throughout the body – for example, in skin and ligaments (the tough bands of connective tissue that link two bones together at a joint).

If collagen is weaker than it should be, tissues in the body will be fragile, which can make ligaments and joints loose and stretchy. As a result, the joints can extend further than usual.

JHS is widely thought to be a feature of an underlying condition affecting connective tissue called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). (Pronounced ELLERS DANLAWS)

I have been looking into EDS for a few weeks now and I think it may be worth a trip to my GP to get an official diagnosis - If only it were that easy!

People with hypermobile EDS may have:

• joint hypermobility – the joints have a wider range of movement than usual. CHECK
• loose, unstable joints that can lead to dislocations and subluxations (incomplete or partial dislocation of a joint). CHECK
• joint pain and fatigue. CHECK
• joints that "click" and are easily bruised. CHECK
• gastrointestinal complications. CHECK
• symptoms that affect the autonomic nervous system (the nervous system that controls your automatic functions, such as breathing and urination) – this includes postural tachycardia syndrome, which causes fast heart rate, dizziness and fainting
• mitral valve prolapse – a heart valve abnormality
• uterine, rectal or bladder prolapse
• urinary dysfunction
• dental problems. CHECK
• low bone density (osteoporosis) - Possible.

Luckily for me I don't have all the symptoms, but I do have quite a few. I will highlight the next lot of symptoms I have to demonstrate what I have had to deal with on & off since I was tiny...

Some other Symptoms include -

• stress incontinence – a type of urinary incontinence that occurs because the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to prevent accidental urination
• hernias – where an internal part of the body, such as an organ, pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall
• in women, pelvic organ prolapse – where the organs inside the pelvis slip down from their normal position
• varicose veins – swollen and enlarged veins, usually blue or dark purple
• flat feet – where the inner part of your feet (the arch) is not raised off the ground when you stand
• headaches  Especially Migraines
• drooping eyelids & Myopia (Near Sightedness)
• a tendency to bruise easily and develop stretch marks 
• thin or stretchy skin
• dizziness or fainting Your blood pressure can drop to low levels, making you feel sick, dizzy and sweaty. You may also faint.
• tummy upsets
• sweating
• a sensation of anxiety
• purple puffy fingers and feet
• a pounding or fluttering heart beat (heart palpitations)
• gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – where stomach acid leaks from your stomach to your gullet, causing symptoms such as heartburn
• gastroparesis – where the stomach has difficulty emptying its contents into the small bowel, which can cause bloating and nausea - possible but not convinced.
• constipation
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – a disorder that affects the digestive system, causing tummy pain, diarrhoea and constipation
• pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles – particularly towards the end of the day and after physical activity
• clicking joints
• back pain and neck pain 
• fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• night pains – which can disrupt your sleep
• poor co-ordination
• recurrent joint dislocations – such as a dislocated shoulder
• recurrent soft tissue injuries – such as sprains and sports injuries

Anyone who has lived with me or known me for at least 10 years will know how 'accident prone' I am and how many times I showed up to school with something sprained, dislocated, bruised or broken! (N.B I am aware that I may have repeated myself with the symptoms...But never mind!)
I have some photos of the bruises I have discovered between yesterday morning and now...(My legs are not very beautiful at the moment and usually I would edit them to make them look better... but for the purpose of being factual I decided not too...)

The long one that is long like a back slant I have had for nearly 3 weeks after leaning on the rung of a ladder for an hour...the other ones have appeared since yesterday morning.

The last few weeks I have had really bad pain flare ups and have been extra clicky. It's got to the point that I am no longer comfortable sitting or standing for more than an hour, I fidget a lot and I sometimes feel so exhausted that I have to have a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day. As written in a previous post I had dental complications and bad reactions to anaesthetic as well.

Unfortunately this is a Chronic Illness.
Fortunately I've been coping with it for so long without a name, that I try really hard to not let it affect me too much.

May is EDS awareness month - Although I am a new Zebra I will try to help answer any questions people may have :)

Thank you for taking the time to read this :)

Peace Out 

Hailie

No STATS on this post as it has been written on the same day as my last one...

Out of Action April

Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the lack of posts over the last few weeks.
I've been busy on & off with Family & work...
Mostly I've been feeling rather unwell for multiple reasons.

So, I intend for this post to be a bridge from the end of March up until now.

So lets start at the beginning as that makes the most sense!
I had my 2nd wisdom tooth taken out in the morning of the 1st April & as it was the 2nd tooth, I knew roughly what to expect.

I have been suffering at the hands of my wisdom teeth for about 7, maybe 8, years now and my Dentist finally referred me to a Facial & Oral Surgeon to have them removed back in September 2014.

This time I had my lower left wisdom tooth removed... and this has not been a great experience tooth wise for me.
I had to have 2 doses of anaesthetic as, obviously, the first one wasn't too effective. I usually react poorly after having anaesthetic so I wasn't surprised.

20 minutes of having your jaw wrenched open and pulled about does leave you with a bit of discomfort.
I had more swelling this time round and found that it took about 5 hours for some feeling to come back.

I was still in excruciating pain 2 days later and taking regular painkillers with no relief.
So I started looking for a few answers on Google.
(Yes, I know that is never a good idea as I could have found out I was dying or something.)

I came across a NHS symptom page that suggested my pain could be related to a side effect called 'Dry Socket'

"Dry socket

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is one of the most common complications of wisdom tooth removal. It occurs when a blood clot fails to develop in the tooth socket, or if the blood clot becomes dislodged or disappears. This can happen three to five days after surgery.

The empty socket causes an ache or throbbing pain in your gum or jaw, which can be intense. There may also be an unpleasant smell or taste from the empty tooth socket. If you look into the socket, you might be able to see exposed bone rather than a blood clot."

Anyway, by that Sunday I was still in pain but not as much as the days before. That is until my nephew innocently bashed my jaw with a rubber Dinosaur.

Thankfully after a bit of time and lots of painkillers I am happy to say that my gum is now healing well and I have absolutely no pain.

However - I am due to have the last 2 teeth extracted on the 25th April!

Lets just hope this time It goes smoothly...

So besides tooth discomfort, I've actually had a lovely few weekends seeing Family - all on the Husband's side.

We enjoyed a relaxed family filled Easter Sunday with the Whole Clan.

 My mother in law made Cheesecake, Scones with Cream and Raspberry Jam & Peppermint Crisp Tart  - My Favourite! 

Bank Holiday Monday was quieter and there was less naughty treats....

 My Easter Weekend Look!

The weekend just gone was also spent at the In-Law's where we had a spontaneous BBQ on Saturday and took The boys (Riley & Kai) out for a lovely walk at Crabtree Plantation on Sunday Morning.

They really enjoyed themselves... Riley was in his element collecting and carrying as many sticks and logs as he could find!

It's one of my favourite childhood places I still like to visit often.

I know this post hasn't been very exciting but there isn't much more for me to say...
I hope my lovely readers had a great few weeks whatever you did!

Peace Out

Hailie ✌

STATS 
Current mood: Fatigued 

Current position: sat downstairs on the sofa watching  8 Legged Freaks

Hair: Tied up in a messy Bun
Outfit: Pastels! Mint Green Asymmetric Skirt & Lilac Vest Top... Its a Lazy day...
Final Thought: "Must Make More Tea"

A Bouquet of Staffodils

As my last post was so well received, I decided to do a quick follow up and showcase a handful of pictures that I got sent after the last post was published.

Unlike before - this one wont be a long post but I felt quite flattered that so many people wanted to help out, and it gives me a great opportunity to write a little more and recap on our lovely Staffordshire Bull Terriers!

The motto of many Staffy owners is, “He's a lover, not a fighter”, and this really couldn't be more right. 

Ace (Full SBT)

Although they were created in 19th-century Britain to be a small, fast fighting dog - those days are long past...

Bruno & Bella (Full SBTs)

Narla (SBT Cross) Winston & Timone (Full SBTs)

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not a breed to suit every owner, but for those who appreciate this dog’s unique characteristics and are prepared for a bold, tenacious, and loyal companion that prefers human friendship over canine buddies, he does indeed have “the right stuff.” 

Penny(Full SBT) Dex (Rottie Cross)

Bruno (Full SBT)

Poppy (SBT x Labrador)

Bruno (Full SBT)

 “Part of their charm is that they look so tough, but they really aren't. Their inner beauty will steal your heart." - Dayna Lemke, author of A New Owner’s Guide to Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Rocky (Full SBT)

Staffies would much rather romp around and play all day, than fight or even stand around looking intimidating.

Junior (Full SBT)

Meika (SBT x Siberian Husky) 

Rocky (Full SBT)

They have a zest for life and eat up new experiences with the spirit of a puppy.

Rocky (Full SBT)

Despite their imposing look, Staffs are actually very good with children.

Tyler

They love to be with people and they don't particularly care what the activity is - a Staff just wants to be with the people they love.

Taz (Brown Full SBT) Millie (White SBT Cross)

Duke (SBT x Siberian Husky)

Sasha (SBT x Siberian Husky)

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is one of the friendliest and silliest breeds in the dog world. They are highly intelligent and extremely submissive to people.

Winston (Full SBT)

They Truly are wonderful to be around.

Thank you for taking time to have a quick look through and thank you to everyone for letting me use your photos!

 I hope to write more about 3 semi-famous Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the future so keep a look out!

Peace Out ✌

Hailie


STATS 
Current mood: Tired

Current position: sat downstairs on the sofa watching Disney films

Hair: Tied up in a ponytail
Outfit: Pyjamas & Dressing Gown (LAZY SUNDAY!)
Final Thought: "Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme....BEAUTY AND THE BEEEEAST!"

Staffodil - A New Breed?

Hello lovely readers :)

Many of you may not know that I absolutely love Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but like many Staffy lovers - I am fed up of bad media and rubbish headlines slating these wonderful dogs.

I bet a lot of you are used to seeing this kind of image in newspapers with headlines such as: 

"Jogger attacked by Staffordshire Bull Terrier"

The Staff's reputation is built on hearsay rather than fact, on it's appearance rather than the way it behaves and it is often identified incorrectly as a Killer. 

Kai (Blue Fawn Irish SBT with Corey the Rat)

Unfortunately, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier looks so similar to an American Pitbull Terrier that it has been tarred with the same brush.

Now, I want to make it perfectly clear that I am in no way bashing other dog breeds at all - but in reality many of the dogs that show aggression are not Bull Breeds.

According to this website called Dog Bite Claims the dog you should be wary of is actually the Dachshund!

I would have loved to take a huge chunk of the website, and reworded it myself blah blah blah - but I could be seen as twisting the truth to prove a point, so here is a (rather large) quote from the website with the top 10 on 'most aggressive breeds' 

(NB: I will repeat that I am NOT bashing other breeds but simply quoting reports and statistics! These opinions on the following breeds are NOT my own!)

"The problem is that current bite statistics can be misleading because many dog bites go unreported and only bites that require medical attention are taken into account for these statistics.

This means that dogs that have specific fighting qualities from when they were used as fighting dogs or hunters, or larger dogs with more strength appear to be more aggressive than they actually are.

When a pit bull terrier attacks it is more likely to have serious consequences, but some breeds from the toy group can be just as aggressive but their bites have little effect so the incidence isn't reported and a distorted image is presented about aggressive dogs.

A recent study carried out on 6,000 dogs and their owners found out 33 of the most aggressive dogs, and also those which have good temperaments. The study involved collecting data from two different groups. The first group consisted of 11 different breeds and the second was an online survey mainly involving owners, including 33 breeds. The conclusions from both groups were similar. It looked at the different types of aggression such as towards other dogs, towards strangers and towards owners. Some of the results were surprising, below are the top ten most aggressive breeds:

1. Dachshunds
2. Chihuahua
3. Jack Russell
4. Australian Cattle Dog
5. Cocker Spaniel
6. Beagle
7. Border Collie
8. Pit Bull Terrier
9. Great Dane
10. English Springer Spaniel"

The SBT is a whole different ball game. 

It's real nickname is in fact “The Nanny Dog”

That nickname came about because this breed is known to be so good with children. It is the only breed that has been described as "Totally loving to its family", and is the only dog to have "totally reliable" in its breed standard. 

Roxi (STB cross) and her human sister playing on the beach.

Logan (SBT x Whippet)

Milly (Full SBT)

The very breed that many describe as vicious, unreliable and a killer.

Do We Look Like Killers To You?

Taz (Brown - Full SBT) &  Millie (White - SBT Cross)

 Baxter (With Alfie The Hamster)

Rocky ( SBT Cross)

Cara (SBT x Mastiff)

Georgia (Full SBT)

Boomer (SBT x Daffodil! - The Original 'Staffodil')

So why has the breed got such a bad name with regard to human aggression?

 It is simple. The media tell half truths but mostly - It's down to the Stafford's genes and the way their ancestors were bred.

It's all in the bite. No not the mythical 'Lockjaw' as in reality no canine has the capability to unhinge their jaw and set it to a “locking” position.

However every breed of dog does have the capability to hold on to their 'prey' or a challenger. You have to remember that nearly all domesticated dogs were bred for a job or purpose and having strong jaws and good bite was essential

How many people with Jack Russell Terriers for example lift them clear off the ground during a game of tug of war? My Mum owns a sweet little Broken Coat JRT and he will not let go for anything but the Post coming through the letter box... or Cheese.

Staffies have incredibly powerful cheek muscles, strong jaws and an extremely high pain tolerance. That along with a scissor bite made their ancestors unstoppable in the bull baiting ring.

So on the RARE occassion that a Staff (or Staff Cross) has bitten someone, they will cause more damage than say a Shi Tzu due to their aim for the face or throat, their jaw size and powerful strength.

However - the likelihood of a SBT actually biting someone is minuscule!

I am sure we have all seen people sidestep or cross the road, avoiding coming anywhere near the owner or their Staffordshire Bull Terrier. 

Making unwanted comments about the dog as if it was the devil on 4 legs. I have known owners of these dogs yelled at in the street and  for supposedly owning a vicious dog - I have been on the receiving end myself! 

My Husband and I were about 15 or 16 years old and just about calling ourselves Boyfriend & Girlfriend!

One afternoon whilst out walking Levi, a spaniel came running over and started biting her legs - and it was not playing. She was on the lead, and we were miles away from this other dog. 

The other owner was calling HER vicious and a horrible dog...

She tried relentlessly to get away to the point that she started crying.

She wasn't snapping back, she was trying to run  away all whilst this other dog kept biting her. 

In the end, Hubby pushed the other dog hard enough that it stumbled over, picked up Levi and cuddled her like a baby whilst walking away.

She was fine - just a few scratches. 

Had the shoe been on the other foot and Levi had attacked the other dog - She probably would have been destroyed.

Levi 

It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad. 

People look at these dogs in horror, as if they are the hounds from hell. Land Sharks. MURDERERS.

Riley (B&W SBT) Kai (Blue Fawn Irish SBT)

Imagine the frustration these owners must feel, when they know and understand the true temperament of their chosen breed, and yet ignorance and lack of knowledge still plagues them.

Unfortunately the rescue centres are full of them, for the very reasons that they make amazing pets. They are not aggressive to us - and socialised properly - they can happily live with other animals too!

Ellia (SBT with her Bearded Dragons)

Ellia (SBT with her Chinese Water Dragon)

Ellia (SBT with Maisy the Bearded Dragon)

This makes them completely useless to the thugs that want them as weapons of intimidation.

Riley (Thug Life is Tiring)

If you are considering a rescue dog then please consider the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. I don't think you will regret it. There are organisations and rescue centres that believe it is probably one of the best family dogs of all the dog breeds.

Milly, (SBT Cross - ex rescue, with her two retired racer Greyhounds. 

This was a week or so after Milly found her forever home)

Sammy (SBT - Possible Cross - Ex Rescue)

Of course my love of these dogs has grown over the last 10 years and luckily for me there are 3 Staffs in my family - not in my home (yet) - but my Brother in Law owns a gorgeous boy called Tyson. 

(I don't have many pictures of him though because he literally NEVER sits still!) 

And, my sister in law owns 2 of the most loving boys I have ever met!

I would like you all to meet Riley & Kai 

(Riley is Black and White Full SBT, Kai is Blue Fawn Irish SBT)

Yes, Kai is asleep

This photo was taken shortly after i came out of hospital and Riley wouldn't leave my side the whole weekend

So - I must have had a good reason to pick this topic to talk about...

Well truth be told it's about the girl that stole My husband's heart.

Levi.

I breifly mentioned her already but this whole post is dedicated to her.

Before I met Levi, I believed the media hype that Staffordshire Bull Terriers were mean and would attack me. 

So the first time I was introduced to Levi, I nearly pooed my pants when she jumped up at me barking and chased me up the stairs... 

She pinned me to the door... and licked me to death.

Looking back at that now I still laugh at how wrong I was - she was just so excited to meet me and there is me thinking she's going to eat me!

The more I spent with her, the more I fell in love with her.

She was a clown, a huge softy and still thought she was a puppy well into her mature years. She would run full speed down the hall way to stop, slide on the laminate floor and crash into the closed door every day - at least twice.

She used to sit under the table whilst we were eating dinner and rest her head on your feet.

Well actually she used to sit under the table and lick my feet. Which is hilarious and gross.

On other occasions she would do a running jump onto your lap even though she knew she wasn't allowed on the sofa -although as you can see in one of the photos above, she liked to push those boundaries!

She was absolutely amazing and definitely changed my opinion on this wonderful breed.

In conclusion, the SBT has been given a bad reputation because of what they look like. They are a prime example of 'judging a book by it's cover.'

Take for example the photo at the very beginning of the post...
That is a photo of a Staffy caught mid sneeze - Not aggressively barking and baring teeth!

They make a great family pet, are loyal, loving and brilliant with people. Give them a chance.

Before I go I would like to thank everyone who gave permission for me to post their photos - I had such a huge response when I asked for help that I just couldn't have finished it without you!

If you can't view the video please click here

Peace out
Hailie

In Memory of:

'Levi'

(AKA Buddy's Tasmanian Devil)

16th November 2000 - 20th March 2013