by Emma Grey
Emma with her cats
My joints, they ache
And muscles quake
When called upon for use
And due to it
For hours I sit
Upon my round caboose.
A touchy thing
Its moods will swing.
There’s much it can’t abide.
I can’t conceal
The dread I feel
When asked to go outside.
I spot a queue:
“What shall I do?
Oh no! My POTS will flare!”
I have a trick:
My walking stick
Becomes a little chair.
My walker, too,
For chair will do.
For walking, it is best.
But often-time,
Though “in my prime” –
You’ll find me home at rest.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues. Read more about it on the Medline Plus website.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue. Read more about it on the Cleveland Clinic website.
Emma Grey is a Melbourne-based short-form writer of poetry, blog posts, and book reviews. She is also cohost and editor of the Books Without Borders podcast. Emma lives with chronic illness and disability and often draws on these experiences in her writing.
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