May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndorme (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) Awareness Month. During this month, people worldwide show their support for those with complex, multisystemic conditions. The awareness ribbon is black and white zebra striped pattern and zebra are used throughout the awareness campaign with phrases like #dazzletogether (a group of zebras is call a dazzle which I did not know and I LOVE!).

In this episode Emma speaks with Phillipa about what it is like to live with EDS and include discussion on why people with EDS are called zebras, at Med school doctors are taught that if you hear hoof beats think horses not zebras (why there is a horse in a hospital only John Mulaney knows apparently 😊) but the saying is supposed to encourage med students to look for the most obvious cause rather than jumping to the obscure and unlikely but guess what, sometimes those hoof beats are zebras and sometimes the diagnosis is the rare and complex condition like EDS – although Emma and Phillipa do questions just how rare EDS actually is!

It wouldn’t be a Hidden World of Women episode without tangents and the odd soapbox thrown in here an there, Emma and Phillipa discuss mobility aides and I am reminded of the meme that says that ‘people who don’t need mobility aides don’t fantasize about having one’, the importance of finding community and surrounding yourself with people who can show kindness, empathy and compassion and the need to advocate for yourself. We encourage you to be your own advocate and listen to your body because more often than people realise, there’s a zebra in the hospital too!

The Hidden World of Women is a podcast brought to you by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services. Help us get the word out about the podcast by hitting subscribe and sharing it with people you know who may be interested.

And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au

Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices

We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ

WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws

Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/

The latest instalment of The Hidden world of Women is a two part episode with Penny focusing on living as a visually impaired person. Penny is a mother of 5 children who doesn’t let having been blind since birth stop her doing anything! This is Part two of the episode, for part one follow the link at the end.

While being blind in a world made for sighted comes with its challenges Penny shares with Emma how she tackles those challenges and Emma had a lot of questions - there were just so many things that Emma had never considered and as a result the huge episode became two long episodes!

How do you parent five children? Seriously, how do you change a nappy when you can’t see what you are potentially about to put your fingers in? How do you travel as a blind person - is it REALLY safe for you to ride a push bike? What’s it like being the only blind person in the room? How can organisations make themselves more accessible to blind and visually impaired people? What technology and skills do you use as part of your everyday life?

Penny looks at life with an upbeat attitude and as an adventure which helps given she’s been in some interesting situations. She thinks that for all a situation which might feel daunting and impossible, there is a solution to it or at the very least a funny story to be had!

Part One can be found here: https://hiddenworldofwomen.podbean.com/e/e64-whats-it-like-being-blind-part-1-the-hidden-world-of-women/

The Hidden World of Women is a podcast brought to you by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services. Help us get the word out about the podcast by hitting subscribe and sharing it with people you know who may be interested.

And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au

Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices

We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ

WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws

Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/

The latest instalment of The Hidden world of Women is a two part episode with Penny focusing on living as a visually impaired person. Penny is a mother of 5 children who doesn’t let having been blind since birth stop her doing anything!

While being blind in a world made for sighted comes with its challenges Penny shares with Emma how she tackles those challenges and Emma had a lot of questions - there were just so many things that Emma had never considered and as a result the huge episode became two long episodes!

How do you parent five children? Seriously, how do you change a nappy when you can’t see what you are potentially about to put your fingers in? How do you travel as a blind person - is it REALLY safe for you to ride a push bike? What’s it like being the only blind person in the room? How can organisations make themselves more accessible to blind and visually impaired people? What technology and skills do you use as part of your everyday life?

Penny looks at life with an upbeat attitude and as an adventure which helps given she’s been in some interesting situations. She thinks that for all a situation which might feel daunting and impossible, there is a solution to it or at the very least a funny story to be had!

The Hidden World of Women is a podcast brought to you by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services. Help us get the word out about the podcast by hitting subscribe and sharing it with people you know who may be interested.

And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au

Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices

We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ

WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws

Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/