Here’s my latest aggravation: I rolled my weak ankle at the gym and ended up with a sprained ankle, a fractured foot, and ligament damage. This is the fifth time I’ve injured the same bones and ligaments.
The frustrating part? I was doing something good for myself. I was in a cardio class, trying to stay strong and healthy. Next thing I know, I’m on crutches. Talk about a kick in the ass. Honestly, judging by how I’m walking, it looks like I kicked someone else in the ass.
This kind of injury is pretty typical for people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Our joints are loose and unstable. But when you add osteoporosis to the mix, it becomes a terrible combination. The osteoporosis came from chemotherapy treatments. So now I joke that I’m somewhere between Humpty Dumpty and Gumby.
The injury itself is painful, of course. But what people often don’t understand is how much the treatment hurts too. Using crutches puts strain on everything else. My joints, my spine, my shoulders—they all have to compensate. What looks like a “simple fracture” turns into full-body pain.
And most of that pain is invisible.
From the outside, I look fine. But inside, everything is overworking and exhausted. The extra pain also makes me even more tired, which I didn’t think was possible.
The crutches themselves are their own challenge. I have an ICD implanted in my chest and scars from my mastectomy. The crutches constantly rub against those spots, which makes them hurt all the time.
Another layer to this story goes back two years. My oncologist recommended infusion therapy to help strengthen my bones because the chemo caused osteoporosis, and my chemo pill continues to affect my bones. At the time, she understood that I needed to wait. I was dealing with colon failure and liver failure caused by chemo. Starting another treatment wasn’t possible then.
But now, after this foot injury, the waiting period is over. It’s time to start those infusions.
Cancer created a clear dividing line in my life: life before cancer and life after cancer. I’ve always had EDS—I was born with it—so that’s the only life I’ve ever known. But cancer changed everything.
I was 48 when I was diagnosed. And even though I don’t want cancer to define my life, it undeniably reshaped it.
The good news is that I’m no longer in survival mode. My last hospitalization was in December 2025 for liver failure, and hopefully it will be my last. The damage from chemo has finally been identified and is being managed.
For the first time in a long time, I’m not constantly afraid that I’m about to die. That’s huge.
So yes, right now I’m miserable with my crutches and my “tripod” life. But at least this injury isn’t life-threatening.
And honestly? The crutches do have one benefit.
When I’m exhausted, I can lean on them and take a load off.
Until next time, breathe deep and here’s to progress not perfection!
Bren
