2023 Navigating Relationships and Maintaining Intimacy When Living with a Chronic Condition -...

The Ehlers-Danlos Society Global Learning Conference 2023.
Maintaining intimacy and navigating relationships is difficult no matter what your abilities are. When you throw one or more chronic conditions into the mix, it adds an extra layer of complexity that can be difficult to identify and understand. Hear a patient perspective on intimacy and relationships and all the anxiety, fears, and joy that comes from those while navigating a chronic illness.
Mackenzie is a rare disease patient living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and various other comorbidities. Diagnosed in her early 20’s, Mackenzie went into high gear educating herself on EDS and POTS, learning how to advocate for herself.