Many people are wondering where the name of the blog, Raising Zebras, came from and why the zebra is an animal that my family identifies with. I'm sorry to keep you waiting!
So why the zebra? It's not something I chose personally but something that I connected with after my oldest daughter and I were diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) last year. The Ehlers-Danlos Society uses the zebra as their logo and they explain why in an article on their website [here]. I've taken this quote from their website: "People with the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobile spectrum disorders (HSD) often identify themselves as zebras. Medical students have been taught for decades that, “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don’t expect to see a zebra.” In other words, look for the more common and usual, not the surprising, diagnosis. But many of us spend years pursuing a diagnosis for disorders that aren’t well known. Or aren’t expected in someone who looks normal, or is too young to have so many problems, or too old. Or even, what we might have is considered too rare for anybody to be diagnosed with it. So the zebra became our symbol to mean, “Sometimes when you hear hoofbeats, it really is a zebra.” Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are unexpected because they’re rare." There are other rare diseases and syndromes that identify with the zebra for the same reason explained in the above quote. Our family has a few of these rare diseases/syndromes in addition to the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Dysutonomia/POTS, and Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (commonly referred to as FPIES). So the name of my blog was born from the fact that I am raising 3 daughters who have these rare diseases... my 3 amazing, brave zebras! Click on the links in blue for more information and please stay tuned for more! If you'd like to follow my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email, please visit the Home page and scroll down to the bottom to enter your email address in the form. Then click on "Sign Me Up" as seen in the image below. Thanks for reading!
Caitlin
9/7/2017 12:10:41 pm
I absolutely love symbolism, Bek, and this one is just perfect! Just like your munchkins and you! Love you. {Now...where is the zebra emoji!} Comments are closed.
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AuthorHi, I'm Rebekah! I'm a wife, architect, teacher and mother to 3 amazing daughters! Thanks for stopping by my blog, RAISING ZEBRAS! Archives
February 2018
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