Page 824 - Total War on PTSD

instability I also ended up injuring my ankle; with these compounded injuries confining me to a wheelchair. I had to fight for years to get my amputation so I could walk again.
After many failed surgeries I was sent to the University of Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital (UPMC Children’s) for genetic testing. In 2010 we began the process of diagnosing my connected tissue disorder but it was not until 2014 that I finally officially received a clinical diagnosis at the University of Colorado hospital (UCH). Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare condition with mutated collagen genes. Connective tissue is like a rubber band and the mutation makes it act like an old one. If it stretches it does not snap back, it breaks. Hyper- mobility is a big part of this condition, making a person too flexible. Unfortunately, injuries related to connected tissue become complicated to fix. Pain is also a major part of this condition even though there is often no medical explanation. EDS has no cure and is treated as symptoms arise.
I was medically discharged with having a multiple directional dislocation of my right shoulder. This was caused, at least initially, in a training accident; and the Denver VA system caused the rest. I also injured both knees with major damage to the left knee (tearing many different ligaments). These injuries were further complicated by a genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which we did not know I had at the time. The VA has service-connected or secondarily connected my mental health conditions, arthritis, and lower back issues. Since my initial injuries, I have had to have my left leg amputated through the knee (disarticulation). I receive medical treatment for my service-connected conditions on a regular and on-going basis. The treatment of these conditions has not always been the best. At times I was actually refused
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