and his mom, Ren茅 Myers, have always been close. But five years ago, they discovered something that brought them even closer: a shared diagnosis of the connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
EDS explained symptoms they鈥檇 both been having for decades, including waking up with jaw or shoulder dislocations and experiencing chronic pain. The mother-child pair were diagnosed one year apart 鈥� Soph was 25; Ren茅 was 60.
Soph, who is a medical librarian at East Carolina University, and Ren茅, who is a retired educator, talk with host Anita Rao about how their diagnoses began a new chapter of their lives, including the decision to move in together last summer. They discuss the grief of what could have been 鈥� had Ren茅 gotten her diagnosis sooner, or had they never had this disorder at all 鈥� but also the joy of leaning into things they love despite the pain and limitations.
