Palliative Care Education Program

Your body.
Your documents.
Your safety.

Patient-created tools for complex chronic illness — designed to speak for you when you can't speak for yourself. Built by a zebra, for zebras.

20+
Surgeries navigated
3
Fillable tools ready
7yrs
To get an EDS diagnosis

Palliative care isn't just end-of-life. It's quality of life — for everyone living with serious, complex illness right now.

Who these tools are for

Made for complex patients

If you've ever had to explain your entire medical history in an ER waiting room, these tools are for you.

🦓

EDS & Connective Tissue

Hypermobility, joint instability, POTS, MCAS, and the full zebra experience of navigating a system that doesn't believe you.

🧠

Rare & Chronic Illness

Any condition that takes years to diagnose and even longer to explain to providers who've never heard of it.

💊

Complex Medication Needs

Multiple conditions, multiple specialists, pharmacogenomics that mean standard medications don't work the way they should.

🏥

Pre-Surgery & Hospital Prep

Anyone facing procedures who needs their medical team to understand their complexity before anything is administered.

👨‍👩‍👧

Caregivers & Advocates

Family members and friends who need to speak for someone when that person can't speak for themselves.

Neurodivergent Patients

ADHD, autism, brain fog — every tool is designed to be simple, clear, and easy to fill out without tech overwhelm.

Digital tools

Everything you need in the room

Fillable PDFs. Click, type, print. No Word. No tech skills. No accidentally breaking anything.

Fillable PDF

Patient Medical Resume

The document that speaks for you when you can't. A complete clinical snapshot — diagnoses, medications, surgeries, care team, PGx, emergency contacts.

  • 9 color-coded sections
  • Pharmacogenomics table built in
  • Drug allergies & contraindications
  • Care team + emergency contacts
  • Fillable PDF + editable Word doc
$9 one-time download
Get this tool
Step-by-Step Guide

PGx + AI Guide

How to get genetic testing, use AI to interpret your results, and fill out your documents — even if you've never heard of pharmacogenomics.

  • 4 testing options (free to ~$99)
  • Word-for-word AI prompts to copy
  • Step-by-step with no tech assumed
  • What to do when you get stuck
  • How to get documents to providers
$12 one-time download
Get this guide
Best value — starter kit
The Complex Patient
Starter Kit

All three tools together. Everything you need to walk into any hospital, surgery, or specialist appointment and be understood.

  • Patient Medical Resume (fillable PDF + Word)
  • Post-Op Critical Care Alert (fillable PDF)
  • PGx + AI Step-by-Step Guide
  • Free updates when tools are revised
Separately $30
$22
Save $8 with the bundle
Get the Full Bundle

Instant PDF download · No subscription

Simple process

Works in three steps

Designed for brain fog days. Click a box, type your information, print it out. That's it.

1

Download your tool

Purchase and instantly download your fillable PDF. Open it in any PDF viewer — Adobe, Preview, or your phone's built-in viewer.

2

Click and type

Every shaded box is clickable. Type your information directly in. Nothing can break. Nothing can shift. Save when done.

3

Print and bring everywhere

Print a stack. Keep copies in your bag, your car, and with your emergency contacts. Hand one to every provider who sees you.

4

Update as you go

Every time your medications or diagnoses change, open the file, update it, and reprint. Your document grows with you.

"I woke up from surgeries without my providers understanding what they were dealing with. I built these documents so that never has to happen to you."

Kathleen Zinno Creator, The Zebra Files · Patient advocate · EDS, POTS, MCAS
About the creator

Built from
lived experience

These tools were not made in a conference room. They were built in hospital beds, waiting rooms, and the years it takes to learn how to survive a broken system.

Questions

Common questions

Do I need Microsoft Word or any special software?

No. The fillable PDFs work in any free PDF viewer — Adobe Acrobat Reader, Apple Preview, or even your phone's built-in PDF app. Nothing to install or pay for.

What if I struggle with technology or have brain fog?

These tools were specifically designed for that. Click a box, type, done. The Word doc version is included for people who want more customization, but the PDF is the easy option.

Do I need genetic testing to use the documents?

No. The PGx sections are optional. If you don't have test results, leave those fields blank and fill in the rest. The guide shows you how to get testing later if you want it.

Can I share these with my providers?

Absolutely — that's the whole point. Print them, email them, fax them. Hand the Post-Op Alert to every nurse who checks you in. The more providers have it, the safer you are.

Will these work for conditions other than EDS?

Yes. The templates are fully blank — you fill in your own diagnoses, medications, and history. They work for any complex chronic illness.

What is the refund policy?

Because these are instant digital downloads, all sales are final. If something is wrong with your file, contact us and we'll make it right immediately.

New tools are coming.

Recipe book. Spoon-saving guide. Parenting post-op. Sign up to be first to know — and get a free resource when you join.