About NATALIE
Hi! I'm Natalie
Have you waited until the coast was clear so you could take care of your health? Or hidden your insulin injections under the table? Do you keep your challenges concealed from family and friends? Your actions might be a result of fear or a belief that it is just easier to not tell anyone. Those were my coping mechanisms I developed starting when I was diagnosed with type one diabetes at 6 years old.
From the outside it might have appeared that I had it all figured out. I got into medical school at 17, moved to NYC in my 20s, and traveled the world. From a distance the mirage seemed like a clear, easy path was set in front of me.
So why was I anxious?
There were large parts of me that were always hidden. I was just. checking off the boxes to what I thought would make me a guaranteed success (study hard, Ivy League education, brand name jobs, etc).
For many years I was keeping my type one diabetes a secret. even though diabetes management infused into my every moment. I had close friends for over a decade that had no idea! I wasn’t ashamed of diabetes but it felt easier just not to tell anyone.
Slowly, I started to open up to friends and the online community! The more I shared the more I realized I was hiding such a huge part of myself which was such an unnecessary burden. Then something drastic happened….
Eye Complications Are Not the End
In late 2019 I woke up with a hemorrhage in my right eye and I could not see. Treatment for diabetic retinopathy jolted my entire existence starting with eye injections and laser and eventually two eye surgeries, one in each eye (vitrectomy).
My goal is to share the techniques I discovered through my transformation and to educate everyone about the importance of eye health. When I started managing diabetic eye complications I wanted someone to tell me what was ACTUALLY going to happen each step of the way. While each eye and each person varies I hope I can shed some light to anyone impacted by this experience as well as medical professionals who want to better understand the very important and often overlooked patient perspective.
I cannot wait to connect!
Some Fun Facts
Numbers About Me
…and counting!
Blog Topics
Type One Diabetes and Retinopathy
Tips and stories focusing on my experiences (both the physical and mental!) in my management of T1D
Curiosities
Exploring the areas that bring me joy (travel! hobbies! theatre!) and how you can add curiosity into your life
Confidence and Meditation
Sharing tools that improve not just diabetes life but my everyday life (even while treating a low with apple juice!)