Natalie’s Type 1 Life
In honor of World Diabetes Day, Dallastown junior Natalie Stone shares her story.
Junior Natalie Stone has been afflicted by Type 1 diabetes since she was too young to completely understand what was happening to her.
She did understand one thing though.
“I was leaving the hospital as a new person with an extreme amount of life changing priorities,” Stone said.
Type 1 diabetes has been around for many years and has been improved in both technology and how society views it.
Type 1 and Type 2 are vastly different.
Type 1 is when a person has a very high level of glucose because their body cannot produce a hormone called insulin. While Type 2 diabetes is when the body produces too much insulin and the person’s blood sugar is very high.
What type one means to me is strength. You always hear the term ‘God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers’. Not only is diabetes a battle but it’s also understanding that no one is perfect but it takes strength to face any challenge head on.
— Natalie Stone
Stone does not have a normal life like the rest of us. For her to just breathe normally she has to take many precautions in her diet in addition to the help of her technologies.
As some of her close friends joke, Stone is a “robot or a bluetooth connection”, using a system of an Omnipod and Dexcom.
“Dexcom sensors continuously monitor my blood sugar and Omnipod is a device that delivers insulin.”
Stone also has to insert insulin every hour called a basal, and mark down every single carb she consumes.
With all these life-dependent health concerns and duties, Stone has a support system others would love to have. Her friends and family come together to understand and help support her disease.
“There is an overload of love and support from each and every one of them. Even if they don’t understand fully they make an effort and ask questions to understand my disease on a more personal level to be able to help when something is wrong and I appreciate it more than anything,” Stone explained.
Stone’s mom, Lauren Stone, wasn’t always so knowledgeable about Type one. When Stone was diagnosed on their family vacation to Ocean City, Mrs. Stone was very confused and scared.
Stone’s whole family had to educate themselves on her new lifestyle and how it would affect them. “Day by day we gained a lot more knowledge and were able to manage things to maintain Natalie’s health.”
World Diabetes day is celebrated every year on Nov. 14, to bring attention towards those who are affected by Type One. It is celebrated to commemorate the life and birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who co-discovered insulin.
In the past, Stone was not always as open about her Type 1 diabetes and hid her insulin pumps where no one could see them. But as she grew older she saw that bringing forth attention of Type 1 was more important.
“On world diabetes day I make an effort to share my story and update everyone on positive growth in my health,” Stone said.
There is something everyone can do on World Diabetes Day.
“You can educate yourself. Make an effort to put yourself in a diabetics shoes, ask questions, and learn more about this disease,” Stone states.
Wearing blue or a blue circle signifies the unity of the diabetes community in their response to the pandemic of Type One. To learn more about how you can help be a part of the cause visit https://worlddiabetesday.org/.
Stone will continue to speak out and educate others about her life with Type One. Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Dexcoms.
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