The Day Everything Changed
I was 16 when my life got flipped upside down. It started with a headache that wouldn’t go away for over a week. I usually don’t take medicine and just live through a cold, but this time it was something I couldn’t bear. Then came the thirst, no matter how much water I drank, I was still so thirsty. I also started going to the bathroom all the time. At first, I thought it was just a cold, but when it became too hard to handle, I went to the health center. They gave me some me
Nathan Kim
Figuring Out My New Normal
The day I was diagnosed, my world felt like it was turned on its head. Suddenly, my life as a student and athlete was weighed down by a new, overwhelming reality. Every day felt like a struggle, and I was constantly worried about falling behind. But somewhere in the chaos, I made a choice. I decided I wasn't just going to get through this illness, I was going to own it. That shift was everything, but what truly gave me hope was realizing I wasn't alone. I’ll never forget comi
Nathan Kim
Why I Started This Blog
One of the most common reaction with T1D people is that we know nearly nothing about T1D until we get it. Most of us know almost nothing about it until one day, it suddenly shows up, like a car accident. Out of nowhere, you’re told that you now have an incurable condition that you’ll have to manage for the rest of your life. Some people are diagnosed at 7 months old, some like me at 16, and others even at 48. Everyone reacts with confusion. Someone diagnosed at 48 might think
Nathan Kim
T1D in the Test Room
After I returned to school, the school health center advised me to sign up for the 504 plan, which allows students like me who need time to check and adjust their blood sugar levels, take snacks, and so on. Additionally, it permits me to bring my phone to take the SAT. This is a great relief because I can be safe and don't have to worry about my health on an important test day. However, I learned that in Korea, there is a highly important national college entrance exam, calle
Nathan Kim
Insulin Pump in KPop Demon Hunters?
The K Pop Demon Hunter craze is ongoing and everyone is amazed at the story, the songs and also the behind the scene story of the singers who sang the songs. For me, K Pop Demon Hunter touched me differently. Zoe, KPop Demon Hunters (Image: Reddit) If you look at Zoe, she has a very chic almost like an accessory thing on her arm. Most viewers may not really know what it is but now I know that it is most likely an insulin pump that Zoe has installed on her arm. I don’t know if
Nathan Kim
Making Change Through Merch
I talked about my type 1 diabetes journey and the fact that there is so little awareness about T1D. I want to help make change but I was not sure what I could really do to help as I was not a healthcare provider or had the capacity to do a lot of volunteer work out of my boarding school. Then the idea came to me. I linked my Lewkin internship - my extensive knowledge of how to design, produce and sell clothes. So I decided to start a merch line and donate the earnings! My mom
Nathan Kim
The Signs I Missed
I remember the afternoon where I was rushed to the emergency room because I had no energy and the school nurse who took my blood glucose level saw numbers that were beyond what they could measure. I was put in the ICU and my aunt had to rush down from Boston. What she heard at the ICU was that I had diabetic ketoacidosis (“DKA”) which could have led to a life-threatening situation if I had been sent to the emergency room even just one day later. Because of this risk, there ar
Nathan Kim
