When Nicole Bell’s husband, Russ, became moody, argumentative, and depressed, she shook it off as the difficulties of being married with two small kids. But a short time later, Russ started forgetting basic things, like the code to their house alarm. When a doctor’s visit and all lab results came back clean, Russ was sent to a neurologist. It was then that he was diagnosed with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. But in Nicole’s engineering brain, his diagnosis never made sense, so she set out to get to the root cause of Russ’s illness.
Podcast guest, Nicole Bell, is an author, entrepreneur, and advocate for tick-borne and neurodegenerative diseases. She advanced her professional career as an engineer and program manager and spent the past 15 years in medical devices and medical technology. But when her husband became chronically ill, she left that position to take on her most challenging roles yet: caregiver and medical proxy.
In this episode, Nicole takes us through her harrowing journey of getting Russ the proper medical diagnosis, after doctor after doctor told her it was Alzheimer’s. She explains her difficult decision to step away from her job as an executive and become a full-time caregiver, while having two young children (aged 5 and 8 at the time).
Nicole shares the progression of Russ’s disease, how she coped, and how she found the courage to write a book about the experience. Throughout her long journey, Nicole has become passionate about finding the root cause of illness and encourages us to do the same.
Links Mentioned:
https://www.nicoledaniellebell.com/
Her book: What Lurks in the Woods
Full Bio:
Nicole Bell is an author, entrepreneur, and advocate for tick-borne and neurodegenerative diseases. She advanced her professional career as an engineer and program manager and spent the past 15 years in medical devices and medical technology. Nicole served as the Vice President of Research and Development at TransEnterix, now Asensus Surgical, where she built a world-class team in surgical robotics and led the company’s worldwide product development efforts. But when her husband became chronically ill, she left that position to take on her most challenging roles yet: caregiver and medical proxy. Her memoir, What Lurks in the Woods, details the harrowing experience and seeks to help others navigating chronic conditions.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Nicole earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and a Master’s of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. She currently lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her two children and an adorable rat terrier.
Follow her on Instagram or Facebook @nicoledaniellebell.