The Chronically Resilient Musician — Megan Natoli, Flutist & Educator

Hi, there!

Welcome to The Chronically Resilient Musician blog. I’m Megan - flutist and advocate for musicians battling chronic illness and for other Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, and Retroperitoneal Fibrosis patients. I make my home in Baltimore, Maryland, where I am a wife, cat mom, and work as a professional flutist and educator.

Music and health may seem like two very separate things. Over years of struggle to manage them as so, I have come to realize just how connected they are.

The past few years have been tremendously transformative for me as a musician and person, and I invite you to embark on my journey to recovery while balancing a busy performing and teaching schedule. I will share my story, wellness strategies, recipes, and resources that have helped me live a more balanced and healthy musical life.

I hope you find something inspirational here! If you’d like to be notified about blog updates, sign up for my mailing list below!

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Wishing you pain free, musical days always!

Featured

My Story - part I

I have lived with pain for a long time.

Through college, grad school, and several years of my career, I pushed through massive amounts of pain everyday in the practice room and concert hall. I assumed everyone around me was in as much pain as I was. I taught my flute students to look for the signs of pain in the practice room while I ignored my own. Always pushing forward…

My Story - part II

How do you prepare to expect the unexpected?

After several months of bizarre and worsening symptoms, I ended up in the hospital from a ruptured ovarian cyst. Because of a strong family history of ovarian cancer, the ER GYN specialist told me we could not rule out cancer at that time…

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic illness where there is presence of endometrial-like tissue found in extrauterine sites. Although Endometriosis largely affects females, the disease can affect both menstruators and non-menstruators, including cis males…

My Story - part III

Onto the next! Red flags and all 🚩…

Following the unexpected outcome of my first surgery, I saw the Endometriosis excision specialist at the same hospital, who was confident she could separate the organs. 🚩 Surgeon #2 was dismissive and my appointments felt rushed but I trusted Surgeon #1. Within 2 months, I was back on the operating table…

My Story - part IV

It was time to take matters into my own hands. And so my research began…

After reading countless blogs and joining several online support groups, I eventually landed on Nancy’s Nook, a resource that has been life changing for so many patients around the world…

My Story - part V

How can you tackle the impossible?

3 years ago, I never would have dreamt that I would have or have been capable of traveling 669 miles by car to have major surgery.

Making the decision of where to take my case was a big step. Making it happen, however, was another stressful, anxiety provoking story in itself…

My Story - part VI

Have you ever felt like you were stuck on the sideline of your own life?

I have.

In the two years following my diagnosis and first two surgeries, I tried my best to resume a sense of normalcy while trying to figure out what came next.

Balancing my chronic illness life and my actual life was and still continues to be a struggle.