Diabetes
Brooklyn is a currently the owner of a body that functions like many human bodies in the world with a specific quirk. Whereas many humans have a specific arrangement of fully functional internal organs beneath their largest organ - their skin - Brooklyn does not have proper function, or, sadly, any function at all, of her pancreas.
The writers of this website, Brooklyn's parents, are not medically trained in an educational institution of any reputable standing in this reality. The medical explanation of the medical form, function, and makeup of pancreata (or, perhaps, "pancreases") is better described by the esteemed John Hopkins University's Sol Goldman Pacreatic Cancer Research Center, describing a pancreas in relation to pancreatic cancer. No, Brooklyn does not have pancreatic cancer. Please just use this as a description of what a pancreas is and what it does.
"Having" any specific disease suggests she somehow "owns" something that she, originally, neither asked for nor would ever request in a correctly functioning brain. In fact, you should refer to her "having" her affliction as "being diagnosed with" to be more accurate.
Brooklyn has been diagnosed with diabetes type 1. This medical condition is not "diabetus", "betus", "sugarbetes", "the sugar", "sugar aids", "diabesity", or other such whimsical yet misleading wordsmithing that social media and stupid people would suggest. If you want to use the phrase "dia-badass", however, this may be appropriate when Brooklyn achieves a favorable A1C, but please refrain from using this term in church.
Diabetes is, in fact, the result of an autoimmune disease. No, again, she does not have "sugar aids". Read a book. There are multiple types of autoimmune diseases. This one kills insulin-producing cells in your body.
While we would prefer to conclude that her medical condition is a symptom of being bestowed with clinical awesomeness, it was unfortunately not quite as favorable. In 2015, at Christmas time (and in no relation to any present provided by Santa or family members), Brooklyn's pancreas took a nap. It was tired, oh so very tired, and was heading towards a sleeping state that would not be mistaken for beauty sleep in any way. As it fell asleep, she achieved such a high blood sugar level that she was immediately hospitalized.
In its sleep, her pancreas died. Yes, kicked the insulin bucket. Expired. Gone before its time. Why? No one really knows for sure. It could have been solar flares, cosmic rays, or a burp that never came. But scientists still don't have a clear idea of the root casue of this kind of event. In the end, how it happened doesn't really matter.
This type of pancreatic failure is referred to as "type 1" diabetes, or T1D.
Just as there is a variety of human bodies, so are there varieties of pancreas afflictions. The two variations that constitute "diabetes" are type 1, as described, and type 2, which is similarly mysterious in source but is fundamentally different.
Whereas type 1 is the clear malfunction and dysfunction of the pancreas, type 2 may include a fully functioning pancreas or perhaps one that doesn't function to its fullest, though the pancreas is, in fact, functional in some way. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) usually is managed by diet changes, insulin at certain times, or even alternative medicines. Indeed, weight control and other lifestyle changes may contribute to the reduction or remission of symptoms of T2D.
Be clear, however, that no amount of lifestyle changes, prayers, good practices, voodoo chants, human sacrifices or letters to your congressperson will bring Brooklyn's pancreas back to life. And if it was brought back to a living state, that would make it a zombie pancreas which would eat your pancreas to survive, which we would assume you would not want.
What is a Pancreas?
The writers of this website, Brooklyn's parents, are not medically trained in an educational institution of any reputable standing in this reality. The medical explanation of the medical form, function, and makeup of pancreata (or, perhaps, "pancreases") is better described by the esteemed John Hopkins University's Sol Goldman Pacreatic Cancer Research Center, describing a pancreas in relation to pancreatic cancer. No, Brooklyn does not have pancreatic cancer. Please just use this as a description of what a pancreas is and what it does.
What does Brooklyn actually have?
"Having" any specific disease suggests she somehow "owns" something that she, originally, neither asked for nor would ever request in a correctly functioning brain. In fact, you should refer to her "having" her affliction as "being diagnosed with" to be more accurate.
Brooklyn has been diagnosed with diabetes type 1. This medical condition is not "diabetus", "betus", "sugarbetes", "the sugar", "sugar aids", "diabesity", or other such whimsical yet misleading wordsmithing that social media and stupid people would suggest. If you want to use the phrase "dia-badass", however, this may be appropriate when Brooklyn achieves a favorable A1C, but please refrain from using this term in church.
Diabetes is, in fact, the result of an autoimmune disease. No, again, she does not have "sugar aids". Read a book. There are multiple types of autoimmune diseases. This one kills insulin-producing cells in your body.
How did Brooklyn get diabetes?
While we would prefer to conclude that her medical condition is a symptom of being bestowed with clinical awesomeness, it was unfortunately not quite as favorable. In 2015, at Christmas time (and in no relation to any present provided by Santa or family members), Brooklyn's pancreas took a nap. It was tired, oh so very tired, and was heading towards a sleeping state that would not be mistaken for beauty sleep in any way. As it fell asleep, she achieved such a high blood sugar level that she was immediately hospitalized.
In its sleep, her pancreas died. Yes, kicked the insulin bucket. Expired. Gone before its time. Why? No one really knows for sure. It could have been solar flares, cosmic rays, or a burp that never came. But scientists still don't have a clear idea of the root casue of this kind of event. In the end, how it happened doesn't really matter.
This type of pancreatic failure is referred to as "type 1" diabetes, or T1D.
There are multiple types of this stuff?
Just as there is a variety of human bodies, so are there varieties of pancreas afflictions. The two variations that constitute "diabetes" are type 1, as described, and type 2, which is similarly mysterious in source but is fundamentally different.
Whereas type 1 is the clear malfunction and dysfunction of the pancreas, type 2 may include a fully functioning pancreas or perhaps one that doesn't function to its fullest, though the pancreas is, in fact, functional in some way. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) usually is managed by diet changes, insulin at certain times, or even alternative medicines. Indeed, weight control and other lifestyle changes may contribute to the reduction or remission of symptoms of T2D.
Be clear, however, that no amount of lifestyle changes, prayers, good practices, voodoo chants, human sacrifices or letters to your congressperson will bring Brooklyn's pancreas back to life. And if it was brought back to a living state, that would make it a zombie pancreas which would eat your pancreas to survive, which we would assume you would not want.
So, what does this mean?
Cutting to the point, eh? We like your style.
This means that Brooklyn has a medical condition that, if not managed correctly, could and will result in Brooklyn's death. We do not say that to be morbid or humorous. That is the reality. That is also the reality for all T1D patients in the world. Every single one.
What is really awesome about this handbook to Brooklyn is that this can also be used as a handbook for not killing others with type 1 diabetes. Sure, Brooklyn is a unique person in the world, but T1D is very commonly managed in the same way, specifically where the likeliness of death is thwarted. So, feel privileged to get to know Brooklyn, who acts as a type 1 ambassador for all her pancreas-less brethren.