A Huntington's Story

I’m a retired nurse, I’ve never had a patient with HC, but one of my coworkers developed HC. His mom died from it & his sister was in a nursing home, he was terrified to get tested, but the symptoms were very noticeable after a year. He was tested, he worked as long as he could, until he no longer could preform simple procedures like change an iv bag or chart legible. It was very sad. Even though he had only worked 15yrs our nurse manager fought the hospital board for his retirement from the hospital. RIP CS...my friend! ♥️

This mom is unfucknbelievable, so strong, so patient, she lost husband, loosing her youngest daughter, and she'll have to do it all over again when her older daughter's HD starts. And she does it with such a positive attitude. People like her are rare breed, i mean to me it would be humanly impossible. I would crawl in some dark place under blanket, and stayed there.

As a nurse this is one of the saddest diseases I’ve witnessed. ALS is another.

Meghan's mother is a tower of strength and courage. A rock, a hero.....

I have a very different genetic condition, it isn't fatal, but I'm the age Meghan was in this video and just as homebound. When Meghan was talking about her mom that hit *hard*, my mother and I are exactly the same. I can't imagine what my life would be like without such a special giving person like her in my life. Appreciate your parents ❤️

As a nurse this was the cruelest disease I witnessed. Hope 1 day they get a break through for this awful disease. R.I.P to all the ones who’ve passed away from H.C. Love and light to them all. 💙❤️✨✨🕊

Med student here, wanting to learn more about HD in younger people. Thank you for being so brave and sharing your family's story.

This can be tested for now. In past generations families were embarrassed and didn't talk about it and people had kids without understanding the scope of the problem. It's devastating.

I have symptomatic Huntington's Disease. I love all of the people who help me every day, and I can't imagine doing all of the emotional lifting by myself. It took me a while to understand that being responsible for my diagnosis and treatment was the right path for most of my family and friends. My neurologist told me that if I quit drinking and smoking and self-medicating with cocaine -- I might have a better life. And she was right! She also told me about neurogenesis: a process that makes new, usable brain cells. All human brains make new, usable brain cells when we run and when we take SSRIs.

to meghan's mother. I am so very sorry for your loss. For the loss of your husband and for the loss of meghan. I hope that you get through this really hard time ok.

What a horrible disease.  The Love and kindness that have be shown to Meghan is just beautiful.

This is SO sad, symptomatic at 19 years old and gone before 30. So so so sad.

I visited my hometown just recently and went to see my childhood friend, who recently developed the HD. She is 37 now and a mother of 4 children the youngest is only 3. My friend inherited the disease from her late mom and one of her brother got it too but he is in more progressive stage. Breaks my heart watching this video!

To all families and anyone who has been diagnosed with this horrible and cruel disease. I really am so very sorry for everything that has had to go through this disease. I really do hope that we will have a cure for this horrible disease soon.

😔😔 I can’t imagine how hard for the mother to take care of her husband then her daughter i appreciate you,, I found out about this disease lately by a film so i kept searching about it to understand more then i found this video it really affected me ,, God bless her

What an amazing psychologist. She reminds me of my own psychologist. I live with a severe mental illness that has serious physical side effects and at 31 my life is limited. My psychologist is like a second mother, while still remaining 100% professional. I also have an amazing psychiatrist and GP. These people really do take chronically ill young people and nurture them with all their being. I know that when I do pass, it will not have been for lack of the most appropriate treatment. I hope that whatever happens after death, Meghan is at peace, and that her incredible mother is able to keep going and be supported as much as she too needs to be.

Nurses working in palliative care are all amazing. That is why they choose that path of nursing.

RIP Meghan, I hope you have found true peace now 🙏🏽💕

A woman in my small hometown had Huntington's, so I was privy to it at a young age.  Her two daughters had to watch their mother deteriorate horribly before dying in her 40's.  Now they both have to live with the fear of developing it themselves.  Please, if Huntington's runs anywhere in your family, don't have children.  You might have healthy kids, but that doesn't justify potentially sentencing your babies to a lifetime of suffering.  Adopt, foster or mentor.  Just please don't knowingly pass this awful disease to an innocent being who has no say in the matter.    

I am doing my PhD on understanding the disease mechanisms of Huntington’s disease. It breaks my heart into thousand pieces after seeing the severity of the disease and how it effects the patient.