Eventually Laurel didn’t eat or do much more than sleep, said Noble, an oil field worker who couldn’t leave their three kids alone with her. He became afraid to leave Laurel by herself, moving her into a long term care facility three years ago.
Area health care experts expect more such cases in the future. Laurel’s children have a 50-50 chance of developing the illness.
Since it most often strikes people between the ages of of 30-50, Noble does not know his children’s fate.
All were born before his wife’s diagnosis.
Genetic tests have been available for three years to predict the probability of Huntington’s disease.
But Noble said that the implications of his knowledge are so difficult to cope with, he will let his children decide when they are older whether to get tested.
I think it is better not to know at this time. If I found out of them would get it, would I treat that child differently? Maybe I would treat the one with more favoritism.”
Noble is often bitter about the illness and sometime leans on an Edmonton support group.
While Laurel can still get around on her own and communicate, she can’t think clearly and is no longer easy to be around. He says the children have noticed a drastic change.
For someone to see her right now, without knowing who she is, it might be tempting to shut the door and walk away.”Noble said.
“I can’t do that, because I remember the way she was.”
In memory of My Mom Laurel Noble
