Health REAL LIFE
Megan Ashmore, 23, from Nottingham, has been looking out for her dad since his shock diagnosis...
Sitting on the shorefront and tucking into fish and chips, this was cherished family time.
Sat next to my dad Simon, 57, he loved taking me to the seaside as a child.
Running around the arcade together, family time was important to him.
I have my half siblings, Martin, 35, and Amy, 33, from my mum Yvonne, and then my half-sister Jade, 32, from Dad. I loved having such a big family.
But my life would begin to change when I was 12.
You see, Dad had lifechanging news.
‘I have Huntington’s disease,’ he told me. ‘But I’m going to give this my all and fight this.’
I was only 12, so I think my parents kept some details from me. I had no idea what Huntington’s disease was.
And getting on Google, I learned Huntington’s disease is a genetic condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. I was terrified reading it. As far as we were aware, no-one else in the family had Huntington’s disease but hearing it was genetic made me very worried.
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I remember Dad had a bit of a wonky gait, but I’d thought that was part of him.
But learning stumbling and clumsiness was a symptom, I realised Dad had shown symptoms for a while.
Upon hearing the news, I went into myself.
I was private and didn’t like telling anyone about Dad’s condition.
It wasn’t until I was about 16 that I started opening up.
But by this point Dad had declined.
He’d lost quite a lot of weight, his hands shook, and body jerked.
And with my siblings older with their own families, I took on much of Dad’s care.
‘Lunch is in the fridge, make sure you eat it,’ I’d say popping round in the morning before college.
I always cared for my dad
Afterwards I’d drop a hot dinner round – he lived only five minutes away from Mum.
I would call and text him from college, just to make sure he was OK.
Visiting almost every day, we’d stick the telly on and watch Nottingham Forest FC.
Ahuge Forest fan, at times like this I felt like I had my old dad back.
But Dad continued to decline cognitively and physically.
And by 2019 he needed a wheelchair.
But in August 2019 we managed one trip to the beach. Tucking into fish and chips by the sea, it was like old times.
‘Do you fancy a pint?’ Dad suggested as we tucked into the salty batter.
It really was a lovely day. But I felt so nervous – nervous to
