Dealing with a severe form of Parkinson’s disease, Virginia Representative Jennifer Wexton skillfully manages the overwhelming and unproductive atmosphere of Congress.
Rep. Jennifer Wexton, Democrat of Virginia, sat upright but slumped on the dark leather couch in her Capitol Hill office this week, using her right hand to prop up her neck. Diagnosed earlier this year with Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, which she has described as “Parkinsons on steroids,” Wexton, who is 55, announced in September that she would
She will retire when her term ends.
In January of 2025, the statement “there is no improvement” regarding this illness will still hold true.
She said in a strained voice that the House of Representatives’ 10-week marathon of House sessions and standoffs, a loud and ugly sequence of dysfunction, including the
removal of a Speaker of the House
The frequent late-night voting sessions have had a negative impact on her physical well-being.
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, as stated by Wexton. The National Institutes of Health reports that there is no known treatment that can slow down the progression of the disease, and medication is typically ineffective in treating it. Symptoms tend to worsen quickly, with many patients experiencing severe disability within three to five years of initial symptoms. The disease primarily affects movement, often leading to loss of balance and slurred speech. As the disease advances, vision problems may also arise.
Scott MacFarlane
Source: cbsnews.com