A rare disease made me stab myself in the stomach with a kitchen knife but I have absolutely no memory of doing it
A MUM stabbed herself in the stomach and forgot about it because of a rare genetic condition.
Charlotte Hewitt, from Egremont, Cumbria, does not remember anything about the day of her accident — but woke up from a coma in Preston Hospital six days later to find out what happened.
The mum-of-one has Huntington’s disease, a disorder that stops parts of the brain working properly over time and can cause problems with mental health and psychosis.
She told The Sun: “I was having a good day, but I still had a lot of thoughts in my head.
"I’d been asking for help but it felt like I was being pushed away by every avenue.
“From my partner's point of view, I came into the house and was shouting and screaming for no reason.
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“He told me I picked up a knife and shot it straight into my side. He screamed and shouted no, but I had pulled out the knife by this point.”
Huntington’s disease is a condition that destroys cells in the brain, affecting ability to move, think and behave normally.
Symptoms include difficulty concentrating and memory lapses, depression, stumbling and clumsiness and involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body.
Mood swings and personality changes, problems swallowing, speaking and breathing and difficulty moving can also occur.
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There is no cure but patients can get treatment for mental health issues, as well as occupational, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy.
The condition is passed down from one of your parents and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50.
Charlotte was diagnosed in 2014, aged 23, after she was tested for the disease when she had her son Mason.
Her life continued as normal at first but she began to stumble and suffer involuntary movements after around five years.
She started forgetting hospital appointments and to turn the gas off when cooking, and left her dog at the park once.
Charlotte began feeling angry and depressed, occasionally having outbursts in public that she could not control.
Some people thought she was drunk or acting up when she experienced flare ups of the condition.
Over time, she started to feel ashamed and like no one understood what was happening to her and that it wasn’t her fault.
She has now been diagnosed with psychosis, which can be caused by the condition, and is on medication to help control episodes.
After her accident, Charlotte needed three operations, with doctors saving a quarter of her bowel.
She was cut open from the breast to pubic bone for the operation and recovery has been slow.
However, she said the traumatic event acted as a wake up call and now she is fundraising for a walk to raise awareness for Huntington’s.
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The walk was her son’s ideas and she will be doing it from Egremont to Keswick with him, her husband Kenny and their dog.
If you would like to donate, visit Charlotte’s .
What are the symptoms of Huntington's disease?
Symptoms of Huntington's disease can include:
- difficulty concentrating and memory lapses
- depression
- stumbling and clumsiness
- involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body
- mood swings and personality changes
- problems swallowing, speaking and breathing
- difficulty moving
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