Wife struck down with dementia at just 39 is fundraising for a trip across America to ‘make new memories’ with her devoted husband
Before her devastating diagnosis, Laura Borrell began muddling her words and could not recognise her mum's voice on the phone
A 39-year-old woman struck down with dementia is desperately trying to create new memories with her devoted husband before she is consumed by the devastating illness.
Laura Borrell was forced to give up a law degree and became afraid to leave the house after she ended up easily confused, forgetful and struggled with speech.
In June 2015 tests revealed she had frontotemporal degenerative dementia, which usually comes on in people aged 65 and older.
Medics do not know how quickly her cognitive functions will decline, but Laura has been warned she will lose her short-term memory, forget familiar people and eventually become reliant on her husband.
Her family are now trying to raise £2,000 in a bid for Laura and her husband Philip, 41, to be able to make some memories before they are "taken" from her.
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Laura, from Hitchin, Herts., said: "I haven't even had my 40th birthday but already I feel like life as I knew it is over.
"Not knowing how long I have left before I need further care is torture.
"I might wake up in five years and not recognise my husband, or it could happen in six months, we don't know.
"All I can do is try and make as many memories as possible while I still have them."
The couple have now created a Go Fund Me page in the hope of raising funds so they can go on a road trip around America before Laura's memory declines.
They have raised £1,600 so far and say they are in a "race against time" to create special memories together.
When Laura was 32-years-old she diagnosed with Ehlers-danlos syndrome, lupus and blood clotting condition Hughes Syndrome at St Thomas's Hospital in London.
She was then advised she would spend the rest of her life on medication and to never have children as pregnancy would put her health at risk.
Four years later in 2015 Laura began slurring speech and she got 'muddled' with words.
She recalled: "I was two years into a law degree at the time and suddenly I was struggling with my language in a way I never had before.
"I'd confuse certain words for others and sometimes would forget words entirely.
"It meant I got muddled and couldn't keep up with what lecturers were saying.
"There were changes in my personal life, too.
"My mum would call for a chat and I'd be unable to recognise her voice, despite the fact we talk all the time and are extremely close.
"Though I knew things weren't right I didn't want to acknowledge what was going on because I was scared of what my symptoms might mean."
Laura's symptoms became progressively worse and she dropped out of her law degree at the University of London, despite having another two years of the course still to complete.
NHS medics did brain scans and blood tests but Laura then spent £2,000 on private consultations to hurry tests as her symptoms worsened.
In June 2015, she was diagnosed with frontotemporal degenerative dementia.
Laura said: "I heard the word 'dementia' and felt sick. Like most people, I associated the condition with elderly people - whereas I'm not even 40 yet.
"I was told my cognitive functions would become increasingly impaired and I was likely to forget familiar people, places and things and become more dependent on loved-ones.
"I cried at the thought of losing my independence and not recognising my own husband. It felt like a shadow had just been cast over the rest of my life."
It is thought that Laura has an autoimmune form of the condition that could be linked to the fact she has blood clotting condition Hughes Syndrome.
She was told not much research has been done on this particular form of dementia, and that it could be influenced by levels of glucose to the frontal lobe of the brain, which controls cognitive functions.
On Monday, she will return to St Thomas' hospital to be given the blood thinner Warfarin, in an "experimental" attempt to stunt the symptoms.
Laura said: "Philip was so supportive but we were both devastated.
“We've only been married five years and should have been looking forward to a lifetime of good times.
"Instead, I felt like I was a ticking time bomb with no idea how long I'd have to make memories before I forgot them."
After being afraid to leave the house Laura now spends days at home reading and playing the flute in an attempt to keep her mind as "agile as possible".
She said her husband Philip, a software project manager, has been her "rock", and added: "It's so hard for him knowing my condition will only get worse.
"But he is determined to make the best of our situation so we can embrace the time we have before things become too hard."
In November, they decided to fundraise £2,000 to take a trip to America together where they hope to rent an RV van and drive for several weeks.
Laura said: "I want to create memories with Philip while I can, before my ability to take things in is taken from me completely.
"So now we're racing against the clock, knowing my cognitive functions are likely to get much worse in the next few years.
"We honeymooned in America and I loved it, I've always been desperate to go back there and create more memories.
"I have no idea how long I'll still be able to do that, so we hope to go soon."
With any leftover funds, Laura and Philip plan to create a further bucket list to make more memories.
To donate to Laura's fundraising page, visit: //www.gofundme.com/laura-frontal-temporal-degeneration-2u9dyay4
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