Domenici’s Illness Has No Cure

EL PASO, TX – The illness that factored into New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici’s decision to retire has no cure, according to a local neurologist.

Thursday, Domenici announced he would not seek re-election in next year’s elections. He is considered by many political experts to be one of the most influential voices in the Senate regarding budget and energy issues.

Although he recently came under fire for allegedly influencing the firing of a U.S. Attorney, he seemed to be well on the road to re-election. President Bush recently attended a fundraiser that netted more than $400,000 for him.

At Thursday’s press conference in Albuquerque, Domenici stated the next great battle in his life was not going to be fought on the campaign trail. The Senator, who has served the residents of his state for 36 years, said he had an uncertain future after being diagnosed with Fronto-Temporal Lobar Degeneration.

Texas Tech Neurologist Johanan Levine tells ABC-7 there is very little treatment for the illness and no cure. “It may impair language, emotions, social relationships and behavior,” he said, adding the scariest thing about the illness is it hits without warning. The disease also leads to other fatal complications such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia.

Levine categorized the illness as a form of dementia which causes a meltdown of an individual’s brain functions. “It can run in families … and when it does, each child of a person who has it might have a significant chance as high as 50 percent,” added Levine, saying the illness can be inherited.

According to him, the illness usually affects people between 40 and 70 years of age. For people between the ages of 40 and 50, the illness strikes at least two out of every 100,000. For people between the ages of 50 and 60, the illness strikes three out of every 100,000. For those between the ages of 60 and 70, the illness strikes 4 out of every 100,000.

The rate of deterioration varies from person to person, according to Levine. In some cases, it can take up to several months while in others it can take several years.

The most difficult thing for victims of the disease is that they know they are losing brain activity but cannot do anything about it, said Levine. “They remain human and remain alive, but they remain a sad remnant of what they used to be.”

Former El Paso Mayor Carlos Ramirez was struck by the same disease.

————

Written and reported for broadcast by Ken Molestina

Written for the web by Joe Villasana