Democratic Representative Jennifer Wexton will not seek re-election after being diagnosed with a serious illness: "I'm going to die"

Virginia Democratic Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton said she was diagnosed with a neurological disorder. Because of this, she will no longer seek a fourth term in the House of Representatives.

On Monday, Wexton released a statement announcing that doctors discovered that she suffers from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a brain disorder referred to as "a kind of Parkinson's on steroids." The congresswoman had already announced a few months ago that she was diagnosed with Parkinson's. At the time, she assured the public that this would not prevent her from being re-elected to Congress. However, doctors modified her diagnosis after further tests.

"I wasn’t making the progress to manage my symptoms that I had hoped, and I noticed the women in my Parkinson’s support group weren’t having the same experience that I was. I sought out additional medical opinions and testing, and my doctors modified my diagnosis to Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy," she explained, adding "there is no ‘getting better’ with PSP."

Wexton said that although she will comply with the necessary medical treatments to control her symptoms and end her term in Congress, she will no longer seek re-election.

"I’m heartbroken to have to give up something I have loved after so many years of serving my community. But taking into consideration the prognosis for my health over the coming years, I have made the decision not to seek reelection once my term is complete," she said.

The congresswoman said she intends to retire to enjoy time with her husband, children and other loved ones.

"I'm going to die"

Wexton is having a hard time digesting the news. In fact, according to the Washington Post, when the congresswoman broke the news to her chief of staff, she confessed that she felt her diagnosis was unfair.

"It’s not OK. It’s not OK at all ... I’m going to die, which isn’t fair," Wexton said.

Progressive supranuclear palsy

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PSP is a neurological disorder that damages nerve cells in the brain that control thoughts and body movements, so it can lead to loss of balance, trouble walking, swallowing, speaking, and even affecting eye movements.

"The disease usually worsens rapidly and most people with PSP develop severe disability within three to five years of symptom onset," the NIH information states.