Mum-of-three thought she was just tired from dream holiday - but it was something far worse

Mum-of-three thought she was just tired from dream holiday - but it was something far worse Laura Ann Fitt had to wait more than a year before she was handed a devastating diagnosis by doctors - who explored many possible conditions she could have been suffering from A Brit mum who believed she'd pulled a muscle after walking 20,000 steps on holiday was devastated to discover she was actually suffering from a terminal disease. Laura Ann Fitt, 40, a mum-of-four from Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, believed her active holiday in New York City caused her frequent stumbles and falls. She was convinced she had overexerted herself during the dream trip with her husband in July 2025, and had been caught out by the city's uneven pavements. But her troubles only continued when she returned home, and she continued catching her left foot, while also developing persistent muscle twitches above her left knee. Colleagues believed the symptoms were caused by a magnesium deficiency, but it continued after taking supplements - leading her to see her GP on August 19 last year. As she underwent months of testing, she progressed from using a walking stick to requiring a wheelchair to cover longer distances. She didn't discover what was truly wrong with her until she completed a full year of tests, with doctors exploring possible causes including multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, strokes, and functional neurological disorders. The mum finally received a devastating diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) on July 4, less than a month after her 40th birthday. Laura said she struggled hardest with the "limbo period" leading up to her diagnosis, having clung to hope that her condition wasn't life-limiting in some way. She said: "I had a couple of falls, tripping and things, but I thought maybe I had just overexerted myself or that I was walking on un-even ground. "I'd been waiting for a diagnosis so long that I really knew what it was going to be. That limbo period of not knowing was harder than actually knowing. "Once you know, you can get your ducks in a row. All the 'what ifs' and 'maybes' are so stressful because you cling to hope that it isn't something life-limiting." MND is a life-limiting and sadly terminal disease that damages the brain's nerves and spinal chord. It has an average life expectancy of between two to three years. Laura, who has worked in healthcare since she was 18, wasn't overly concerned by her initial symptoms. It was at her neurology appointment in January that she became suspicious, and asked the neurologist if it could be MND. She said: "They said 'No, we don't think so' but we need to rule it out. The electromyography (EMG) [a nerve test] couldn't confirm it, but it couldn't rule it out either." Her symptoms continued to get worse, and by May this year she needed a wheelchair to attend appointments, and doctors explained that with MND, it often takes time before a clearer picture develops. A lumbar puncture ruled out autoimmune conditions shortly before her 40th birthday in June. A repeat EMG on July 2 confirmed all of her fears, with Laura receiving her diagnosis 48 hours later. Her first thoughts went to her husband and children. Her 15-year-old son Alex is blind and autistic. She said: "I thought, how are they going to cope without me? I don't want to leave them, but I don't have a choice. The thought of not seeing them grow up, get married, have children, and being there to support them is just really difficult. "My son Alex has developmental issue so he doesn't really understand what's happening, or death as a concept. When you ask him 'what's wrong with mummy?' he says 'mummy's got spaghetti legs." Now, she wants to spend as much quality time as possible with her husband and children, with Alex being one of four siblings alongside Harmonie, 14, Gabriella, 16, and Ellis, 19. She also hopes to raise awareness of the early symptoms that people may overlook and tell people to advocate for themselves when they experience persistent symptoms. As both a nurse, and now a patient, Laura hopes sharing her story will help others. She said: "The nurse in me wants to get the message out there. If sharing my story helps even one person get answers sooner, then it's worth it." She has set up a GoFundMe campaign so she can put together £3,000, money she needs to enjoy the remaining years of her life with her family.