Trent and Amber Johnston deal with some potentially bleak news in the latest all-new episode of TLC’s 7 Little Johnstons, sharing “there is fear” about what his MRI results could mean.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive clip from “Skating on Thin Ice,” which airs Tuesday, Jan. 21, Trent and Amber somberly discuss his test results in the car. “They do see head trauma from past,” he explains, adding that the injuries weren’t his medical team’s “biggest concerns.”
“The size of my brain, the diameter, the gap, the spacing between my brain and my skull has reduced at a faster rate than what it should be at 47 years old,” Trent explains, as Amber gets visibly upset. “It’s the size of, like, an 80, 81-year-old.”
“Does this necessarily set him up for a higher chance of, you know, dementia or Alzheimer’s or things like that?” Amber says as the two speak to the camera. “So that’s definitely a concern.”
But, as Trent continues to share, his doctors discussed some dire potential diagnoses for him, explaining that the MRI showed “possible early stages or preexisting stages” of multiple sclerosis (MS).
“That’s life-altering,” Amber says.
Per the Mayo Clinic, MS is a disease in which the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers. This creates communication problems between your brain and your body.
The result, Amber explains, is that MS “causes your brain to not function with the rest of your body. It can cause vision issues, lot of body pains. So, yeah, there is fear.”
When Trent tells Amber that they’re being referred to a neurologist, she admits, “I definitely don’t think this is what we were expecting.”
Trent agrees, saying, “It doesn’t make me feel good to sit here and say, ‘Hey, I know you’ve been a hard worker and you’ve done a lot in your 47 years, but you got to slow down. Your brain’s the size of an 80-year-old.’ “
“Academically, I’m not that gifted anyway,” he says, “So if this is my next challenge right now, besides getting back to work, let me button up and get this figured out.”
Trent then turns the topic to daughter Liz’s 14-month-old daughter, Leighton, whom she welcomed with boyfriend Brice Bolden in November 2023.
“I don’t want to be a burden,” Trent says. “I’ve got a new grandbaby I want to enjoy.”
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7 Little Johnstons airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TLC.
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