Rachel Prince could not go out when it was raining because just a drop of water clinging to her body was enough to cause her entire body to become rash and itchy.
Rachel, 26 years old, in Ripley, Derbyshire, England. Recently, the wettest British weather in the last 200 years is an obsession that makes Rachel unable to leave the house. Because of this disease, she could not even feel comfortable about falling in love with her fiancé Lee Warwick (28), because just a drop of saliva from the kiss could cause allergies.
She could not go out when it was raining because she was allergic to water.(Photo: Carter)
The disease Rachel had was called Aquagenic pruritus . The person can get a rash, itchy itching whenever exposed to water, even just a drop of saliva. Every day Rachel could not take a long bath, did not dare to drink cold water because it would swell her throat if she took a sip of water.
This is a rare disease. Treating doctor said Rachel was one of 35 rare people in the world discovered to be infected.
Rachel is an artist. She confided on The Health: 'I never go out without updating weather information. It was raining recently, so I had to stay indoors all the time. I really hate feeling cramped. Just a drop of rain makes me suffer and allergies can last for several hours. "
Whenever going out, Rachel always had to wear a large hooded coat and cover the umbrella in case it rained suddenly.'When I have an allergy, my body is in pain and burning up. Passersby kept staring when I saw such strange symptoms. "
Rachel realized she had the disease at 12 years old. The older you get, the more severe the rash is, making her almost impossible to contact with water."When I was in the middle of it, I felt like my skin was burning and it was tingling the same as a rash. I couldn't even drink cold water because it made my throat hurt and terribly uncomfortable. For some fruits trees or tea are easier to drink but they also contain water, " she continued.
Rachel's disease is rare, no one has heard of it for decades. Physicians also cannot believe that their patients are allergic to water because they have never had a similar situation. She also has an allergy to sweat and tears, even her own blood when injured and blood stains the skin.
'I used to like swimming when I was young but I can't anymore. All I can do is go for a walk on the beach, ' she said. Although the disease made Rachel very painful, she said she could adapt to everyday life. She is currently living with her fiance.
"The disease has some positives. It's not too bad after all, I can still wash or wipe my body, just don't touch the water for long ," Rachel said.
