The nine days, for our Ashkenazi brothers, are considered a difficult time in light of the fact that many do not shower during these days, as part of the mourning customs for the destruction of the Temple. However, for a young Englishwoman named Alexandra Allen, this is an everyday reality. The reason: she is allergic to water.
The strange disease that the 17-year-old suffers from is extremely rare, and only 35 other people in the world suffer from it.
Alan suffers from a disease called 'aquagenic urticaria,' and one of its symptoms is a severe rash and even internal bleeding after being in the water.
The first time Alexandra knew something was wrong was when she was 15 years old, when she discovered she was suffering from a severe rash after spending time in a pool. At the hospital, they discovered she was also suffering from internal bleeding and difficulty breathing.
Ellen searched medical websites for a diagnosis for the strange disease, and on one of them she discovered the rare syndrome that matched the symptoms she had identified.
The doctor at the hospital had no choice but to confirm her diagnosis. "You feel like your skin is peeling off until you have only one layer left, but you can't scratch it because then it will break and it might bleed," the young woman was quoted as saying on the Daily Mail website.
Not only is water dangerous for those with the strange disease, but even excessive sweating can lead to disaster. Ellen says she tries to only do activities in cool temperatures so as not to sweat.
And how does Ellen still manage to shower?
She says she only takes quick, cold showers three times a week, so as not to endanger her body. "Otherwise you feel like you've been dipped in a vat of acid.".
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