
The hives that appear on Reid’s skin can last from a couple of hours to several days.
A rare immunologic disease, cholinergic urticaria destroyed a woman’s life. Julie Reid used to be a beautiful dancer and gymnast, the 28-year-old used to make end’s meat by teaching other people how to dance. Now, because she is allergic to her tears and sweat, she is unable to leave her Florida home during the day, not even to go to the local grocery store, without breaking into painful hives and receiving judgmental stares.
Three years ago, Reid was a normal, functioning woman. Then, out of the blue, she developed a rare condition that basically made her allergic to herself. The woman was diagnosed with cholinergic urticaria, an immunologic illness that makes her body allergic to its own tears and sweat.
Because she used to teach dancing and gymnastics for a living, Reid now is unable to provide for herself. She already sold most of her furniture in order to pay her medical bills. Moreover, she is being denied disability assistance. According to her GoFundMe page:
“I am allergic to my own sweat (and tears). Me, out of all people. Someone who was so physically active every day. […] Currently, there is no cure. And I have no money to continue living like this, nor pay my medical bills. Especially without any health insurance. I cannot work, and I am still fighting for disability assistance.”
It seems that cholinergic urticaria destroyed a woman’s life with only a few hives. The disorder is ruthless. Whenever Reid exercises, walks, or even takes a hot shower, she develops hives on her body. Underneath these hives, high amounts of histamine are cumulated, making the sores painful to have and to look at.
According to the doctors, the sores van last from an hour to several days. Reid is not even able to cry her eyes out in despair because every time she does so, her face gets flooded with painful hives.
Her town of residence is not helping, either. Florida’s weather seems to be made specially to make people sweat their skin off. Because of this, Reid is unable to go out during the day. It impossible for her to find any form of employment due to her disease, so she started a GoFundMe page.
Cholinergic urticaria destroyed a woman’s life, and she needs help dealing with the terrible disorder until she is at least granted disability assistance.
Reid says that the disorder is as painful on an emotional level as it is physically.
Image source: Wikimedia