Woman So Allergic to Water, Smallest Drop Will Cause Her Skin To Break
Less than a decade ago, Maxine Jones, from Sheffield, England, lived a relatively normal life.
By trade, Jones worked as a palliative care nurse. During her time off, Jones enjoyed simple pleasures, like walking her dog around the neighborhood and chatting with her neighbors.
But one day about eight years ago, strange, painful symptoms began to manifest on Jones’ skin, particularly on her hands. Jones experienced symptoms of intense itching, hives, blisters and the feeling that every bone in her hand was breaking.
After a year of medical tests and doctor appointments, Jones was diagnosed with a very rare condition called aquagenic urticaria.
According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, “Aquagenic urticaria is a rare condition in which itchy urticaria (hives) develop rapidly after the skin comes in contact with water, regardless of its temperature.”
Little is known about the condition, which the GARD center says can manifest the body suddenly, and occurs most often in women.
Jones, who once lived a productive, purpose-filled life, now struggles just to brush her teeth, drink a cup of tea and prepare her own meals.
She goes to great lengths to keep herself away from even a single drop of water, wearing gloves anytime she’s near water, and taking extra care when eating and drinking not to spill.
“If I touch water at all the pain is awful,” Jones said. “It feels like I’ve broken every bone in my foot, and my body itches all over like I’ve been rolling in a bed of nettles.”
She stays indoors much of the time, worried that the cloudy British skies could bring even the smallest bit of rain.
“I can’t go out if there’s any chance it will rain, which means my neighbors hardly see me during winter,” Jones said. “It sometimes feels like a prison sentence.”
The condition has taken a mental toll on Jones as well, who sometimes finds herself questioning her very existence. Still, she perseveres through the suffering.
Jones said she wouldn’t wish the disease on anyone, and still holds out hope that one day, the symptoms will subside as quickly as they appeared — a mysterious outcome other aquagenic urticaria sufferers have experienced.
One bright spot, Jones said, has been her neighbors, who frequently check in on her. She employs a dog walker now, but still enjoys regular snuggles with her pooch, who remains faithfully by her side.
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