Anyone who suffers from allergic reactions may very well be aware of the fact that they are not at all pleasant or easy to bear. They are just painful and too much of a bother. However imagine a person who is allergic to every little thing, even their own tears and hair not knowing what they will be allergic to next. Meet the 22 year old Natasha Coates of Nottingham, England who suffers from these allergic reactions to almost every little thing.
She first suffered an allergic reaction to fruits where the doctors or more specifically allergists diagnosed her with oral allergy syndrome. After this incident about six months later she suffered a life threatening anaphylactic reaction while out with her friends. This time the diagnosis pointed out that she is suffering from immunological disorder a condition called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or MCAS for short where the cells are triggered to undergo an allergic reaction even without any probable stimuli. In simpler words it means that Natasha Coates is allergic to a list of long things.
These cells called mast cells release histamines which in turn release chemicals when there is no possible requirement and this subjects her system to spontaneous reactions. These reactions are triggered even with her own hairs or tears.
Although it may sound too overwhelming but Natasha Coates is bravely enduring her condition and not letting her rare condition get in the way of her dreams in life. She is an elite disability gymnast and pursue her sports despite her condition making it extremely difficult for her to carry on. She used to be a regular gymnast but after her allergic reactions started she had to switch towards disability gymnastics because that still allowed her to practice safely her passion of this sport.
When she exercises she loses her feeling from the limbs starting from her elbows down to her hands and from her knees downwards. This naturally makes it difficult to feel for the gymnastic equipment and to keep on training unhindered. However according to her doing gymnastics is what really gives her the strength to endure some of the toughest days and remaining strong. Obviously her condition has rendered her incapable of doing a grueling 30 hours of training a week which a gymnast normally requires. She could only manage 7 hours a week. Despite that her dedication to the sports is profound and she is an inspiration to many.
According to her condition it is very difficult to balance her body weight on the equipment and despite that she trains with utmost discipline and commitment she still has several barriers in her training.
These allergic reactions could range from mild to worse for example just feeling a little under the weather to more life threatening reactions like swelling of throat and tongue. If her hair grows her scalp starts to burn and form blisters. Even her tears causes rashes on her face as they stream down. What is even more bizarre is that one food which causes no reaction one day causes allergic reaction the next day.
Her mother only cooks certain type of foods which are known to be safe and also keep the house medically fit lest she contract some allergic reaction. Despite the overzealous cleaning by her mother Natasha still have several reactions a day, typically involving migraine, itching and swelling.
She has used over 250 EpiPens and several trips to the hospital to survive her often life threatening conditions. Despite her allergic reactions to physical activity she still finds the strength to defy all odds and made it to British Championship and secured gold. According to her what is more important is to enjoy your routine and not focus on the negatives in life. Perhaps this positive attitude towards life is what makes her stay strong and face her troubles easily where others might crumble under the pressure.
