(WEBPRONEWS) — Many of us use the phrase “I could sleep for days” when we’re exhausted, but for one Pennsylvania girl, it’s not just a saying; it’s reality.
17-year old Nicole Delien has a rare disorder called Kleine-Levine Syndrome, commonly referred to as “Sleeping Beauty Syndrome”. She endures several episodes a year, during which she passes out for up to 19 hours a day before she wakes in a sleepwalker-like state to eat and use the bathroom, then returns to bed.
The disorder was difficult to diagnose, but even now that she’s on medication, Delien says she’s scared of when the next episode will strike. The problem is that patients can go for months without exhibiting any signs of the disorder before it sneaks up on them, and it acts quickly.