TRIMETHYLAMINURIA

Ok, say that three times fast.  How about once slowly?  Me neither.  It is a mouthful and a rare condition that I did run into years ago. Not me fortunately but one person I worked with had it. 

Trimethylaminuria is a rare disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotting fish, rotting eggs, garbage, feces, or urine.  The poor souls who have this rare condition do have quite an obvious, unpleasant smell. 

Years ago I worked for a answering service. We had a variety of clients but physicians made up the bulk.

I usually worked the second shift in Sarasota, Fl  but one day my boss sent me to Bradenton to work the first shift for a month.  The towns were relatively close so no real problem. 

When I walked into the office to relieve the night girl, I was assaulted by a really unpleasant odor. It was sour, sweet like rotten garbage or something dead. It was almost stomach churning. 

Of course I blurted, "My God, what is that smell." Surely it wasn't human and had to be a dead fish under the office or a moldering rat caught in the walls. 

The poor girl turned flame red and told me it was her. She then told me it was an inherited condition and there was nothing she could do about it. Bathing, deodorants, perfumes, lotions did nothing. I was stunned. At that time, I don't think there was even the 17 letter name for her condition.  

Then I realized this was probably the only job she could manage as there was minimal human contact. Oddly the odor mostly left when she did. It didn't seem to stick to anything for long.  

We continued to talk quite a bit each morning that I relieved her.  I truly felt for her. She was smart, fairly attractive but wow, the odor, sometimes worse than others. 

She told me what her life had been like so far.  Name calling, bullying, and down right rude comments from strangers--kind of like what I had done.  

She had been put off buses, stayed away from elevators  and asked to leave restaurants. Forget the opposite sex. I have no idea what kind of life she could expect outside of isolation. I have a feeling the family that were recently put off a plane due to body odor, may have had that same condition. 

I don't know where she is today or if she ever got help. There really isn't a lot even to day that helps her condition. When I met her I was in a distressing period in my life. She made me feel blessed and ashamed  of being so obcessed with my petty problems.

Have you met someone like that who is saddled with a horrific condition that just thinking of them makes anything you are going through seem  of no consequence and minor?