17-year-old battles weeks-long slumbers

NORTH FAYETTE, Pa. (NBC/WPXI) - A 17-year-old girl from Pennsylvania is hoping to spend the holidays with her family.

She is battling a disorder that causes her to sleep -- sometimes for days and weeks at a time.

Nicole Delien said it’s no fairytale, and she would like to spend this Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family.

But there are no guarantees she'll be awake.

"She's only been awake for three Christmases since she was 7 years old," said her mother, Vicki Delien.

Nicole continues to battle with Kliene-Levin syndrome. Her last episode was in February and lasted 32 days.

"It's difficult because I lost some friends, and whenever I come back, everyone asks me where I've been,” said Nicole.

During these episodes, Nicole will still eat and go the bathroom -- and may even talk -- but she doesn't remember any of it.

"When she does get up, she's more like in trance -- like a zombie, sleepwalk-type daze," said Vicki.

"What it really is is a periodic delirium, delirium being a confusable state that's reversible,” said Dr. Michael Rancurello, with Allegheny General Hospital.

Rancurello was the first to diagnose Nicole -- something that took two years from when she started showing symptoms at age 6.

But there are people in their own family who don't believe in the disorder.

Early on, Nicole's parents were even reported to Child Protective Services.

"That was really scary,” said her mother. “It's frustrating to know that there are doctors out there that just can't listen to you."

Nicole has missed family vacations, holidays, even the last days her grandfather was alive.

"It's hard for me to talk about it because I miss out on a lot, and I wish I hadn't,” said Nicole.

This condition is also known as “Sleeping Beauty syndrome” -- a name Nicole said does not apply.

"I just don't like when people call it a fairytale. Because it's really not a fairytale,” said Nicole.