A woman with a giant belly that weighs 15 kilos and keeps on growing
When you get sick, you expect to be able to go to the doctor and have him tell you what’s wrong, give you medication, and send you home. But what if the doctor has no idea what’s wrong with you either? This Chinese woman had a giant belly that already weighed 19 kilos and kept growing, and no one knew what the cause was.
Wang Gao Xiang was young, only 34 years old, and in the prime of her life. She had two children and was happy, living in Dashi village outside Anchoon City, a rural province. Her husband worked in Anchor and left every morning to go to work. Wang was a housewife, taking care of her two children and keeping the house in order. But one day her belly became a little swollen and painful.
Wang was worried and knew this was not normal, so she visited her doctor. The doctor infected her abdomen, wrote a report, and gave her some painkillers that helped control the pain. But the swelling was not going down. If anything, it was getting worse, and every day the lump on the front of her body grew. It must have been frightening, as Wang’s belly seemed to be growing out of control.
At first it looked like she was pregnant, but the swelling continued and got much bigger. It also looked strange, with a very stretched navel and large dark veins running through the skin. The skin was tight and the tissues underneath felt stiff. It was now hurting more, and every day was becoming a struggle for Wang. Of course, she went back to the doctor, but he told her he had no idea what was wrong.
She went to other doctors in town and also visited the provincial capital hospital for help. Thereafter many tests, the doctors discovered that Wang was actually suffering from a whole series of diseases. It turned out that she had cirrhosis of the liver and ovarian cancer, as well as an abnormal accumulation of fluid in her abdomen and chest. But they could not tell her what exactly had caused the abnormal swelling in her belly.
Was it a massive, benign tumor?
A doctor undertook an operation to try to remove some of the excess tissue, but after the operation, it all grew back in a short time.
The problem was that Wang was not a very wealthy woman. Medical interventions of this type are expensive. Therefore, when she did not receive immediate help for her illness, she also gave up and returned home. It’s estimated that her belly mass then weighed about 20 kilos and was still growing every day.
With her large belly, it was difficult to sleep, move, or care for her children and husband. She could barely bend over. Clothes also became a problem, as only the stretchiest pants and shirts fit her. She often had to sleep. Sitting up and standing was exhausting.
Wang had always been a short, thin woman. She was beginning to look grotesque and was becoming increasingly worried but since no one could help her and she had to keep going, she continued her life and a struggle with a huge bulge in the front of her body. As she could do less and less at home. Her two children, and especially the eldest, a ten yearold boy, had to help. Now it was he who did the shopping, carried the water and cleaned the house.
Wang’s parents also lent a hand by helping with daily chores and taking on some childcare. This left Wang feeling helpless. I used to do my homework very quickly, but now my big belly has affected my normal life, she told the media. It was just a nightmare. This went on for about two years, too long and incredibly uncomfortable years, when suddenly the local newspaper, the Urban Daily, got wind of Wang’s case.
They decided to send a team of reporters and documented the women’s situation. First it became local news, the national news, and suddenly the whole world had heard about this lady from China with her huge belly. People were shocked. She looked terrible. If she wasn’t pregnant, what was wrong with this woman?
In addition to being front page news, Wang also won the sympathy and compassion of many people. They sympathized with her and wanted to help her. And since Wang had admitted in the story that she could not afford the proper treatment she was likely to need, a donation fund was set up to help her. It didn’t take long for the money to come in, and Wang was very grateful. I didn’t think that an ordinary farmer like me could get so much attention from society, she told a reporter.
Now she could seek the help of a specialist at the large 302 ancient hospital. With the funds raised, she could confidently seek the help she needed. And with fear in her heart, she registered at the hospital. Soon the sad news came. Wang’s doctor, after initial tests, informed her that her ovarian cancer had spread to the abdominal cavity and had become quite aggressive.It would now be very difficult to cure her if only she had been able to seek help earlier. It was a hard blow for the woman, who had already suffered so much in recent years. Still, her doctor and his entire team told her they would help. They would set up a treatment plan that included a highrisk surgical intervention to remove most of the fluid and tumors from her belly. This would at least be a great relief for her.
At the same time, she would undergo aggressive chemotherapy to try to slow the growth of the cancer cells and extend her life as long as possible. Although the news was sad in a way, Wang felt relieved because at least she knew what was happening to her body and that she had a way out. She would no longer have to feel that huge lump in her body. And soon she was scheduled for the surgery that would change her life. No operation is without risk of course, and as this intervention was being performed on such a vulnerable part of her body, and as Wang herself was weak from having been ill for so long, it was not certain that all would go well.
Some doctors at the hospital advised against the operation because they feared that Wang would not survive. They suggested first removing some fluids gradually to decrease the pressure in her belly and prepare her for further interventions. But within days Wang’s health deteriorated greatly and the doctors decided to go ahead. It seemed to be her only hope. We thoroughly assessed Wang’s condition and the risks of the operation and made a complete plan for the operation as well as possible postprocessor problems.
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