A 12-year-old girl with a big belly was brought to the hospital. When doctors realized what was inside, they were sh0cked.

When they put her on the bed, she couldn’t extend her legs because the skin on her stomach was stretched like an eardrum. The doctors were in a hurry: tests, IVs, and exams. An ultrasound revealed a significant amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Initially, doctors suspected internal hemorrhage. However, the blood was clean. The surgeon summoned an oncologist. The oncologist is a gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist is an infectious disease specialist.

The diagnosis was unusual and frightening: intestinal lymphangiectasia. A illness in which lymphatic veins dilate and fluid builds up in the abdominal cavity. Pain, tiredness, and the risk of mortality can all be misdiagnosed as a “bad stomach” for years.

An older doctor with compassionate eyes and gray hair calmly told the mother:

– Your daughter is amazingly holding on. Her body has been fighting for several months. She requires an urgent puncture, therapy, and support. You must be present. She cannot cope without you.