When a mother thought her daughter had gluten intolerance, she never expected to find a giant hairball causing serious health problems.
Hey friends! 💖 Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just couldn’t figure out what was wrong with your health or that of someone you love? Well, let me tell you about Jodie Collins, a mom from Cornwall, who faced this exact dilemma when her daughter Erin, just 14, started experiencing some intense stomach pains.
What Jodie thought was a simple food intolerance turned out to be something way more shocking—a massive hairball! 😱 Intrigued? Let’s dive into this wild story!
The Journey to the Diagnosis
Jodie’s ordeal kicked off back in November when Erin began having these sporadic tummy aches.
Can you imagine the worry? 😟 As a mom, you just want to fix everything, right? Initially, Jodie thought it could be gluten or lactose intolerance since those symptoms are pretty common. But after a ton of tests, everything came back normal.
Talk about frustrating!
Fast forward to May of this year, and Erin’s cramps escalated to a whole new level. Jodie knew something was seriously wrong, so she pushed for more tests. 🙌 During a doctor’s visit, they discovered a hard mass in Erin’s stomach—it was suspected to be a hairball, or what the medical community calls a trichobezoar. Who else thinks that sounds like something straight out of a horror movie? 😳
Erin was rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where surgery revealed an 8.3-inch hairball lodged in her stomach for who knows how long! The surgeons spent five hours removing this giant mass, which had caused Erin severe anemia and multiple nutritional issues. Can you even imagine?!
Understanding the Hairball Mystery
So, here’s the kicker: Erin had been a hair-twirler since she was a baby. Jodie mentioned that while she had never actually seen her daughter eat her hair, it’s possible she could have been doing it in her sleep! Like, that’s a plot twist and a half! 😮
After the surgery, Erin spent ten days in the hospital recovering from this bizarre situation. Jodie shared that the smell was so bad, the surgeons could hardly handle it. Imagine that! They were relieved it hadn’t caused more serious issues, like blocking her intestines. That could have been a whole different level of disaster. 🙈
But here’s a silver lining: Erin is on the mend, and her mom is now super passionate about spreading awareness. She’s even invested in some bonnets for Erin to wear at night, just in case she twirls her hair in her sleep again! 💤
Breaking the Cycle
Jodie’s experience really shines a light on an important message—if you notice your kids or anyone you know twirling hair, maybe it’s time to intervene. There are fidget toys and therapies that can help break that habit. Unpopular opinion: it’s better to tackle these issues early before they become a serious health risk! 💡
Jodie’s story has definitely left a mark on me. It reminds us how critical it is to listen to our bodies and advocate for our health. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to seek further answers. You never know what’s lurking beneath the surface. Who else has had a wild health journey? Let’s chat in the comments! 💬✨
