What the doctors found about a toddler with a swollen belly made their blood run cold.
When a 12-year-old girl with a huge belly was brought to the hospital, the physicians assumed it was either a tumor or a simple digestive problem. However, a horrible stillness descended upon the room following the ultrasound. They didn’t see a malignant growth or a pregnancy. A person’s life was on the line.
Kira was her name. Pale and frail, her sky-blue eyes brimming with an inner world, she gripped her stomach as though to contain the agony. She had been rushed to the hospital by her distraught mother.
I assumed it was simply gas. At night, she would scream after complaining. She is now unable to move from her bed.
When Kira was six years old, her father vanished. Her mother, who worked as a cleaning lady at a mall, made every effort to support them. They led a modest but loving life. Nobody realized that the child was battling a silent pain behind her quiet smile.
She was unable to extend her legs on the examination table because her skin, stretched across her abdomen, like a drum. In a hurry, the tests piled up. Her abdomen had an unusually high volume of fluid, according to an ultrasound. Internal hemorrhage? Infection? Cancer?
Intestinal lymphangiectasia was the diagnosis that put the entire department on high alert. a rare condition in which fluid accumulates due to the dilatation of lymphatic channels. Fatigue and persistent pain are frequently confused with minor stomachaches.
The mother was taken aside by an old physician with gentle eyes:
For months, your daughter has been waiting. She need extensive support and an urgent surgery. She needs you to help her get through this.
More than three liters of fluid were evacuated during the initial procedure, which Kira survived. Every medical procedure, including injections, was a test. But she never shed a tear. She muttered as her mother handed her a tiny plush animal with a bandaged tummy similar to her own:
Is he also tired of me?
Kira’s condition had stabilized after two weeks. Her extraordinary bravery was recognized by the doctors. Even a nurse who was notorious for being aloof and chilly handed her a blanket:
— You’re an angel. Don’t leave, please.
Her temperature, however, soared one Sunday night. Her legs got bigger. Everyone was afraid that her body had failed. Against all odds, she opened her eyes three days later:
— May I have some chocolate, Mom?
Kira was still dealing with the effects of her sickness at the age of 14. Her goal was to become a doctor. The gastroenterology department still has a picture of her on display. Below it is the following:
“The soul, not the body, is the source of true strength.”
A vocation, a friend, and a fire
The university dormitory caught fire while she was studying medicine. Another student, Nastya, was trapped by the fire and was rescued by Kira. She spent two weeks in the hospital after emerging with burns to her lungs.
Since then, Nastya has been her pillar and sister by heart. Kira then started fighting once more. Against exhaustion, against suffering, against discrimination.
She was aware of the signs when the sickness reappeared. This time, she was a skilled combatant rather than a victim. She made an appointment with a specialist.
The doctor stated, “It’s serious.”However, you arrived on time. Your strength is your familiarity with your body.
The procedure took a long time. A transfusion was required after damaged arteries were removed. Two days later, her mother showed up, broken:
Please pardon me. I assumed you were simply worn out.
I’m maturing, Mom. Calmly, “I’ve got this,” she replied.
A New Hope Generation
Kira created a blog for teens with uncommon conditions while she was recuperating. No sympathy. Just being honest. In it, thousands of young people saw themselves. Alina, a young child suffering from the same ailment, wrote to her.
At night, Kira told her stories, took her to the doctor, and welcomed her into her house. And Alina muttered one day:
— Kira I believe my fear has subsided.
After Ten Years
Kira went into medicine. Not well-known. Not wealthy. not wed. but with respect. Respected. The paper of the books read a thousand times, and the scent of fresh mint filled her home. A number of medical colleges currently read her book, In the Heart of Pain.
A woman with a young girl in her arms knocked on her home one day:
— Kira, is this you? My name is Alina. I was saved by you. And my daughter is here. Your name is on her.
Kira cried for the first time in a long time. It wasn’t pain, though, this time. It was an act of appreciation.
