My 15-year-old daughter kept complaining about nausea and severe stomach pain. My husband brushed it off and said, “she’s just faking it. Don’t waste time or money.” So I secretly took her to the hospital myself. The doctor stared at the scan and whispered, “there’s something inside her…” All I could do was scream.

“What seems to be the problem today, Maya?” he asked gently while reviewing her chart.

Maya looked at me nervously instead of answering herself, so I spoke for her.

“She has been nauseous for weeks and experiencing severe stomach pain along with constant fatigue,” I explained.

Dr. Lawson nodded thoughtfully and recommended several tests to figure out what was happening.

The next hour blurred together with blood work and an ultrasound while Maya remained almost completely silent..…continue reading…