A dad-of-two said he 'feels pregnant' after his stomach swelled to the size of a 'beach ball' leaving him in need of life-saving treatment.
David Burgess, 37, is in hospital waiting to find out if he will be getting a new liver. He was diagnosed with Wilson's disease in 2005, when he was around 20. He is now 37-years-old and currently experiencing the worst bout of symptoms since his diagnosis.
Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder characterised by excess copper stored in various body tissues, particularly the liver, brain, and corneas of the eyes. The disease is progressive and, if left untreated, it may cause liver (hepatic) disease, central nervous system dysfunction and even death.
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David, who is a magician, became jaundiced on April 10, 2022, and was taken into Royal Liverpool Hospital. He also developed a condition called ascites, which is a fluid build up in your abdomen and lower limbs, causing his stomach to swell. While there, David had “all kinds” of tests done on him and was treated with antibiotics as the doctors thought he had an infection in the water around his liver.
However, he was unfortunately and unknowingly allergic to two different types of the treatments tried. Speaking to the ECHO, David said: “They asked was I allergic to anything and I said no and then we realised that I must have been allergic to the antibiotic. My legs went into a mad rash. They tried me on a different one and my arms went into a different rash.”
He was later referred to a liver specialist unit in Birmingham, where he has now been for two weeks. He said: “They have basically given me a full MOT."
David is currently waiting until his stomach can be drained since it is still swollen and full of fluid - however complications mean it can’t be done as soon as he would like. He said: “I’m usually 14 stone 11 and I have gone up to 17 stone due to the fluid. My legs are like balloons too and my feet are massive.
“It’s like being pregnant - that’s the feeling of it. That’s what they’ve all said because you get the stretches at the bottom of the stomach. I get under-stomach stretching pains. It’s probably the size of a beach ball.”
David is also currently awaiting the decision of whether or not he will be eligible for a liver transplant. He said: “It’s all a bit scary at the moment.”
He explained his body needs to be healthy enough to endure the six hour operation. He hopes for positive news on Friday, when his medical team will meet to discuss his next options and whether or not he can go home to be reunited with his family.
Explaining he hasn't seen his family face-to-face for more than two weeks, David said: "The most upsetting thing is my family can’t visit me because it’s like a two hour drive for them so I have been in hospital on my own for a bit.” He explained that visitors aren’t allowed on the ward so he needs to go to a communal area of the hospital to see them.
Speaking of his children - Emelia, five, and Caleb, two - David said: “That’s why I’m fighting, because I’ve got to be here for them. I’m 37 years old so I've got everything to live for but it’s just scary. Ideally I don’t want to have the transplant but if they say if that’s the option then I will.”
A close friend of David, Charlotte Smith, has set up a GoFundMe page to help him as he recovers as he has been left unable to work. On the page, she describes him as: "genuine, positive and thoughtful person and always goes out of his way to be of help or be supportive."
David is a full time professional magician who has performed all over the world, including attending Alder Hey Children's Hospital to put on a show for the kids. But while he is in hospital, he can't do his normal gigs.
He said that since the GoFundMe was created, several people have reached out to him with their own stories, with some reassuring him they have been through the same and been fine. He said he has been overwhelmed with the response so far and finds comfort in having people to talk to.
When the David finally gets home from Birmingham hospital, he will be staying with his parents in Southport, awaiting the all important call to say he will be getting a new liver. It will be a long two and a half hour journey for him back to the hospital, but with hope and a new prognosis at the end.
To visit David's GoFundMe page please click here
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