A grandmother has lived in agony for 18 months as a mass on her stomach has ballooned to 6kg while she waits for a removal operation.
Deborah Bond, 57, wants an apology from her NHS hospital as she claims doctors have failed to extract the mass - believed to be a massive non-cancerous cyst - despite regular appointments since it was first noticed.
Although she's had her stomach drained three times since the growth started, with one extraction pulling nine litres of fluid from her stomach, Deborah's belly has ballooned in size and she now has a waist measuring 55 inches.
Her daughter Chelsea Bond, 33, says Deborah has had to "go through hell" recently.
Deborah, a former secretary, has a hysterectomy removal operation booked in for May after a long fight with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust.
The mother is now cared for by her husband Dean, 59, a chimney sweep, and Chelsea, a former care worker.
Chelsea said: "Never in this have I felt like my mum's life counts.
"It feels like we've had to beg to show why this person should live.
"We've gone through hell to get this done. I've seen people saying they had to get sepsis before they got an operation.
"Her stomach is honestly so big. I know how hard carrying a baby is so how on earth must it feel for her?
"When she was weighed recently she had put on nearly a stone [6kg]. She's got a 55-inch waist."
Dr Angela Tillett, chief medical officer of the NHS trust, said the trust was happy to support Deborah as needed.
The mum's swollen belly first emerged six years ago, and has left her bereft of confidence.
Pictures taken before her stomach growth show Deborah smiling in a bikini as she sunbathes by a pool on holiday.
Deborah, of Colchester, Essex, also suffered a brain aneurysm and a mini-stroke in 2007, leaving her with limited capacity to walk and speak.
Chelsea, who is a mother, added: "Mum was a very attractive lady. This has hit her confidence. She's conscious of it.
"She doesn't like seeing pictures of herself when she was 'normal' because they upset her.
"She's a woman who lived a bloody good life - we went on holiday every year and people still know her in town.
"She's awfully sad because she knows that every day she goes out with my dad and it's uncomfortable for her."
Dr Tillett, of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust, said: "We would urge Mrs Bond, or a nominated family member with her consent, to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) team.
"We are very keen to listen to any concerns they have about her ongoing care and support them further."
