Woman is left with a 'bottom' on her stomach after surgery to removed 2st tumour in her uterus - and now feels like 'Frankenstein's monster'
- Sarah Haslam was left with a seven-inch scar that has knocked her confidence
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A woman, who discovered a two-stone tumour in her uterus says she feels like 'Frankenstein's monster' following life-saving surgery that left her with a bottom-shaped pouch on her stomach.
Friends of Sarah Haslam, 44, believed she was expecting another child as she appeared to be nine-months pregnant.
However, following weeks of tests, it was discovered that Sarah had uterine fibroids, non-cancerous growths on the uterus.
The full-time carer underwent surgery 18 months later to remove the two-stone mass at Royal Oldham Hospital - but has been left with a seven-inch scar spanning the length of her abdomen.
She said: 'I looked pregnant with a nine-month-old tumour. My scar looks like Frankenstein's monster. I can't even go swimming with my grandson. I still don't leave my house without people.'
Sarah Haslam feels like 'Frankenstein's monster' following life-saving surgery to remove a two-stone tumour in her uterus
Sarah, from Radcliffe, knew something wasn't right when she experienced an eight-week long period in February 2019.
Following a check-up with the GP and an ultrasound scan, uterine fibroids - commonly known as 'fibro tumours' - were found in her uterus.
Since they were small in size, Sarah was given a coil to reduce the amount of bleeding they caused.
The mother-of-three explained: 'I was spending so much money on sanitary towels.
'I was wearing two or three sanitary towels at a time and buying them in bulk. This one time I was wearing white jeans and it looked like a murder scene. I felt bloated and incredibly weak. I couldn't leave my house, I had a puddle at my feet sometimes.'
However, the coil failed to prevent the bleeding, and Sarah was left in 'excruciating' pain later suffering a seizure at home.
'After bleeding for 32 days straight, I knew something wasn't right. I'd never had a seizure, it was terrifying,' she said.
Sarah was rushed to Royal Oldham Hospital, where doctors discovered the tumour was degenerating, causing sepsis and pneumonia.
Friends of the 44-year-old believed she was expecting another child as she appeared to be nine-months pregnant
Sarah before she developed uterine fibrosis, a non-cancerous growth on the uterus
The mother-of-three previously had an active lifestyle (pictured with her grandson)
She stayed here for two weeks in order to prevent the infection from spreading further - and continued to be in and out of hospital with fibroid complications over the following nine months.
At this point, the worried carer could see the tumour on her uterus was growing.
More than 18 months after diagnosis, doctors finally decided to surgically remove the tumour. Sarah explained: 'I felt incredibly heavy, but so weak. I never left the house because I didn't want people to ask questions.
'My daughters were really worried about my health. I was in constant pain, and I looked pregnant. I had to explain to people that I was carrying a tumour, not a baby.'
The tumour caused the 44-year-old's weight to drop by seven stone - going from a size 12 to a size 4 - and in order to save her life, Sarah's entire womb was removed during a six-hour hysterectomy in December 2021.
While the procedure left her with a seven-inch scar across the length of her abdomen, Sarah has returned to her normal weight.
She said: 'I felt incredibly weak after the operation. I was in the hospital for three days before being sent home. It took me 12 months to gradually put the weight on and heal. I finally felt myself again.
'But I was left with a scar like Frankenstein. My self-esteem is completely destroyed. My friends say that I've changed, I've lost all my confidence. It's a huge knock to my self-esteem.'
