Meet Keely Favell, your average mid-twenty-year-old girl. Well, if you consider this situation average. When Ms. Favell was just 24 years old something starting unbelievable began growing inside of her and doctors couldn’t figure out what it was.

The Beginning

Keely’s stomach expanded so large and so fast that she seemed pregnant! The weird part, she wasn’t pregnant at all. Every pregnancy test that she took said negative but her doctors continued to dismiss her overwhelming concerns.



Her Story

Favell is 28 years old and from Swansea in Wales. Back in 2014, she began gaining weight, and within just a few years she resembled someone nine months pregnant. She told BBC that she never was super skinny, but gradually she developed a belly like this

Healthy Lifestyle

Keely lived a healthy life and was very conscious of keeping her figure. She loved her curves and spent a lot of time at the gym. This is why her progressive weight gain was so infuriating. Unfortunately, the mystery was left unsolved.

Not As It Seems

At this time Keely thought her biggest problem was whether she would be able to go to work Christmas party because she felt insecure in her outfit. At this time, Keely felt she was not thin enough.



Too Fast To Keep Up With

Keely tried everything but her stomach wouldn’t stop growing. As she said ” “I was exercising and eating healthily but I was slowly getting bigger. There’s nothing worse than keeping a healthy lifestyle but still gaining an excessive amount of weight.

What Was Going On?

It crept up so slowly [that] I didn’t know anything was wrong – I thought I was putting on timber.” Regardless of how much she worked out or maintained a strict diet, she was still gaining an enormous amount of weight.



Not Just Growing

At this point, she couldn’t ignore her excessive weight gain. She began to notice that all the weight she was gaining was going directly to her stomach, and it felt different too. How would she proceed?

Staying Hopeful

Her stomach started to feel hard and uncomfortable to touch. However, she stayed positive and was hopeful that this would go away with time…. but some things don’t always work out the way we want.



There’s Only One Explanation

Her dress size was increasing at rapid speed and she was now a size eight. But still, she was too afraid to see a doctor. She grew up with her father as a doctor and this made her a bit apprehensive.

Her Gut Feeling

Little did she know that bigger concerns were approaching. At this point, Keely could only think of one explanation. She wasn’t sure she wanted to believe it, however. What was she thinking it was?



With Child

When considering all the components Keely decided there was only one possible reasoning for this, and that was pregnancy. Her belly was growing and she was gaining weight, she was always exhausted, and had a serious boyfriend.

Unplanned Pregnancy

When looking at all the factors, all things pointed to a bun in the oven! This possibility made Keely and her boyfriend nervous. If she was pregnant, then it was surely unplanned. However, given her situation, this was a possibility.



Soon To Be Parents

Keeley and her boyfriend Jamie Gibbons had been together for 10 years already and they did consider the possibility that she was pregnant. Although they weren’t ready for it, they knew they had to at least check.



The Blue Stripe

When the couple saw that the pregnancy test was negative, they were both shocked. They figured the test was incorrect, so she immediately took a second one. But it was negative again!

Getting Really Worried

They were surprised and decided it was time to see a doctor. What exactly was going on here? Was she sick? Did she have a miscarriage? A million dreaded things were popping into her head and really scaring her.



Facing Her Fears

Keely had no options left and it was time to finally see a doctor. Unfortunately, she did not receive the answer she was expecting or hoping for. The doctor simply told her that she was “merely fat.” At this point, she saw no way out.

Following Her Instincts

Although the doctors dismissed her worries, Keely felt something was wrong. She ignored it though because it didn’t impact her daily routine. Still, she couldn’t understand what was going on.

Not Trustworthy

She couldn’t stop wondering why she wasn’t pregnant. It seemed she was pregnant, so what was the deal? She didn’t fully trust the doctors and their thoughts. But, they were professionals so she should trust them, right?



No Solution

If she were pregnant, at least the problem would disappear once she gave birth. Unfortunately, her stomach continued growing for a full two years. Every month it just kept getting larger and larger until something awful happened at work.

She Collapsed

It was just a normal day on the job when all of a sudden Keely felt light-headed and nauseous. That’s when she collapsed. After she regained consciousness she was told by her coworkers that she had fainted.



A Difficult Period

After this, Keely realized she needed to see a doctor right away. She said “It was a tough period in work and when I passed out my GP put it down to stress.” She had no other explanation and just had to continue her life like she was living it before.

All From Stress?

Is it possible to pass out simply from being too stressed out? Keely wasn’t too convinced. But her doctor tried to reassure her that nothing major was going on, and that she definitely wasn’t pregnant.



Not What It Appears

It was impossible to avoid unwanted questions regarding her “pregnancy.” People noticed her growing belly and there was no trying to ignore it. She had to explain herself repeatedly.

No End In Sight

Keely always answered with the same response day in and day out, ” The doctors say I am just overweight.” Although she was annoyed with the situation, she also saw no end approaching.



Due Date

She said people were always asking her when the baby was due, and after a while, she began to lie to spare them the embarrassment. So instead she just told them she is overweight, because this is what she believed.



Changing Appearance

Keely was waddling around with a giant belly and she started to feel embarrassed about her appearance. She even started to shop in the maternity section because nothing fit her.

Maternity Clothes

“I remember trying to shop for clothes in December 2016 and nothing would fit. I was skin and bone on top, then this massive lump and normal legs. The only thing that was going to fit was maternity wear.”



Needs Help

Keeley was stubborn about getting help. Only after several blackouts at work, difficulties breathing, and excessive weight gain that interfered with her life, did she seek assistance.



Seeking Assistance

And this still wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for her coworkers who insisted she get checked out. Many people wonder why Keely didn’t take care of herself more. Something was clearly off, so why was it taking her so long to seek help?



A New Explanation

Keely was going about her life trying to avoid her situation. But enough was enough when she passed out four times! This time the doctor reasoned her exhaustion by blaming her acne medication but she refused to accept this response.

Time To Stand Up

It seemed like the doctors weren’t taking her symptoms or situation seriously. They continued to blame other causes and things going on in Keely’s life. She decided it was finally time to put her foot down.

Enough Was Enough

She had stopped taking it for several months before and insisted there had to be another explanation. She consulted a second doctor who also said she had to be pregnant. He did numerous blood tests that all came back with no results.

Getting To The Bottom Of It

Her GP concluded that the only explanation was pregnancy, regardless of the blood test results and no further examination. So, he ordered a second ultrasound. At this point even walking was a difficult task for Keely and she was having difficulty breathing.

The Truth At Last

The doctor who saw her requested that they immediately check if she was pregnant. Was she finally going to get to the bottom of this? Well, it certainly opened an entirely new can of worms that she was not expecting.

Terrified

Keely watched the doctor as she did the ultrasound. When she saw her expression it was clear something was wrong. Her eyes were enlarged and she had a look of fear come over her.

Consoling Keely

The doctor requested a consultant and Keely became paralyzed. Her boyfriend Jamie tried to console her but there was no stopping the panic she felt at that moment. What was really going on inside of her stomach?



Not Pregnant

The ultrasound screen was blank, and it was clear that Keely was not pregnant. However, there was something still going on inside her stomach. All they knew for sure was that her life was in danger.

Shocking News

The possibilities were endless, maybe a cyst or a tumor, regardless they needed a CT to find out. Keely was understandably shocked and extremely worried for what was to come. Her mind went to a number of possibilities.



Emergency CT

The blank ultrasound led to an immediate request for a CT scan that revealed astonishing news. The doctors prepared Keely for what they were about to tell her. Keely and her boyfriend sat hand in hand waiting for the big news.

Definitely Not Pregnant

Keely definitely wasn’t pregnant. The reason for her large belly was actually the result of a huge ovarian mass. At this point, Keely’s whole world came crashing down, as the doctor could not confirm exactly what he was dealing with.



To The Skin

It wasn’t your average cyst and was 24 centimeters thick and attached to her stomach. This finally explained her gaining weight, but her life remained in danger. Measures had to be taken immediately.

What Exactly Is An Ovarian Cyst?

Essentially a cyst is a fluid-filled sac that can develop on a woman’s ovary. They are extremely common and usually don’t cause harm, and most often disappear on their own. But, not for Keely.

Oddly Large

The only situations where a cyst can interfere with a person’s life is when it ruptures, blocks the blood supply to the ovaries, or in this case, is very large. Keely’s was really large, no…extremely large!



Exploring Her Options

One month later, Keely was speaking to a specialist who went over the options available for her. The image of the consultant’s face is still ingrained in her brain. He was in utter shock at her belly.

Complete Shock

Although he calmly explained to her that she had a large ovarian mass, his face revealed the truth. He was completely shocked. No one could have expected the size of the cyst, even the specialist.



That’s Not All

The doctor said it was possible that there were multiple cysts, and that they could be attached to organs. Keely couldn’t believe it, and yet, she knew that at this point the only option was surgery.

The Effects

Although they had ruled out the other explanations, they still were unclear the effect the cyst had on her body. She definitely had side effects, and of course, they had nothing to do with being pregnant.



You’re Fine

Although the doctor was unsure of what/how big the cyst was, he decided that there was something that had to be done. He couldn’t believe all of Keely’s other doctors had turned her away with a “you’re fine” response.



One Thing For Certain

One thing her doctor was certain of was that she would lose one ovary. In addition, depending on the location of the cyst, she may be hospitalized for longer. Keely felt like she was signing her life away.



Support

Keeley’s mother lives in Australia so she decided not to tell her about this whole situation, not to worry her. But since the mystery was finally solved, she felt it was time to let the family know.

All Alone

At this point, it was too much for her to go through this alone so she called her mom and her sisters to be by her side. Keely had battled alone for the majority of this medical situation, but she felt it was enough.



Ready To Go

Within two days her mother arrived, but unfortunately, her dad had to stay back in Australia. Even with the time difference, he was always just a phone call away. She had all the support she needed and was ready for the dreadful day.



Going Under

The doctor informed Keely that in 4 weeks’ time she would be set for surgery. The time finally arrived and Keely was ready for surgery. In the short time between her initial consultation and surgery, her stomach grew another five inches.

Emergency Surgery

The high-risk obstetrics consultant she was referred to said surgery was a must and that he was going to cut her open from her chest bone down to her pelvic bone, like an old fashion C-section. Those were some comforting words!

March 9th, 2017

The day finally came in a blink of an eye. Keeley was handed a surgery gown and a pair of socks. She put them on and was taken by the nurse. Her body was paralyzed knowing that at any minute a giant needle would be stabbed into her body.



Extra Help

Keeley was so uneasy and difficult that she needed to be held down by two nurses. She wouldn’t stop moving and they needed to put the needle inside her. She says she really felt like she was dying.



And The Wait Continues

The doctors expected the surgery would only take an hour or so. But it took five! Her family patiently awaited the end, fearing for Keely’s life. However, the doctors managed to remove the cyst.

Back To Normal

The cyst was enormous, but the weight blew everyone away. Finally, this ginormous thing was removed from Keely’s body. She couldn’t wait to be back to her normal self again!



Minutes To Hours

She was extremely terrified but knew this was the way to get back to her old life. The surgery was supposed to last 90 minutes, but hours passed by before she was finished. Her friends and family waited in angst.



How Big?

The cyst came out to 60 pounds! If you struggle with understanding how much 60 pounds is, then it’s equivalent to seven babies! Keely woke from surgery surrounded by the hospital staff showing her pictures of what was inside her for so many months.

Treated Like A Celebrity

Keely was overwhelmed and confused when she woke up from surgery. “I remember still being groggy from the anesthetic as they wheeled me back to the ward and excited hospital staff was shoving photos in front of me,” said Keely.

After Surgery

The cyst accounted for one-third of Keely’s body weight and she began to realize the impact it had on her life. She couldn’t do the things that were once so normal for her. It was a real burden on her life.

Losing The Cyst

Once she was lacking this excess weight she noticed that it was making easy tasks in her life seem difficult, like driving a car or walking upstairs. Losing this cyst essentially brought her back to life.



Nickname

She was in utter disbelief that she was carrying so much weight around! After seeing the photos she said that “It looked like a massive pile of ice cream so I called it Mr. Whippy!”

Medical Mystery

The doctors were blown away by the size of Keely’s cyst. She was a true medical phenomenon! She along with the entire medical staff could not believe what was living inside her for so long.

Back Home

Keeley was released four days later and had the support of her mother and boyfriend. Although she was dreading this process, the after effect made it all worthwhile. Favell doesn’t even remember life without an extra 60 kg!

Her Reminder

Keely has a 30- centimeter scar that extends from her sternum to her pelvis from the surgery. Not long after the procedure, she was already able to walk around easily. She couldn’t wait to start her new life with all the changes it brought. One drawback of the surgery was that Keely lost her right ovary, but the doctors informed her that this wouldn’t affect her having children.

Body Changes

Aside from her scar, Keely’s stomach is also covered in stretch marks, which are daily reminders of this experience. Regardless, Keely prefers the stretch marks to a 60-pound lump growing in her stomach.

A New Keely

Keely’s family came to visit her soon after the surgery and they were shocked to see her new appearance. She was so thin, basically half the woman she was before the surgery! Keely was so happy to be back to herself.

Smooth Sailing

Keely recollects on her recover and says it has been more or less smooth sailing, with some hiccups along the way. She says that her health is definitely much better than last year, both physically and mentally.

Saying Thanks

She has singled out her family, friends, and coworkers to say thank you for all their help during her recovery. Keeley says she doesn’t think she could have done this without them and tells herself how lucky she is every day for her support network.



Inspirational

A year ago, Keeley would never have shared her story. However, since then she has only grown more comfortable in her body. She is now sharing her story and is a true inspiration to us all!



There’s Hope

Despite going through this difficult experience and the reminder from her scar and stretch marks, Favell finally has her life back and has been reassured she will still be able to have children without her right ovary. She is so thankful for her surgeon.