Utterly incredulous at what’s happening with MIL

[Mum2Fergus]

MIL is in palliative care (at home) as result of cancerous throat tumor. Hasn’t eaten anything for a few years, fed through a peg. She took a fall through the night and was ambulances to hospital-generally ok but needed a stitch or two in her face. She had an xray to check for broken bones…none thankfully…however - xray has shown up, what we believe to be, her lost engagement ring in her stomach!!

Now, she’s not been able to physically swallow anything comfortably for a few years AND she’s had numerous MRI scans over the years.

I can’t even begin to think of a credible explanation.

Wtf how is that even possible? Are you saying it’s been in there for years? Surely it would have passed?

Could it have been in a drawer/down the side of the bed etc? And she found it, kissed it and ended up swallowing it (if she is very ill and not lucid, this is possible). As otherwise, can't see why it would still be there.

Crikey, that’s a strange one!

How long ago was the ring lost?

If the ring is gold and securely fixed in one place, it wouldn’t necessarily cause problems in an mri scanner. Still pretty extraordinary. Watch out for the press asking for photos of the x ray.

She not been able to swallow anything for years…very small sips of water/tea at most. The tumour has filled her gullet. Hydration is via IV or the peg

We’re all stumped. None of the family can recall how long it’s been missing.

How bloody strange! How long ago did she lose the ring?

Sorry your update came through as I was typing

Was she wearing her own clothes when they did the x-ray? Maybe it slipped into the lining of a waistband or something years ago, and has been there ever since.

Good thought…did a quick double check there-she was in open nightgown (it ties to the side to allow access to the peg for feeding/medication).

I'm sorry to hear about her diagnosis
Was it the clinician saying the ring was in the stomach or you seeing the X-ray and guessing where in the body it is? It would normally have passed years ago, unless somehow swallowed recently. In say the lung or tumour itself, it could just sit there for years.

A friend had pierced ears as a toddler and an earring went missing. When she was 15, she had a bad cold, blew her nose and out came the earring!

perhaps she had bulimia when she was younger?

perhaps she had bulimia when she was younger?

Can you check any recent photos to see when she was last wearing the ring?

Is it part.of her PEG tube?

This sounds really odd. Is it definitely a ring that is visible on the x-ray??

Has she had an operation at all? On her stomach/abdomen?

Very many operations sadly.

Has it been confirmed as a foreign body by a radiologist?

More likely it is a stent or something?

This is fascinating, please let us know if you find out anything! Is it definitely a ring? X-rays are flat and 2-D aren't they?

How very odd! What did the Doctors give as a potential explanation?

is it actually a dense metal ring or just outline of the balloon/bumper that keeps the PEG in place? If she can't swallow, my money'd be on the latter. Hope the mystery gets solved.