A woman has spoken out about the surgical error that allegedly left her with a feeding tube in her body for over 35 years.

Deborah Lowe filed a complaint against Mount Sinai Medical Center, renamed Aurora Sinai Medical Center, in Milwaukee on Wednesday (February 5).

Lowe was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Medical Center in 1989, when she was 25 years old, due to a “troubled pregnancy” with her twins.

She delivered her babies via Caesarean section—in which a baby or babies are delivered through surgical incisions made in the abdomen—but suffered complications and later had to undergo a hysterectomy—a surgical procedure to remove the uterus and cervix—before ‘having to be put on life support,’ Lowe’s attorney B’Ivory LaMarr said during a press conference, as quoted by Fox 6 Now.

Lowe received a feeding tube while he was on life support. However, sources claim that the feeding tube remains in Lowe’s body 35 years later.

For nearly three decades, Lowe complained about stomach difficulties, describing her stomach as ‘constantly bulging’ and making it ‘impossible’ to perform activities like shopping’ or ‘walking around in a mall.’.

However, it wasn’t until April of last year, when she was undergoing another operation, that a surgeon found a feeding tube had been ‘left within’ her.

Lowe is now suing the medical facility for medical negligence, violation of fiduciary responsibility, and mental anguish, and she has spoken out about how the experience affected her.

She said, “How could they do this?” Who could make this mistake? This is too much, and I shouldn’t have to go through it. They took my entire existence. I was just 25 years old and couldn’t have any more children; I’m still going through it. I can’t do what I used to do.

“[…] I wouldn’t want anyone to go through this. When you don’t know what’s happening within you, it can be a challenging experience. You simply attempt to live day by day.”

LaMarr added, “This is certainly the most heinous claimed carelessness that I have ever seen. We feel this is the most heinous case of medical incompetence in the state.”

In a statement, Aurora Sinai Medical Center said, “We have not received legal notification of this lawsuit and cannot comment further.”