Frocktober – Ovarian Cancer snuck in quietly

Ovarian Cancer didn’t announce itself with a loud, flashing alarm. It quietly snuck into my body, in late January 2024, when I experienced the first symptom – diarrhoea.  I was going to the toilet so much. (Normalise talking about poo. I still can’t spell diarrhoea – this took me five attempts.)

Then I experienced feeling full quickly, weight loss, spotting between periods, heartburn and vaginal pain. I felt a lump in my tummy.

I knew something was really wrong when my stomach was distended and in pain – at the Singapore airport. 

It wasn’t like I was not being proactive about my health. I went to the GP repeatedly, and connected with a gastroenterologist. I’d been having tests for bowel issues – a blood test, ultrasound and stool sample. The tests came back clear.

I just got used to the symptoms. As women, we put up with a lot. 

All of my symptoms weren’t put together as probable cancer until I went to Emergency in  May 2024, on the day I got home from a seven week trip overseas.

The 2cm lump in my tummy was diagnosed as a hernia. But it turned out to be the tumour. it was 25 cm when it was removed.

I get chills when I think about this next bit.

While on holiday with Mum, I made a couple of throwary comments – that 1 in 2 people in Australia will be diagnosed with cancer, so it’s likely one of us will get it, and that I could do with my period going away, I probably had 10 more years until menopause

Next minute (month): I was diagnosed with not one, but two types of cancer, and I went into early menopause. 

Jinxed myself. Next time I’m going to manifest something really good.

This beautiful dress was given to me by @marimekkoaunz. It’s so luxe and fancy, and I feel so lucky. 

Please consider donating to my Frocktober fundraiser, or share the link with your networks. Thank you to all the very generous donors so far – you’re so appreciated!

Image: 1-6. Carly in a long sleeved, almost floor length silky dress that’s dark green with large black flowers on it. She’s standing near a pink flowering tree and red brick wall. A selfie of Carly in the same dress, purple flower brooch on.