Meghan’s Story

My story is in Oct 2018 I went to the GP for a one-off seizure I’d had. I’ve had about one a year for the past 12 or so years.

I’d just get extremely hot, horrific pain in gyno area and would have to lay down. Then I’d have a short seizure from the pain, and there would always be a little blood in my underwear afterwards.

Over the years I’d been checked several times for endometriosis and other gynecological type problems, but with zero answers.

In 2018 my GP wasn’t sure so sent me to a gynie specialist, who came up with nothing. They sent me to a bum doctor, but the wait for colonoscopy was 5 months and A LOT of money. So instead the next day I went to the hospital with no luck, I went back four more times over the next four days, and when I mentioned my bowel movements had changed and my mum had had bowel cancer in the past, they got me right in.

I had a 13cm tumour in my sigmoid colon, stage 3 bowel cancer. It was a shock, but I never considered I could die or anything. Chemo was 12 rounds of 48hrs over 6 months and it absolutely smashed me. My teeth deteriorated, my sight has gone so bad, I stacked on 11kg, my hair thinned out till I just buzzed it off. I was sick and miserable. BUT I came out the other end.

I was 35. So it had been around for quite some time before being found. I think because I have always been “too young” to get bowel cancer, they never thought to check.

Since then I have had serious blood clots, blood transfusions, and an oblation (so no more kids, prob the saddest part)…and unfortunately the most debilitating anxiety.

It feels never-ending. But I wouldn’t change what happened as it has resulted in true friendships with the most selfless people, a great appreciation of life and seeing the beauty in everything. ❤