MKR stars open up about devastating IVF loss
My Kitchen Rules stars Carly Saunders and Tresne Middleton have opened up about the tragic end to their IVF journey, after their miracle baby died from cancer at the age of one.
The women shared how they are coping with their profound loss, while sharing some major warning signs that doctors missed to indicate their daughter, Poppy, was sick.
Speaking candidly to 7Life, Tresne shared how they first knew something wasn't right with young Poppy.
"We noticed her belly was starting to get enlarged. So, it was a little bit distended. And when she was feeding, she would have quite large vomits."
She also said Poppy would bruise easily, with bruises and marks on her skin lasting for several weeks at a time.
Poppy's pale complexion was also a telling sign that she was seriously ill.
When they took Poppy to the doctors, their worst fears were confirmed when their miracle baby was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a severe form of blood cancer.
"If they've got bruises or excessive bleeding - they are generally signs that the leukaemia is affecting their marrow which therefore affects their blood," Carly said.
After Poppy received her diagnosis, Carly and Tresne made the decision to make Poppy's life as loving and as normal as possible.
"It let her feel like this is a normal lifestyle. We didn't treat her any differently than we would any other child," she said.
"We did as much as we could to try and normalise what was happening to her. I don't think she knew any different."
The women have been documenting their grief journey online since Poppy passed away in February this year at the age of one.
The couple recently returned home to Australia after spending time in Thailand, with the hopes the escape abroad would help them heal.
Posting a video montage of their time in Thailand to Instagram, the couple wrote, "Home again… it is time to face home again."
"It's beyond us that the whole time we were in hospital with Pops we just wanted to be home, and now we'll do almost anything to avoid it."
Image credits: Instagram