About the Author
I am Carry Wilson
My name is Carry Wilson. I was born in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1974, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, from the age of three. I am a 51‑year‑old African American mother of two.
In 1990, at the age of 15, my body began to emit a foul, unexplained odor. Naturally, I went to the doctor to find out why. I had no idea that this odor would change the course of my life and come to define my mental health for the rest of my life.
I came from a poor, working‑class family, My dreams for my life were simple — to become a registered nurse (RN) and one day own property. Nothing was going to stand in my way — not even the fact that at 16, I dropped out of high school and gave birth to my first child, a daughter. That birth triggered my odor‑causing metabolic condition, Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), formerly known as Fish Odor Syndrome.
This condition took over my life at 18, worsened by a medical system that had no understanding of it and instead labeled me delusional. For seven long years, I searched for a diagnosis while being homeless, hungry, depressed, and suicidal — all while raising two children.
My search eventually took me from Chicago to New Orleans, Louisiana, where I continued to spend time in psychiatric wards and homeless shelters. I saw at least thirty doctors and specialists, none of whom could diagnose me. Then, in 2003, I walked into a library and discovered information about my condition on a computer — and finally had an answer.
In 2023, I beat cancer. That victory made me realize it was time to share my story — the journey of living with and surviving the invisible monster of body odor.
Shattered: The Foul Body Odor That Almost Killed Me (Based on a True Story) is my story.
I am Carry Wilson.