The beginning

I went for my routine smear test on 11th August 2009. The nurse had a problem taking the smear and I remember having to put my fists under my bum!
I didn't worry too much and went away and got on with life.
At the end of August I had to go into hospital for a Bladder distension operation. I had been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis and it was felt that this procedure would help me. I had the operation and was discharged just before my 2nd wedding anniversary. We went out for a meal and had a nice time.
I received a letter from the clinic at the hospital asking me to attend as my smear had shown abnormalities. I didn't worry too much as I had had abnormal smears before. I went along and had biopsies taken (not something I enjoyed!). My husband Dylan came with me and held my hand whilst watching on the screen what the Dr was doing!
The Consultant Mr Goodman told me that my cervix looked ok, but the cells he had taken looked like they were pre cancerous. He wanted to treat me then and there, but because I had not long had my bladder distension he said he would wait as two procedures so close together would not be beneficial.
So we went home and then we had a week away in Scotland.

On my return from holiday I received a phone call on the 23rd October 2009 from Mr Goodman's secretary asking me to return to the clinic on the following Tuesday. I asked why and she told me that he wanted to have another look. I remember the phone call as we had been out to buy a cooker that day.

Tuesday 27th October 2009 came and we set off for the hospital. As we neared the clinic I suddenly felt sick and began to cry. I hadn't thought up until then what could be wrong. We carried on past the clinic and went to the Hearing Aid clinic to collect some batteries for our sons hearing aids. Next we went to the sweet shop and bought 2 Star Bars!
We went back to the clinic and I felt even more scared when the Consultant himself came out to the waiting room to collect me. My husband and I went to the consultation room and sat down. there was a nurse present.
Mr Goodman told me that they had found cancer in my biopsies and that I had Cervical Cancer. Everything after that washed over me and I felt like I was in a tunnel. Mr Goodman said he wasn't convinced that I had cancer, but the pathologist was certain. Mr Goodman said that the machine could have mixed my results up and that we wouldn't want the press finding out if there had been a mix up! Dylan got a litle annoyed at this point!
We went back to the clinic room to have more biopsies. I remember on the radio was playing "Time of my life" from Dirty dancing. The nurse next to me kept rubbing my shoulder and saying "Ah". She was very annoying! Dylan felt ill and had to sit down. He was very pale and looked like he was going to faint.
Mr Goodman took more biopsies and said my cervix was very tough indicating there was cancer there. He was more convinced I had cancer after this examination.
Mr Goodman made me an appointment with a Gynae-Oncologist - Mr Devaja for the 29th October and sent me to have bloods taken.

We went home and had to break the news to our son who at the time was 15 yrs old. We also rang my in-laws and my family. That evening we went to my in-laws and spent the evening there with them. I drank some wine and slept on and off.
We came home and ate the Star Bars we had bought earlier!