I always attended my cervical screenings; I was never frightened of them at all! However, as a mum of three, I was busy with my daughter, who has autism, so I had put it off for four months this time round. 

They found abnormal cells, it was aggressive CGIN Glandular abnormal cells, I had LLETZ treatment and I thought ‘there we go, all fine now’. Six weeks later, the hospital told me that I needed to come in tomorrow and to bring someone with me. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and before my treatment started my best mate and I went on a three-day holiday. 

My consultant said I was to have a radical hysterectomy and initially thought that I would be back at work in two weeks. Instead, I woke up as though my whole body was on fire. I had never felt pain like that! It was meant to be numb for 24 hours to aid recovery, but I could feel everything. The spinal block had failed and my writhing around had caused internal bleeding and meant I needed back-to-back transfusions. I was in hospital for eight days. 

I went through surgical menopause. No one had prepared me for that. I asked if I could speak to someone about this before the op, the doctor said, ‘I’m here to cure you I’ll refer you after’. I had no idea that I would go straight into menopause. 

Seventeen days (about two and a half weeks) after my diagnosis I felt like a lamb to slaughter. In hindsight, when I went into surgery, I should have asked so many more questions! 

In surgery I knew they had removed 1/3 of my vaginal canal. Unfortunately, due to the internal bleeding that had pooled inside me the new vaginal cuff had given way and I was leaking fluid like something from a horror film! When the doctor checked the whole swab disappeared! It was very traumatising, but as promised, weeks later it started to knit together. It was four months until I could return to work, but the mental recovery can take much longer than the physical. I now have terrible bladder control but also am living life! I am a glass half full person even more so after cancer. 

I hope that by speaking about my diagnosis I will normalise it. One in two of us will get cancer and treatments are so good now!