Smear tests really do save lives, i didn’t realise how important it is to have them until the last couple of weeks. Had my first smear last month, a couple of weeks later was told I had abnormal cells on my cervix and have an appointment at the hospital for a colposcopy,
I went this morning and it showed I had high grade CIN3 pre cancerous cells, basically one step away from having cervical cancer, if I hadn’t of went for my smear these CIN3 cells would have developed into cancer if left untreated, I’ve had LLETZ treatment to remove all of the pre cancerous cells and a biopsy sent away to make sure it was all removed🙏🏼 I’m so thankful I went for my smear and it was caught in time, make sure you go girls!
In December 2013 I started to get symptoms bleeding discharge and painful sex I looked my symptoms up on line I kept seeing the words cervical cancer, I was scared so I went straight to the doctors where they took some swabs and water samples I was given antibiotics for a water infection all tests came back clear.
On my fifth visit they gave me an internal examination where they discovered a growth and my cervix was swollen and bleeding within two days I had an appointment with colposcopy.
I had a 4 and a half cm tumour across my cervix they took a biopsy but because I was only 18 I was told i was too young for cancer and I could go in the week after to have the growth removed, three days later I had a phone call to go up the hospital where me and my mother was taken in a room and was told so sorry you have cancer.
I had all the hpv injections in school I thought I was safe but it doesn’t cover all the strains, then after lots of scans and a op I was staged at 2b it had spread to my lymph nodes my treatment was chemotherapy radiotherapys and bracotherapys it took away my fertility and put me on the menopause at the age of 18 , I am 16 months in remission I have four more years before I get the all clear I have radiotherapy damage to my bladder I’ve been bleeding from my urine now for 8 months and living off pain killers until they find the right treatment.
But I’m here I’m lucky I love my life through out I have tried to remain positive my moto is there’s always someone worse off it could have been a lot worse.
I will always raise awareness for cervical cancer and will campaign to reduce the smear age from 25 down to 18 my petition is still open and in the hands of my mp
Please ladies if you are 25 and lucky enough to have the right to have a free smear test on the NHS please do never miss never think it won’t happen to you CANCER has no age limit and can hit you anytime let’s catch this cancer early all my love Jess Xxxxxxxxx PLEASE SHARE FOR AWARENESS
The only difference this time was that I had to be a mother at the same time!
My husband was at work so I had both my adorable little monsters, Poppy aged 9 and Dexter aged 5, with me for the smear test.
This turned out to be less of an issue than I’d ever expected!
The nurse was so nice to the kids, complimenting them on how well-behaved they were being whilst Mummy had her ‘M.O.T’.
It was over in minutes and I honestly don’t know why I worried at all. It was very slightly uncomfortable but not at all undignified, the kids sat on chairs the other side of me, Poppy playing on my phone and Dexter looking at a leaflet he picked up from the waiting room.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for all women to attend their smear test appointments.
Don’t let having no babysitters be an excuse.
I read that over 1 million women failed to attend their smear test appointment last year making it the lowest turnout in nearly 20 years!
Make that appointment and keep it, it might just save your life.
Elliott Lowe from Milton Keynes is urging woman to have their smear tests done.
Lowe wrote: Two years ago to date (22/12/2016) my beautiful wife, my best friend, the mother to our four beautiful children, my world, my soul mate in fact my everything was given a diagnosis by Milton Keynes Hospital that would devastate our lives and change it forever.
My wife (donna Lowe) was diagnosed with cervical cancer three days before Christmas, it wasn’t until the 10th of January 2017 after further tests and scans (PET Scan) that my wife’s consultant at Northampton General Hospital dealt us a further devastating blow that the cancer had already spread to her Lymph nodes in her pelvic area and as a result the cancer had been diagnosed as stage 4b.
Despite a very hard, but brutal fight against the cancer involving daily radiotherapy for six weeks and a chemotherapy session, a session which had to stop due to complications it was a diagnosis that was to claim her life.
Regretfully, On the morning of Saturday the 5th of August 2017, my beautiful wife passed away in my arms surrounded by our four young children, her mother, brother and sisters aged just 32 at Willen Hospice, Milton Keynes.
I am sharing this with you today two years after her diagnosis to encourage everyone reading this to make sure that we take it upon ourselves to ensure that the special women in our lives in fact all women in our lives be they relatives or friends to attend their Cervical Screening (once called smears) and not to either miss them or forget to re-arrange.
My wonderful wife postponed her last Smear for reasons I can’t even remember, believe me I’ve tried to remember and there’s not a day goes by I wish I could swap places with her or wish I’d dragged her to the appointment and re-arranged it for her.
Having already spoken to some of you here I know that some haven’t had a smear in a number of years, I think the longest was 20 years.
Cervical screening (smear) takes only minutes, I am aware it’s not the most comfortable or dignified of experiences for women to go through but the consequences of missing one devastates life’s for everyone connected and will do for generations to come, I wake up every morning alone, bring my kids up alone.. yes I have family around me supporting me, and I’m truly thankful for that, but it’s never the same nor will it be.
My wife missed her last Cervical Screen and paid the ultimate price she paid with her life. Let’s not let other families go through this immense pain we face daily let’s fight Cancer together as early detection saves lives I know this as I’m still in contact with women and their families who were being treated at the same time as my wife and who have been given the all clear.
I’m so proud of how hard my wife fought against this devastating disease despite her knowing the awful truth that it would eventually claim her life.
I know some of the pictures may distress you, i apologies if they do, but I needed to demonstrate how devastating Cancer is.
Please share this post with your friends and ask them to do the same together we can beat cancer and save lives don’t let another family go through the pain we go through everyday thank you x
