"I was diagnosed with womb cancer in June 2010 and have so far been cancer-free for just over three years. Meeting all the women in the support group has helped me tremendously and I’ve made a lot of wonderful new friends as a result.
I was diagnosed with grade 3 endometrial adenocarcinoma nine months after my fiftieth birthday, following removal of a mass from the neck of my womb during what was meant to have been a routine hysteroscopy three weeks before diagnosis. I knew the tumour was there because I’d effectively given birth to it back in April that year but I don’t think the medics believed me until they finally saw for themselves. I was told to expect major surgery followed by radiotherapy.
Six weeks after the first operation I had a hysterectomy (removal of uterus and cervix) along with a bi-lateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes). Two weeks later a blood vessel opened up but, thankfully, the resus team were able to stem the bleeding and I didn’t need a further operation. I was released from hospital the following day after being told the surgery two weeks earlier had been a success so I wouldn’t need further treatment. The cancer that had remained after the first op was Stage 1A, grade 2, and the surgeon was reasonably confident she had removed it all during the second op.Apart from minor bleeding just over a year after the hysterectomy I’ve remained well, although recovery does seem to have taken a long time. Even now I experience bouts of fatigue, I’m not as physically strong as I was and I have some cognitive issues, but on the plus side I’m still working, and I’m still breathing (always a bonus!). I look for the positives and laugh as much as possible, but don’t laugh too much straight after your surgery, as I’m pretty sure that’s what landed me in resus - I wouldn’t mind if what I’d been laughing about had been funny!"