Interview 29

Age at interview: 37

Age at diagnosis: 36

Brief Outline:

Abnormal smear in 2000, referred to colposcopy clinic. Diagnosed with abnormal cervical cells. Treatment given; diathermy loop excision. No recurrence.

Background:

Buyers Assistant; married, no children.

She felt relieved about her diagnosis but a little anxious until she received her biopsy results.

They just said that, they said that they didn't think there was anything to worry about, I didn't, there weren't that many abnormal cells and that, obviously it has to go to the lab and everything and then he said that the results would be back within two weeks and to contact my own GP.

Immediately after that treatment how were you feeling?

I was sort of relieved a little bit because I thought well if the doctor says that it's not that bad then it can't be that bad. And, but then I was a little bit on edge still because obviously you want to know what the actual results are but I didn't feel quite as bad.

Explains her experience of diathermy loop excision treatment.

Well, I went in to the room and it all looks very sterile and clinical and I had to get changed obviously and then the worst thing I think are the stirrups and thinking, well I don't know what you think really, just that I don't really want this done but I need to find out what's wrong. But one of the nurses held my hand the whole of the time and was just like stroking the back of my hand and saying, you know just talking to me in general and trying to find something out that I was interested in that we could talk about. Like for me I suppose its holidays so they hit on the holidaying and got me talking about different holidays that I'd had so that I wasn't as nervous. And, well they asked me if I wanted to look at the screen so that I could see what was being done but I didn't want to do that, I just kept my head turned but I suppose the option is there if you want to.