Hey everyone! I just wanted to share my experience with you all in order to hopefully reassure so many of you who will have had an abnormal smear result, treatment, awaiting test of cure results or in between tests etc.. My 2nd smear test at 27yrs old came back showing high grade abnormalities back in Feb of this year and like so many of you I was beside myself with worry. Following a LLETZ treatment, I awaited the results which confirmed HPV and CIN 2 which appeared to have been completely removed. I had a recovery period of about 6 weeks and did develop an infection…It was a miserable time! If I ever have to wear another sanitary towel again it will be too bloody soon!! Haha. Anyway following this although physically I was back on track, I remained anxious about the upcoming test of cure….I thought daily about whether I would clear the virus, whether I’d need more treatment, if I’d be ok to try for a baby soon, whether this nightmare and worry would be over after my 6 month smear check!! In hindsight I wasted 6 months feeling down in the dumps and negative when in reality our screening process and various treatments are a massive success story and do soooo much to help prevent cervical cancer. I arrived at the colposcopy clinic for my follow up smear test 3 weeks ago….The nurse told me that my cervix looked healed, healthy and normal to the naked eye but I would have at least a 3 week wait to learn whether all had returned to normal. As a hugely impatient soul, I hassled the colposcopy clinic a couple of times before receiving the wonderful news late last week that all appeared normal, I’d tested negative for HPV and I would simply need to return to my GP for cervical screening every 3 years. Phewww! What a great relief! I sobbed my heart out on hearing the news as all that pent up anxiety got the better of me. I know it is much much easier said than done to try to be rational and think positively during these stressful times but in reality we need to trust the system and rest safe in the knowledge that we’ll be ok and are being well looked after. I want to thank Jo’s and all you lovely people for being a constant go-to for me. It has proven to be an invaluable resource and I genuinely feel I have made friends throughout all this. I’m going to continue to check-in and will be raising money for Jo’s in the future! Good luck to you all and keep that chin up! 
