The last few years have really opened my eyes to the utter chaos of the National Health Screwers
If you've not needed them or only needed them for minor things, you honestly have no idea how bloody scary it is to be seriously ill and under the "care" of people I wouldnt usually trust to look after a dog
Every month I pay out about a weeks worth of wages in tax towards the NHS, then I pay a bit off my staggering credit card debt thats accumulated on going private when the NHS fail at life (rheumatology, gynaecology, dermatology, podiatry, basic antibiotics when my GP insisted an infected tick bite was "just allergies", the list is endless!)
I'm not rich, I earn less than 30k. Some days towards the end of the month I literally cant afford to eat what or when I want
20 years ago (when the NHS was actually the envy of the world) I had cervical cancer. Caught early by a smear test and treated in time to save my life. I was told by the consultant, "Another 6 months and your chances wouldn't have been good. Be very mindful of any changes moving forwards, and act on them immediately"
It was around the same time that Jade Goody died; she was told if she'd been seen 6 months earlier, her chances would have been infinitely better.
That brush with the Big C scared me shitless, and as per the advice given I'm super mindful of any changes and take them seriously.
Well I've probably just saved my own life this time by getting a private smear test, because despite my history and all the symptoms I am now experiencing (irregular heavy bleeding, random spotting, discharge, bleeding after intercourse, tummy and back pain), I was refused an NHS smear as I'm "not owed one" until three years after my last test, history / symptoms be damned.
The system was "reformed" in 2017. The NHS no longer do proper smear tests, just HPV tests. If you have HPV, you get a smear, if you dont, its off you go we'll see you in 3 years.
My private test showed major cell changes but HPV negative. My NHS GP surgery refused to acknowledge it or record the results on my medical record.
Luckily I'm already under an NHS gynaecologist (due to my symptoms), who initially agreed to refer me for colposcopy off the back of my private smear, but the referral was "triaged" and then rejected. My gynaecologist is just like 🤷🏻♀️ "You dont have HPV and around 50% cell changes rectify themselves without treatment. So yeah, bye."
50%? So 50% DONT rectify? And you think I'm betting my life on being in the lucky 50%, with my history and current symptoms? Is 50% really a good enough percentage to deny women with symptoms any further investigations? I dont think so, but apparently the NHS now does.
The NHS insists that as most (not all!) cervical cancers are caused by HPV, the women who fall into the grey area who have bad cells but no HPV are pretty rare, therefore our lives dont matter. Thats the message I'm getting.
Basically, I've just been abandoned by the NHS until I've got full-blown Big C, then maybe they might do something, if I'm lucky?
They can fuck off. I have two DDs who need their mum!
So here I am faffing around online trying to up my credit card limit so I can book myself in for a private colposcopy, and thinking to myself "If I didnt have to pay all this fucking money towards the NHS every month, I'd be able to afford this without credit!"
Sorry for the rambling ranty post I'm just stressed scared skint and at the end of my fucking tether