Nottingham Post

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when the doctor first told me they removed cancer

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Since they met at the Two Puddings pub in the East End of London back in the 1960s, Harry Redknapp and wife Sandra have only had eyes for each other. Football legend Harry says the secret of their long and happy marriage is simply that they were made for each other.

In this excerpt from their new book When Harry Met Sandra, Sandra reveals one of the toughest personal challenges she faced during their marriage…

‘IT’S JUST NOT RIGHT, SARN’

We had some financial worries but things were about to get worse. I had been bleeding and in pain on and off for a few weeks. I had put off going to the doctors, putting it down to worry and stress, but after a couple of weeks, I thought I had better get myself checked out.

“You are absolutely fine, Mrs Redknapp,” the doctor assured me after an examinatio­n. Relieved, I left the doctors. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have bothered going,’ I thought to myself. ‘I am fine.’

Life carried on, the boys were both in school and we were getting by. But the bleeding didn’t stop.

“You should go and see a specialist, Sarn,” Harry said to me. “It’s just not right, Sarn, just go back and see someone else this time,” he said. Harry has always been a worrier and makes sure I am okay.

A few days later, I had seen a doctor and been referred to a specialist.

“Mrs Redknapp, I would like you to come in for surgery,” the specialist said when he called me one afternoon. “Surgery?” I asked. “What for?” “The tests have shown you have some growths on your ovaries, they are possibly cysts and we would like to remove them,” he replied.

It was just days before Christmas and there was no way I was going to leave Harry and the boys to have an operation, and then spend the festive period recovering.

“Can I come after Christmas?” I asked. The sigh he gave told me that he didn’t want me to wait, but he reluctantl­y agreed. “Okay, Mrs Redknapp, but at least let us book you in for the New Year.”

A STRANGE VALENTINE’S DAY

I will never forget my surgery date, it was February 14, Valentine’s Day.

“What a romantic way to spend today,” I joked to Harry as he drove me to the hospital, trying to break the tension. I could tell Harry was nervous for me.

“They are just some cysts,” I told him. “They will be gone soon.”

When we arrived at the hospital, it wasn’t long before I was being prepped for surgery.

A nurse took my left hand and looked at my wedding ring.

“You won’t be able to take this into surgery,” she said sympatheti­cally.

“I can’t take it off,” I told her. “I have never taken it off.” Even now, after more than 50 years of marriage, I haven’t ever taken off my wedding ring. “I’ll get some tape,” she smiled. The surgery went well, they removed the growths, the fallopian tube and ovary – a necessity the specialist told me. I was just glad it was over and I could carry on with life as normal with no bleeding or pain.

A SHOCKING REVELATION

A month or so later, I went for a check-up.

“So Mrs Redknapp, the growths we removed were isolated, which means they were unable to penetrate any tissue or organs.”

A moment or two passed. “What do you mean?” I asked him. “They were very early stages of cancer, but it was all contained and we have removed the growths and the ovary.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was the first time I was hearing the C-word. My mouth was open. “Really, Mrs Redknapp, you are going to be okay,” the specialist told me as he took in my reaction. But then months after recovering, I started to have problems again and the bleeding returned. “I think the best option is a full hysterecto­my,” the specialist told me. And that was it. Within weeks, I was back at the hospital, but this time having everything removed.

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

Nowadays, if a lady has a hysterecto­my they are offered counsellin­g for the trauma, but there was no such thing back then. I was warned the menopause would kick in, so I was given hormone replacemen­t therapy to level out and balance my hormones.

It took a while to get it right – there were days when I felt like I could have committed a murder but other times, I was absolutely fine. I was on HRT for 15 years. After that time I was told that taking it for any longer would come with risks, so I should gradually reduce it. But I just came straight off them, and I was very lucky that I felt okay and had no side effects.

I feel very lucky as I have friends who went through a terrible experience with the menopause.

 ?? ?? DEVOTED: Harry and Sandra Redknapp
DEVOTED: Harry and Sandra Redknapp

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