Parenthood delayed by a tumour

Diane and Andrew Randle told everyone that they didn't want children, rather than admit to their infertility worries - but fate had a family in store for them after all

I am eternally thankful to the colleague who persisted in questioning me about motherhood. I always replied that I didn't want kids, but she saw through the lie. One Christmas I was chatting to her about the presents I had bought for my nieces, when she said, 'Diane, imagine what it would be like to have children of your own.'

That did it - I admitted that I thought I was infertile. She said, 'Are you really sure there's nothing that can be done?'

She spurred me to see the doctor and get to the bottom of my problem.

I was a teenage bride
I got married two days before my 20th birthday. I was very happy and very much in love. The question of children was always put off - we were 'DINKYs' (double income no kids yet) and lived life to the full with lots of expensive holidays and fast cars. I think most people, family included, had written us off as far as parenting was concerned.

Then I hit 30
Time to get serious - my biological clock was ticking down. So I came off the Pill. No periods, so I went to see the doctor for a test. He told me that 'we will do a pregnancy test, but it could take a year plus for your body to recover from taking the Pill for so long.'

Two period-free years later, a series of tests were carried out. The results were that I was ovulating normally, but if I was desperate they could give me some pills to help me get pregnant.

I didn't want to do that - if taking the Pill had caused this, I did not want to take more to reverse it. I was assured that it would eventually sort itself out, so I carried on enjoying life and waited for my periods to return.