A mother-of-two has revealed how she mistook her ovarian cancer symptoms for the first signs of the menopause.

Linda Tierney, 59, from West Lothian, was given as little as 10 months to live when she was eventually diagnosed with the cancer, which later spread to her bowel and liver.

Despite the bleak prognosis, she says that she is continuing to enjoy life - organising her own wedding, as well as her funeral.

Linda, who has already out-lived her initial prognosis, explained how she considers herself to be 'living with a terminal illness', rather than dying from one, and still ensures that she puts on her lipstick every day.

Explaining how she had believed her symptoms to be the menopause at first, she said: 'I had a lot of bloating, irregular periods, and tired at times. I also felt hot at times sweating.

'I put it down to the menopause and my age. I put up with it for a few months then I had a bad heavy bleed and I thought this is not right, as the blood was fresh and there was a lot of it.'

Linda - who has two sons from previous relationships - described how she was 'absolutely devastated' when tests revealed that she had cancer, and was in fact not going through menopause.

She received a full hysterectomy, along with her appendix and a tumour the size of a rugby ball removed, followed by chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, doctors later discovered that the cancer was terminal, after discovering that it had spread to her bowel and liver.

Describing her reaction to the news, Linda said: 'My [now] husband was with me and we both just looked at each other in silent devastation, we had always had a positive outlook but for a moment we lost that.

'We went home cried and thought, it’s December 22, we don’t want to spoil the family Christmas we had planned so we didn’t tell the family.

'Robert and I were engaged that Christmas day.'  

Following her terminal diagnosis, Linda and Robert quickly planned their wedding, which took place less than five months later.

Describing the wedding, she said: 'It was the most wonderful day. We had face painters, pipe and drums, photo booths, a sweetie market.

'Our first dance was unique as the song we chose was written by a friend of ours, and there was not a dry eye in the house.'

Describing her embellished wedding gown, Linda added: '[I] blinged it within an inch of its life – I’m known as Linda Glitter.'  

Not only has Linda organised an entire wedding while living with terminal cancer, she has also organised her own funeral and wake - which will involve a glitter casket and her being buried in her wedding gown.

Describing her plans for her funeral, she said: 'Everything has been planned: minister, music, flowers, grave… the lot.

'I didn’t want my family worrying about what I wanted and having to deal with all that in a week of mourning.'

She added: 'My youngest son who is my power of attorney went to the funeral home and met the lady that would take care of me when the time came

'I remember walking into a small room with a box of hankies on the table and thinking I know death is sad in a lot of instances but not in this instance.

'I had accepted my prognosis well by this stage, those hankies were used but not to wipe tears of sadness but tears of laughter. She said she had never met anyone like me.'

Linda says she has managed to maintain her positive out look, as she wants to 'get as much out of life' as possible with her family and friends.

Explaining how she lives day by day, she said: 'I always get up in the morning and thank God for the day I have.

'I get dressed in bright clothes and do my hair and put on my lippy.

'I then do what I can to make the most of my day and spend what time I can with my friends and family.

She added: 'My family have been my strength. I couldn’t have coped without them in my life.'

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