As I walked into the medical clinic for my blood test, all I could think about was how to avoid looking like a wimp on camera. I didn't really contemplate what the test would reveal.
I am not great with needles - but as part of a BBC Panorama investigation into so-called forever chemicals, I was being tested to see what level of them I had in my blood. As a mum with two small children, I also wanted to know whether they may be having an impact on my family.
Forever chemicals, or PFAS, are a group of about 10,000 chemicals. They have been used for decades, in anything from waterproof clothes, to cookware, electronics and medical equipment.
They are persistent pollutants, meaning they don't degrade easily and instead build up in the environment.
They exist in our homes, our water and in our food.
