John Ellison

I entered a 'Robert Redford' look alike contest years ago. I came second! Frank Bruno won it

Hey Hembo, I got a one year old dog recently from the rescue centre. We call him 'Bruno'. My next door neighbour asked if he was a boxer? I said no, but neither was Frank

Since being diagnosed with kidney cancer last November, life has been a little less fun than usual over the last few months. They removed the kidney and then offered me a chance to enter a clinical trial. These are taking place all the time and are ways of trying to improve survival rates in cancer patients. I met all the criteria and then was successful in getting past the randomisation part ie. 50% of applicants are in it and 50% are not. That was what should have been the start of eight weeks of treatment. Not at all pleasant and parts of it a lot worse than that. I reported for my blood checking this morning and was told that my white cells were too low to complete the dosage so my treatment has now ended. It's not a problem that I've only managed seven weeks. It takes about three weeks for my system to be cleared of the chemicals currently bubbling around inside me and then hopefully things in the garden will be rosy. What fantastic timing, methinks, June 16th so close. Is it the thick end or the thin end of the rod I hold?

Nasty, horrible Pike. They spoil proper fishing something rotten!

In Yorkshire many moons ago, our season started on June 1st. and ended on what I, and a mate erroniously believed to be the last day of February. We thought it very strange when we saw the match secretary outside his house washing his car 'on the last day'. We'd been fishing a couple of hours whan a police constable approached us as queried had we got a licence. Yes we said. Then clearly you've not read them he said. The seaon ended on 27th. February NOT the 28th. as we thought. Those smart arse remarks stay with me to this day, but now we Yorkshire folk are all bundled together with the rest of the country so I don't have to watch out for that one any more.

I used to let my little lad watch all the Swarzenegger films. Until one day he was sat on the settee with his multi purpose machine gun, as we walked in the room, he declared "Die mother f****er".

like it, like it. I'll be milking that one on sunday. Thanks!

I used to drive through that estate with the service bus Moody. The kids are animals. Did you notice the mother was an unmarried mother of five. Her and another 200 on that estate. The buses have been stopped passing through it on numerous occasions by the number of bricks hurled through the bus windows.

I'm not over flush with tackle, my vice is magazines. It tears my heart out when I have to have a clearout. They're at the side of the bed, in the blanket box, in my bedside cabinet, in the wardrobe, spare bedroom. I just cleared about 5 years worth of Angling plus out, when my mate dropped me about the same of Improve your coarse fishing to read when I was fresh out of hospital. And what happens as soon as you do have a clearout? Now where's that article about so and so I was reading? :confused:

I found a £20 note in my trousers pocket once. I thought hello! whose trousers have I got on

I'm very sorry chevin I spoken my last on this.

It's an awful subject this, but let me tell you what happened to a mate of mine's son. He was cycling mad. He used to go to school on his racing bike. After school one day, he rode into town on the way home and was chatting to his pal right in the town centre. He had his toe in the toe clip of his bike and fell over. A brewery wagon ran straight over his head and killed him instantly. This at the tea time rush hour. Women were screaming in hysterics. It was quite a while before I dropped on my mate. Now put yourself in my position. Do I just ignore the fact and talk as though nothing happened? No you don't! It choked us both up pretty bad, but I had to offer my condolences, I knew the lad and I was very very sorry what had happened, to do other would have been spineless. Sticking your head in the sand is not an option.

I've read extensively over the years about diet, vitimins, nutrients, exercise regimes etc. You know as well as I do, daily recommended intakes of this and that vitimin have changed that many times over the years. Believe it or not, but one of my favorite reads is called 'Cancer how to prevent it and how to help your doctor fight it'. Basically, it's about research done at universities, much like the trial I now find myself on. But when all said and done, it does not matter how much I know or do not know about what's wrong with me, I can't do anything about it other than what I'm told. If they tell me to take vitimins I'll take them. All they have told me to do is to eat as normally as I can and if I'm tired, rest. The doctors don't half love it when you bowl into the surgery armed to the teeth with info jacked off the net. The way I see it, is it's their job, that's what they do every day and I do have every faith in what they are doing. Hope I've still got the same faith in 5 years time . Oh Tack4, how you've upset us! Make that DYE your hair please. I'll keep smiling through if you do. I'm oooooooooookay.

It's a big county is Yorkshire, Bucket, narrow it down a bit!

We went to the same complex in Tenerife three years on the trot and there was a bird very similar to the picture every year. It took me forever and a day to identify it. I found some european bird book and identified it as an Icterine warbler. There is very little difference in the above but the fluttering manner in which it moved, habitat,and the noise it made fitted exactly as an Icterine. I hate to see some bird or catch some fish and not be able to identify them.

Alan, I think you've just cheered everyone up with that news. Bloody great stuff. This clinical trial I'm on is going fine, it's just what it does to me that's not too clever. I was on Interluken-2 twice a day last week on Wednesady,Thursday,Friday and Joan said she was frightened of me and was fearful I would have knifed her if she'd come near me. Is that heavy going or what I'm finished with that stuff now, but what I'm on now gives you constant dry lips and mouth and makes you tired and a fuzzy head, but it's far more managable than the other. Today marks 5 weeks completed of 8. Out of curiosity, I asked my support nurse "how many pull out at this stage then?" She said 90% pull out after weeks 1 or 4, so while what's coming is still not very nice, it's better than what I've had. I'll be there at the end for my 'Blue Peter' badge and looking forward to fishing again.

That was quick! That looked the only way they were going to walk off with the cup at half time, I think Gerrard is a really amazing guy. Look at the rest of the football headlines the same day. Ferdinand gets a 28 day driving ban and £1500 fine for speeding. Just shows you the example to follow eh!

Nuddys book will answer all your questions, for someone in your position it's brilliant.

To be alive at the end of it! I should be ok, I'm now on week 5 of an 8 week course of treatment which has crucified me at times. When that's over, I can assure you, that I will savour whatever fishing I do with a relish that you will never understand. I like to fish local in former fishless venues and just happen to return my fish as a couple of dog walkers are passing, their looks of amazement when they see 10 to 15 lbs of roach being tipped back is my little triumph after 40 odd years honing my skills. I love to fish in good company but am at ease fishing on my own. Whatever, enjoy, I'm going to.

exercise and plenty of fresh air.

Welsh springer spaniel

I had a Kidney removed in February at Pinderfields hospital which is part of Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust. Dewsbury General is also part of that trust. In the papers last week, what do I read? They'd employed a Suadi arabian as a locum because they were short of consultants. He'd only caused the death of two patients by removing their kidney's, a job he was not fully qualified to do. Aren't I the lucky one!

Forgive my disappearing act recently. I have just survived the worst week in my entire life. All the possible side effects from my treatment I've had, and with bells on, on most of them. On my weekly visit to hospital this morning I was describing, how on Friday, I looked as though I'd been hit full in the face with a frying pan (Tom and Jerry style)All the horrors I suffered on Saturday night and giving them a general report on the week. All you get from the support nurse is a knowing smile. I thought, bloody hell! they knew I'd have this lot to come. Think on, I'm only on a clinical trial, I can pull out of this at the stroke of a pen, but I'm not. If this is going to kill me eventually, it ain't going to be just yet! Question for Alan. I have gone fishing with a bloke I work with for years. Since being diagnosed with kidney cancer on November 4th. He has not offered a single word of condolence, never came to see me in hospital, never visited me at home, never sent a card, never mentioned my welfare to other mates. Have you had this happen to you? He's dead meat from now on with me.

Does anyone have a copy of a short poem that was much acclaimed on National poetry day about 5 years ago. It was made to sound like a military execution with all the soldiers gathered round ready to behead the unfortunate victim and all it was, was an egg being decapitated before being eaten? It is only short but very, very clever. Any clues?

Expect any changes next season Newt, there has already been a change! The opposition 'West Brom' were awarded a penalty, and scored, and didn't have to retake it eight times until they missed. I just don't know what's going off there these days.