Hopefully a few of you will have wondered where I’ve been for the last few weeks.
It’s probably best to start at the beginning, where in May, I noticed an enlarged gland in my neck.
I was straight onto the NHS site and followed the advice that you give it three weeks to see how it goes before seeking advice.
Basically, it was still there so I called my Doctor’s. Bear in mind everywhere was locked down at this time, but I suppose what I was presenting, combined with my age etc, meant she was willing to see me straightaway.
She looked at it and said that she was referring me to a specialist “just as a precaution”.
Yeah right. It’s almost a sixth sense and you just know.
Anyway, keeping it short, I saw the consultant and he asked me to go for a CT scan and biopsy.
It was really strange going into a completely seemingly empty Good Hope hospital.
Within a few days I’d been told it was cancer of the tonsils that had spread to the lymph node.
My chances of survival were around 60%.
Ah well, I like those odds and it’ll be ok. I’m fit as a fiddle and have no underlying issues.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself.
Within three weeks of me first seeing my Doctor, I was undergoing Radio and Chemotherapy, which I thought was outstanding, given the state of the hospitals at the time.
The treatment went mostly ok, but it did have it’s bad days. Vomiting the feeding tube that was inserted into my nose, for example, was a particularly bad time.
The bottom line came when the consultant made an appointment for me to have a PET scan, which is what would tell me if things were looking good or if I was in a really bad place.
And it was as the appointment approached, that things really started to dawn on me and my priorities changed.
Whereas my life had revolved around work, it suddenly didn’t matter. I wasn’t even sure if I’d ever be going back, let alone wondering when it would be.
I started thinking more about my partner and started doing things to improve the house and make her happy. Financial issues on my demise became way more important.
Even running this site suddenly wasn’t important and Hitchens60 helped me out massively by holding the fort while I got my head round things and waited for the results. I’d really like to thank him for that and hope he continues to contribute.
Anyway, the upshot is I got the results on Wednesday and I’m seemingly all clear and the treatment worked.
The cancer can always come back at any time and I’ll have to undergo regular scans, but at least I know things aren’t imminent and I’m no worse off in that I don’t know when my number will be up.
And where I’ve been worried for quite a while now, I’m now looking to ease my way back into work and get back in the groove.
So that’s where the perspective in the title comes from.
It’s funny how you see things differently in different situations.
Which leads me to the Villa.
I have of course, still been watching the games, but I’ve not taken any notice of transfer rumours, injuries or even comments on this site.
And the Burnley game had me fuming.
How did we manage to lose that when we were by far the better side and dominated the game?
It’s just infuriating when you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
But then, I thought about it and we should remember that last season, we probably wouldn’t have dominated the game the way we did. We’re way better than we were last year and even the commentators love talking about our game.
How much value has been added to the price of our players?
I previously suggested clubs would have to pay at least £120 million for Grealish’s services, but as it stands that figure is miles off.
Perspective. Same player, but quite a short while forward in time.
Southampton at a stupid 8pm tomorrow it is, although I suppose when you can’t go out down the pub or for a meal etc, perhaps it at least gives us something to watch.
And after me predicting a big haul of points from the six games running up to Christmas, I don’t know what to think.
I’m not sure how far off my prediction was, but I do know is was quite a way.
And my confidence has waned a little.
This game is one I’d be concerned about, as Southampton play the sort of football that can easily catch us out.
I remember thinking we weren’t bad against them last season, but they took their chances well.
We’re a much better proposition this season though and are capable of scoring multiple goals against anyone.
Teams know it too, which means they’ll be just a bit more cagey.
We went toe to toe with Man City, which was another annoying game, after all.
Squad news is that we’re pretty good and the squad that went to Burnley came back unscathed.
Hause is still out, as is Wesley.
There is of course some news that I couldn’t miss and it was the departure of Hourihane, to be replaced by the signing of Morgan Sanson.
That’s an interesting signing, not because it was obvious we needed some backup in midfield, but it makes you wonder who he’s going to replace, if indeed it’s anybody. You’d have to suspect he’ll have come to the Villa to be getting games and not be a substitute and it’s my guess that the idea is he replaces Ross Berkley who will cost us a fortune if we want to buy him.
I personally don’t see the side changing tomorrow, but I’d expect Sanson to get a few minutes to help find his feet.
What a shame that it’ll be at an empty ground.
As for the Saints, they have a few players coming back.
Ryan Bertrand will be back after his suspension, as will Nathan Redmond. Moussa Djenepo and Oriol Romeu are possibles while Kyle Walker-Peters is a doubt.
I see goals. More than three and I’m going for a 2-2, although my spidey sense thinks the result will be 3-2.
Who wins, I really don’t know.
Oh, one other piece of news I saw is that Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves manager has coughed up a cool £250,000 to a Hero’s charity. I’d like to think there’s a few involved in football who make similar contributions to charity, but keep quiet about it.
Either way I take my hat off to you Nuno.
And it’s nice to be back!
UTV!
Should be a good game I reckon.
I see there’s still an issue with people still going into moderation.
Now I’m going to become more involved again, I’m going to think about it some more.
Nice to have you back mate and, yes, I’d still like to contribute.
Like you I don’t know how to call this one and my predictions haven’t been particularly good. I think I’m seen as being a little negative 🙂
Going for a draw
Good to have you back Badger. I’m glad to hear you have got some good news after what you have been through. You’re right though in that we do get a bit worked up about football sometimes and real life puts things into perspective. This pandemic has caused heartache and suffering so we need to look at the positives in our lives even if it’s after a Villa defeat!
As for tomorrow it will be interesting to see where Morgan Sanson fits in. We are definitely looking like we can give any team a game now. I think we have the firepower to get a goal tomorrow. It’s a case of keeping a clean sheet that is important. They are totally different to Burnley going forward. Let’s hope we don’t give them another four goal start this time.
Badger I know how your mind races on leaning its cancer, 5 years ago after feeling soreness in my bladder I did that very same thing and worried, xray found tumours and I had to have camera’s looking into my bladder I would have them removed and them tested to see if that dreaded word was my time was up, I wouldn’t accept being put to sleep I watched them operate on me, your mind is a terrible thing it plays tricks on you thinking what’s that pain what’s that ache ,glad your back and thank you Hitch for holding the fort their isn’t another site for us to read from sensible I can only say true Villa fans. I’m looking forwards for the next game and hope we play like we did in that first half of Burnley match up the Villa.
soton will be another tough game, i already did my review on this game cause i thought it was next but forget the burnley fixture. they play better away as they like to counter. they hammered us at home in the first half running into a big lead. i think it will be close game. villa will win 2 1
nice to have you back badger, don’t worry hitch has kept us all in check and did a good job in your absence. wishing you good health
Badger ….sorry to hear of your troubles during 2020 but so glad you have had a positive outcome and good luck for the future…….
I said some time ago I too was having trouble with the state of football and it was making me bad and my 2020 was a similar one to yours – but it was my wife that had Cancer. it was breast cancer…no lumps but the NHS screening showed something wrong. We seemed to live at the QE which in itself was scary with the Covid and the restrictions. She had to have all the scans etc and luckily they sorted out abed at a private hospital in Sutton. It was terrible as I had to leave her in the car park and she had to go in alone, but at the 11th hour it was cancelled and we had more tests before she finally got a bed at the QE the following month. At least I went in with her but only till she got to the ward. The outcome was a Mastectomy and luckily no follow on Chemo or Radio treatment. Just even more tabs added to the heart – blood pressure and Asthma one she already takes. All this was after a Cancer diagnosis for Bowel about 18 months before……..
It really has only being able to watch/follow the lads that has kept me sane (ha ha) and all the VAR/Refs was starting to really get to me…the Burnley fiasco went to a higher level so hoping for a better time on Saturday….
Sorry to have inflicted my troubles on everyone…….
Villaawayindiv3, it don’t hurt to share and it helps to get it off your mind. Hope all goes well for you and your wife from now on, im having to care now for my wife now, back to Villa, im resolved to saying in the prem and my be better times ahead in 2021 , I’d like you all to keep an eye on Barkley performance I think with Lampard gone he’s eyeing getting back? He was in my mind not either fully fit or things on his mind. Utv
Badger. welcome back. I am sorry to read of your cancer scare, and relieved to hear you got the all clear after treatment.
I hope Sanson can head a ball. Burnley exposed a weakness that Saints also exploited when we met at VP. Villa need as many good headers of a ball as the opposition can send into our box for a set piece. It does not matter if Mings and Konsa can beat the pair they are marking – if the opponents have two more. Burnley had four in the 2nd half. Because Watkins is lightweight, Cash McGinn and Douglas Luis too short Targett and Traoré cannot jump. Grealish and Barkley have not tried marking tall men at corners, but I suspect they aren’t good at it.
Since there is no answer to the above we just have to take more of our chances at the other end. Too often when a shot is going to be blocked we shoot anyway instead of trying to work a gap.
OLL – the only stuff I know about Sanson is what I’ve read / listened to by pundits knowledgeable on Ligue 1. The general consensus is that he’s very similar to John McGinn in style of play with a very good shot – let’s hope he’s as good all round as McGinn – but he has one weakness. Heading the ball!
Guilbert, out on loan , Langsbury gone , things are moving now .
Hi Bill, Guilbert not yet gone out on loan. Rumoured that Strasbourg are interested. Thing is Guilbert has already turned down a couple of loan moves preferring to stay and fight for his place at Villa.
Not sure why as I suspect Elmo is ahead of him in the pecking order.
Sorry to hear about your medical issues but glad you got good treatment and that the worst is over. Since I entered my mid-50s, more and more of my neighbours and friends have been hit with cancer. Thankfully, they’ve all survived but none of them without extreme discomfort. My thoughts are with you, my friend.
As for the Villa boys, the energy at the club has been fantastic and the season is so much more enjoyable than all of the previous going back many years. Now we can go into every game with optimism and while we’re not always awarded with a win, we always seem to play some magical footie.
Can Grealish really get any better? This site rates him no.8 in the world: https://www.footballcritic.com/top-players – Not sure how realistic that really is but clearly he’s being noticed. The worry, of course, is how we cope when he’s not available and maybe the hope is that Sanson can fill in for him too. I have a friend who’s a Marseille fan and he says he’s a very good player who’ll be sorely missed. We’ll see.
John McGinn deserves mention too as he played some wonderful passes in the game against Burnley. The whole team, in fact, is really buzzing. You have to give it to the coaches.
Bloody hell Badger! I was holding my breath reading that. Glad to hear you’re in the clear.
I found lumps in my chest last year. Going to a similarly empty hospital breast cancer department was bizarre to say the least. Thankfully it was just fatty tissue, but damned scary to say the least.
To anyone else on the site, if your find anything odd, get to a doctor ASAP!
Anyway, on to this strange pastime they call ‘football’, still annoyed over the Burnley game too. I hope it’s a lesson learned not to take anything for granted and close down the game when in front. I hear Mings was possibly at fault for two of the goals??? Time for 90 minutes on the bench I think. Terry can talk him through a live game. The Saints game is gonna be a corker!!!!!
newcastle beat everton 2 0
ste bruce has been getting it from magpie fans and still villa fans. but today they beat everton so easy and should have won by larger scoreline. reputations follow you around and the one that follows ste bruce around is vile and wrong. today he was up against a top italian manager ppl wank over and bruce tactics won the day by miles.
Wow Badger that must have been stressful. I’m glad you have come out the other side well again. As you say, perspective.
All the best
wba 2 2 with fulham
absolutely garbage first half from wba and fulham had all the time in the world and space to do what ever they wanted, second half more even but dire football compared to themighty villa
wba should have stuck with Bilic cause they were playing much better. they are trying to play big sam game with footballers and they are not that good. under billic they were in the games and playing better
Glad to hear you are ok Badger not nice to hear these things, does put life in to perspective. My neighbour, early seventies, fit and seemingly healthy (my parents aren’t too far behind in age) popped to the shop a couple weeks ago had a stroke and sadly passed last night so really does make you think hard about the important things in life…Looking at this match tonight, I’ve had negative thoughts all day as Southampton seem to turn it on when we play them but I know we can get a win if we play our best. Still I think a high scoring game maybe 2-2 or 3-3. A win would be massive tonight though.
Morgan Sanson,great name sounds like the name of a truck driver like Didier Six,Toto Schillachi,Alan Wright,Ian Taylor. Hope he plays great.
Same line up lads no change .
Cheers for the good thoughts, all 🙂
ASTON VILLA: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Douglas Luiz, McGinn; Traore, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.
Sanson’s on the bench.
COYL!
Is it a mistake to name an unchanged team again. We have capable players on the bench. You need to keep the squad motivated and prevent complacency in the ‘first eleven’
I have a feeling we are going to lose 3-1.
COYL !!!! Lets get a win. All the best Badger and glad your doing well now.
OMG!
How has Cash got away with that?
That’s a penalty all day.
I don’t possibly see how anyone could say it wasn’t, patricularly after watching slo-mos.
Ridiculous decision, imo.