Thank you very much Ananth for your best wishes. I well and truly love the game of cricket and I wish i could have made it as a cricketer. I play on Sunday afternoons and do enjoy playing even when it rains. Im an opening batsman and an occasional off spin bowler. Who was your favourite cricketer for India? I had two for India and they were Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. I enjoyed that over off Eddie Hemmings when needing 24 to save the follow on Kapil hit four sixes. Gavaskar was a superb opener who was I think Majestic and very tough to get out. My wife is very supportive and is definately a rock for me since I was diagnosed in 2004. She is a special person who I love so so so so so much. Your wife is a special person too. Take care.

Dear Russ,
I think I survived the cancer because of my love for cricket - can you imagine laying bets with the doctors just before going under general anesthesia. Being a case study has its advantages and on all the days when the Indo Pak series were on, the doctor knew about my passion and would wheel me in for surgery at 0700 hours and I would be back in my room ( if I was hospitalised ) in about two hours time and a little longer if I had the surgery and went home ( which is about 10 minutes from the hospital) and I would never miss a match. Sunil Gavaskar was a topper. Initally when I saw him I thought he was a fluke but once I saw him play a test - I understood why he was considered one of the best bats in the world. Kapil Dev has had his moments of glory- the first one being the first " all rounder " and also an opening the innings with the ball. The other moment was against Zimbabwe in the 83 WC - where India was tottering and were sure to loose till he came along and slammed 175 - taking India to a win but also winning the World Cup. The latest team -though everyone feels is a very good side, I do not think so. I think the likes of Sachin, VVS Laxman and Ganguly should hang up their bats as they are for all purposes not contributing anything. Sehwag has already been dropped from the test side prevailed!!! ).Sachin ,Ganguly. VVS was never in contention for the one dayers and were dropped but Sehwag continues with everyone hoping he will smash out and get back into form. The situation is so bad with the side that not one company is coming forth with a sponsership. This has never happened in the history of Indian Cricket. Anyway, the test match against the Bangladeshies start off tomorrow and they have been playing well.
You are as lucky as I am regarding our respective wifes and she has really stood by me at every stage. She treats me as a very normal guy and does not even see the larangectomy or the peg in my stomach as anything else but normal and that makes me feel really great. I am lucky also in terms of having two sons who do anything I ask them to. Both learnt driving ( even though they were minors ) with the police acceptance in the event I had to rushed to the hospital in case of an emergency. I have taught both of them to ride the bike as well and of course beeing teenagers they love taking their bikes (mine - both Yamahas - one is a 250 cc and the other the famous Hayabusa racing bike which was gifted to me by the Company seeing my condition and my love for bikes )to impress all the girls around!!! When I ride the Hayabusa I am told to look straight as I have become an old man!!!
You can also been in touch with me through my email account - ananthshenoy@email.com.

Till later, Take care and love to your wife from everyone here.
You get the bear hugs,
Love,
Ananth

Yes my love for cricket helped me too. Thankfully after the op and i eventually got home England had just beaten New Zealand 3-0 and were just starting the West Indies series so it was good to see England do well at a time when i thought I probably wouldnt be able to play again but somehow it spurred me on to try and play again but not till the next season which was 2005. Oh if only to be good enough to be a first class cricketer and to travel the world to see the beautiful places. Take care.

Yes Russ,

I agree with you totally but then life is such. However TV does make a difference and one thing it really does is that you can follow all the matches going on at the same time. I am glad Sachin and Saurav have found their form with centuries each - be it against Bangladesh. Guess it will do them a world of good. England too is doing well against a "rejuvinated " West Indian team and the Pakistanis are having a toughie against the Lankans. I am getting more confident about Indias progress and hope they mantain the momento and carry it on well past their encounter with England.

Actually my father was instrumental in getting me so interested in cricket as he used to play first class cricket for the Services )Ranji Trophy - if you have heard about this trophy - played between states and the only way to enter the Indian side). He was very keen that I take it up as a carrer but I had other plans and those dreams came crashing down. However, I did play for Indian Schoolboys as well as Under 19 against England way back when Tony Lewis led England. I think I did a reasonably good job as the keeper and the opening bat. I dont know if I could consider that first class - but they were practise matches when the team toured India.

Lets not deleve in the past and enjoy the game as it is today and even if we have to delve a little into the past - lets just take it that we were better then the current lot.

love and bear hugs from this end tooall.Take care and keep on giving me your comments on the ongoing matches and lets compare notes.

Any comments of the India Bangladesh test series. Its just been a killing blow for the Bangladeshis and I really feel sorry for them as their confidence was building up but this test match must have left them very badly scarred and down on confidence.

Hi Gang. Been to my check up yesterday and the doctor said everything is fine and he said if all is still fine on the 5th anniversary then in his words they will be saying bye bye to me. Im over the moon but they first told me 7 - 10 years. Hope everyone is fine.

Russ,
FIVE YEARS! Fantastic! How often have you had check ups recently?
I left hospital a year tomorrow and finished treatment in September. Still a long way to 5 years.
DON'T SAY BYE BYE TO US!
Anne

Hi Anne. I have recently been going for 6 monthly check ups. What treatment have you had if you dont mind me asking? I had removal of left half of tongue, lymph glands from left side of neck and flap from my left wrist and also a PEG which i had for 4 and a half months. Dont worry about me saying bye bye to you all. This website has touched and helped me a lot so i will be staying a member of this site for a long long time. Take Care.

Hi Russ

Hope you dont mind my noseyness, what stage was your cancer at before surgery?

Angie

Hi Angie. No I dont mind at all. It was quite early on ish but i could have done something earlier i suppose. I noticed a small white speck on my tongue in November 2003 and only went to the doctors in the May of 2004. At first i thought it was where i bit my tongue and then thought it was an ulcer. Stupid of me i know but it was only because i was frightened and i tried to kid myself that it wasnt cancer but fortunately i did do something about it.

Thanks Russ, but did you know what number stage it was at?

Well done

great news im at Darlington in July to see Mr Edge

Fantastic

Dave and Sue

Thank you. I see Mr Edge and Dr Dunlop. Good luck when you see him in July. He is a wonderful person is Mr Edge and i owe my life to him. Dont know what stage mine was at Angie. Im Three years post surgery now. Take care everyone

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Russ W,

Hi everybody. How many people are doing the walk in october? My wife and I are doing it. Dont know about doing it in fancy dress though. Wonder when they are sending the stuff out. Take care.