The good and the bad!

Evening all and I write this article feeling slightly better than I did this time last week! I'll start with the shit stuff first then we can talk about the good bits! So, as I spoke about last weekend, on Wednesday last week I had an Endoscopy procedure at the Princess of Wales Hospital. To say I was shitting myself would have been an understatement and after spending the last three and a half months thinking that it was highly likely I had Oesophageal Cancer like my father and grandmother. 

I honestly had resigned myself to the idea I was more than likely going to die in the very near future.....My head was totally gone and I can't describe to any of you how low I had got. There's many people out there who have had a terrible diagnosis and have a short time to go and I can't begin to know how that feels. It consumed my every thought and everything I did day in and day out for over three months. It was so destructive in my mind that I just couldn't think about anything else!......

Well, Wednesday came round pretty sharpish and the day was taken off with no food or drink in my tummy. The wife took my in the car and we sat for 3 hours awaiting the appointment. Finally it was my turn and the absolutely wonderful staff did their best to try and relax my mind. The worst bit being that I am allergic to the throat spray they use and I had to have the procedure under a very low level sedative that to be honest just made me tired for the rest of the day. 

The actual camera was awful! I couldn't believe that this thick piece of metal was going to fit down my throat in yet seconds later I was on my side with a plastic mouth piece in place and this alien thing going into my stomach! It lasted a mere couple of minutes but the gagging and feeling is something I'll never forget! The doctor then told me that I had the all clear! My heart stopped for a second as I took in the news.....'You do however most likely have Gallstones' said the doctor, 'and I need to see you for more tests in a weeks time with a view to removing your Gallbladder.' 

Well I'll take that to be honest and albeit pretty shit news, it could have been a fuck-ton worse! I spent an hour in recovery and then went out to see Marianne before leaving for home. On the way out I started to tell her the news and I just broke down in tears mainly from the absolute relief that I didn't have cancer. I spent the next 24hrs taking it easy and recuperating before returning to work on Friday. I'm an atheist but I confess to saying a little thankyou to whoever upstairs looked after me this time round! x

That's the shit bit done! Lets talk fishing!!!! YAY! So Sunday came around pretty quickly and after asking a few mates if they fancied a day out Trouting again, I ended up going on my own as everyone was tied up this time round.  I thought sod it I'll go back to Lechlade again as I had such a great day out last weekend! I got up early and headed down for the 8am start. The weather was once again pretty chilly with a heavy ground frost and mist. On arrival there were about 6 in front of me and I went into the office to get my ticket for the day. 

I stood at the back of the cue and heard a familiar voice at the front of the cue and a very familiar shape man! My old Roach fishing friend Rupert was down for the day on his own....I waited a few minutes for his conversation to end before calling over and abusing him for holding us all up! 

He was as shocked to see me as I was him and we had a hug and a quick chat before he suggested I join him on the boat he'd booked for the day. I grabbed my gear and joined him at the jetty to launch out for the day. 

We started in the cottage section casting all round with a mix of Inters and floating lines. It was bloody hard going to be honest and I only saw one fish get caught in the morning session. 

We moved on to the main pool and Rupert had a 7lb 8oz Rainbow about 12.40pm on a blue flash damsel towards the island and then lost another after a very quick take. It was blood tough out there and the majority of fish seemed to be falling to stalking tactics close to the bank out of our reach from the boat. 

I tried literally everything to no avail and despite Rupert having a couple of missed takes, it looked as If I was going to blank and he was going to bag just the single fish. By 2.30pm I was just about to give up hope when out of nowhere the line tightened and I was miraculously into my first bite of the day! It fought really hard and whizzed around everywhere before Rupert got the net under a very nice 7lb 8oz Rainbow of my own. I then missed 2 takes before finally tagging another around 4pm. This one felt a different beast though and one hell of a fight was had with a very fat rainbow! Finally after having the boat spun round numerous times, we sunk the net under a beautiful 11lb 1oz Rainbow. My second one over 11lbs in two weeks! What a result! 

Amazingly despite plenty of surface activity that was it for the day for us and we packed up and left at around 5.30pm feeling very tired but thoroughly fulfilled! I have to confess to really enjoying the fly fishing again after such a long break from that side of the sport. I feel reignited once more and there's just something so lovely about having just a small bag of bits, some flies and a rod and reel. And that really is all that is needed for the day! Thanks again Rupert for the wonderful company and the invite on to the boat. Totally enjoyed day and I really look forward to another trip down to Lechlade and also the chance to fish with my good friend once more. Tight lines guys x