Not good

fyds · June 4, 2007

Just heard from a good friend of mine and my wife's who is in hospital in Newport having been operated on for rectal cancer. They got the cancer it seems, but discovered a worse problem, one I've never heard of and can not 'google' anything up on - maybe Paul B or one of our medicos could explain more? Apparently, his appendix has quietly been undergoing a process whereby it secrets a gelatinous substance into the abdomen, which mutates and kills surrounding cells 'in a similar but not identical way to Ebola'. The surgeon referred to it as an 'Appendix Jelly Monster' - very rare and almost always terminal. The appendix has been removed, but according to his surgeon, the damage is done and my friend won't have long left.

His name is John Nettleship - I'm putting his name up because he is really decent man and he deserves so much better. I know life doesn't work like that - I know that better than most but all the same. John has worked like a trojan for any number of charities through his life, an old school socialist of the Bevan type, he taught chemsitry at Wyedean school in Tutshill, Chepstow where one of his favourite pupils was JK Rowling - he was the model for Professor Snape - physically if not entirely spiritually. His wife is also a star in her own right.

He won't see this, as he's not a football fan, though for mine and Katja's sake he keeps on eye on Liverpool.

Godspeed my friend, and fan or not - YNWA.

SkippyjonJones · June 4, 2007

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