Andy Legg - Alive And Kicking

Alive and Kicking

Andy Legg

ACCENT PRESS LTD

Published by Accent Press Ltd 2009

ISBN 9781909520066

Copyright Andy Legg 2009

The right of Andy Legg to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, The Old School, Upper High St, Bedlinog, Mid-Glamorgan, CF46 6RY.

The Quick Reads project in Wales is a joint venture between Basic Skills Cymru and the Welsh Books Council. Titles are funded through Basic Skills Cymru as part of the National Basic Skills Strategy for Wales on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Printed and bound in the UK Cover photo and design by Darryl Corner

They say that one in three people will suffer from cancer. The trouble is, you never believe you will be the one. I certainly didnt. Why should I?

When I was first diagnosed with cancer I had been a professional footballer for more than ten years. I wasnt the most skilful player you will ever see, but I always gave 100 per cent and took pride in my fitness.

Some footballers have to be really careful about what they eat to ensure they dont put on the pounds. But I never had to worry about that burgers or pies never seemed to touch me. I was naturally fit and athletic, almost without having to try.

And I was blessed with a valuable added weapon for football a long throw which earned me a place in the Guinness Book ofRecords. It was a gift which, in my opinion, was another sign of my fitness.

All this helped me enjoy my football career. I went late into the game, having had proper jobs before being taken on as a professional by Swansea City. Because I had seen working life outside the game, I think I appreciated the life of a footballer more than some of those who had turned professional immediately after they had left school.

It was a wonderful life. I loved playing football for a living and I loved the training, too. Whether it was boiling hot or freezing cold, I was in the fresh air kicking a ball around.

Frankly, I didnt have a care in the world. I made a lot of friends in the game, joined some terrific clubs and, though I was never fortunate enough to play in the Premier League, I was well paid for playing a game I enjoyed. I was also proud that I had played for my country.

With a wonderful family to go with a comfortable living I felt very fortunate. Other than the usual football injuries I didnt worry about my health. I was a footballer who could run around as energetically as any of the youngsters who were just coming into the game.

So cancer was the very last thing on my mind. It was something which affected others. It is hard to believe now, but even when my first neck tumour appeared in the winter of 1999, I didnt give it a second thought.

The lump wasnt painful, it didnt affect my ability to do my job, and unless you looked closely you couldnt see it. I just ignored it and it was only because I was nagged so much that I had it looked at and then taken away.

In truth even that didnt bother me. I was still playing in the Football League, was still fit and once it had gone I put it out of my mind.

Yet cancer was to return just a few years later. In this book, I have spoken as plainly as I can about my fight against cancer. Some of the detail is still painful for me to recall.

I have not written this either to frighten people or for sympathy. I have gone into detail partly to pay tribute to the medical experts who saved my life and who continue to save more lives today.

I am here because of their work and dedication. And they are still helping me to fight cancer because they and I know that it could return at any time. And there are many others like me. I am sure their outlook on life has changed, just like mine. Im still positive. Im still fighting and I am trying to do as much as I can to help other people overcome the condition.

I hope while reading this book you will get my message of hope. I have always felt lucky about my life and still do now. My family are fantastic, my career has been in a game little boys dream about playing and I have survived a disease some people dont even like mentioning.

I am living proof that cancer does not have to be a death sentence. If it can be caught early enough it can be dealt with, such is the improvement in medical care over the last few years. My cancer fight has shown me just how much the experts can do and how much people care.

When I was at my lowest, I received a great deal of support, particularly from football fans. Some of these same fans would hurl abuse at me when I was playing against their team. But that was just football. When I was ill their messages of support were uplifting to me and helped keep me going.

This may surprise some, but I know, from personal experience, football supporters dont always deserve the reputation theyve been given in some quarters. So this book is also a thank you to all the fans who took the time to send me, a person who they had only seen playing football, their best wishes when they became aware of my illness. Their response continues to be an inspiration to me.

The fans, the continued care of the experts and the support of my family and friends are the reasons why I am Alive and Kicking today.

Chapter One
The Initial Shock

It was my wife Lucy who first saw the lump. One morning I was in the bathroom shaving. Youve got a lump on your neck, she said. I couldnt feel a thing.

But she insisted that when I lifted my chin to shave in the corners, she could see a lump. You need to go and get that checked out. Go and see the doctor about it. However, the words went in one ear and out the other.

I was blas about it. It was the Christmas of 1999 and I was playing for Cardiff City, thoroughly enjoying my football at a club where, after initial hostility from the fans, I had now settled.

As a professional footballer I knew one of my assets was high energy and fitness. I didnt feel at all ill. I didnt give a little lump on my neck any thought, particularly as it didnt give me any pain. Seems ridiculous to say this now, but I didnt worry about such things.

Lucy was pregnant at the time and I was more concerned about her. But she was determined I should get it looked at and she even tried to embarrass me by getting her midwife to add her voice and push me to get it seen. I ignored them both. Nobody else noticed the lump and I just got on with my life. In fact I was sure the lump was all to do with a wisdom tooth which had broken through.

Lucy has much more sense than me. If she sees anything wrong she wants it sorted out, whereas I have always had a couldnt care less outlook on life.

I didnt even think about cancer. I had never come across the disease there was no history of anything like that in my family.

Looking back, I suppose I was just nave, though the fact that I didnt worry meant I always had a positive attitude, and they reckon that always helps when facing illness.