I’ve been laying low for a while, and I loathe to be a bummer, but I need to share this. The AW is a casual pub, yes, but there’s a deeper level of closeness too. What I thought was an ongoing dental abscess has turned out to be mouth cancer. Due to last year’s lockdown I could not access proper dental treatment, and considering that I have a history of impacted wisdom tooth problems, there was apparently no cause, understandably, for undue alarm. Anyway, I was so lucky. I got fast tracked via an emergency NHS dentist. I’ve had lots of mind boggling appointments of terror come heavenly relief with the most amazing and beautiful people face to face or by phone. You don’t have to call it God or Humanism, because it’s already there. Love. In early January I’m going into surgery for 2-3 weeks. Heavy stuff involving jaw graft reconstruction and lymph node removal, followed by 6 weeks recoup, and then six weeks radiotherapy. The weirdest thing after the shock is my altered perspective in relation to everything. Corny? No. Healing. Grace? I don’t know, but perspective focus, yes. This whole trip has also helped heal some personal family stuff which I’m very grateful for. Anyway, here’s to healing for an AW folk that need it, and to any AW folk I’ve had fallings out with or cross words with in the past, none of this matters. I love you. Truly. Now, did I tell you the one about the psychedelic MRI Scan with dolphins and post industrial skronk kraut rock? Hare Krishna!
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Dear Rob, please take care. You will meet some of the most inspiring people, who will redefine your understanding of the word ‘genius’. And you’ll be fine eventually. Boom shanka. Hari Georgeson. Omm. Please keep us posted.
Thank you Leffe. Wise words, and I’m already redifining even deeper. There really is a wisdom trip to this. I signed up for it after all. Will do.
One more thing: keep a diary if you can. It will help you make sense of it all afterwards.
All the best Rob, sorry to hear your news.
Sending healing lunar vibes.
Thanks Hubes. L & H as well as dear Viv and The Bonzos will be a hearty part of my recoupertaions. No postcards sadly, blah blah blah blah.
‘Sir Henry at Rawlinson End’ is the best company for any occasion.
Good luck, get better soon and careful who you let in your yurt.
My tubed chair chariot dresswear bathrobe will be fit for both Boudicca, Heironymous Bosch at the seaside on account of his first whelk experience, and an as yet to be incarnated interstellar Pharoah trimming God’s eyebrows.
If I ever accumulate enough talent, time & wealth to record an album, it will be called ‘My First Whelk Experience.’
My Rawlinson Whelk experience, after a mishearing I thought the line in Sir Henry “a very great work” was actually “a very great whelk” and even added it underneath the photo of Vivian which I have on display.
Viv’s wife thought it hilarious when I told her.
Your ordeal sounds absolutely shitey Rob. Good luck matey. x
Thanks Mooche. It’s heavy, yes, but I’m so bloody lucky in time. I’ll have too many tubes for a laptop apparently so I won’t be able to post when in. Lots of books and my Ipod. Norse sagas, Vedanta and Jazz.
That’s heavy stuff mate, I’m only a lurker here but your news hit a nerve. Stay strong and know that you have great support even if it’s ‘virtual’
All the very best.
Thank you. I was a bit unsure about posting this, but the way everything has changed, even before the diagnosis, I had started revaluating everything about that matters to me, you know ‘politics’ ‘this’ ‘that’ and I just had a sense that none of that matters.
Bloody hell, Rob, I’m sorry to hear your news. I’m glad you’re getting it seen to and, as L. Gin says above, there are some mighty clever people in the field and you’ll be in the best hands.
Currently making dolphin noises – hopefully you’ll feel the pressure waves even if you can’t hear me!
Seriously, my best wishes…
Cheers Fitter. Talk about a mind blower. I’m in a better place now but its still freak out, and I cannot stress enough how bowled I’ve been by the support I’m getting from the NHS (my consultant made a reference to the the longevity of such!). This is the weirdest thing ever, but I honestly know and believe that it’s for th best (?). Karma. I’m not going anyway soon, and my spiritual path is getting the kick up the arse it long needed. Anyway, I hope you’re ok. You’ve been through a lot of grief and hardship. Astral hug.
Wishing you all the best, Rob. I know there are a few of us here with serious health issues now and of course you’re right, it does totally change your perspective. Who can be arsed treating trivialities as important when the truly important things come into play? Illness is scary, and aging is scary, and the future is scary. The way I try and look at it is that I’ll be dead one day so anything that happens to me before then I try and see as an “interesting experience” rather than a terryfying ordeal, in the hope that when my time does come I’ll be able to feel as equally grateful for the ill times as for the fun times. Best of luck, pal.
Cosmic fist bump.
Flippin eck Tucker!
All the best to you Rob – hopefully on the road to SOMEWHERE now
I found ‘Get Back’ more depressing than my diagnosis.
Hi Rob.
I don’t post here anymore but I still look in once a day just for old times sake and saw your post. What vibes I have at my disposal are now with you. 🙏
Thanks Peter – I’m sorry for any bad previous vibes between us. I’m sending you vibes too, my friend.
Ditto. Look after yourself.
Yikes Rob – that’s a bastard. All the very best wishes. And a manly shoulder punch, because I’m English and quite uptight about things like this.
I’ll punch your shoulder and then briefly weep upon it. English/Irish, darling.
Cosmic vibes across the magic of the interweb, Rob. Wishing you all the best in the treatment ahead. Hare Corbett.
Cheers Boney.
What an awful ordeal for you Rob, and I’m glad you can find at least some glimmers in the gloom. It sounds like a long haul, but my best wishes for better days ahead. Take care, and as you will already have seen you’ll find a sympathetic hearing here whenever you want some support.
Thanks Gatz. I’m sticking around. Other people need me. That’s my decider.
Sorry to hear this Rob. Best wishes to you.
Jings, Robsi, me old mullah, make sure the ley lines align for your surgery and aftermath: have a cosmic haggis on me. I’ll play some healing music for you.
Oof – what terrible news to hear. Take care of yourself, Rob; I hope that the road ahead isn’t too tricky, and I’m sure you’ll navigate it with plenty of good humour and natural perspective. Will be sending you my most positive vibrations.
I love you, Rob. You’ve always livened up this place, bringing us a different perspective from another astral plane. I miss you when you disappear into one of your amazing worm-holes. I wish you a speedy recovery and look forward to your weird and wonderful presence gracing us in the near and far future.
Sending good vibes, Rob. I know what a sudden, unexpected cancer diagnosis is like.
I hear you brother.
I found this site a great help, pre- and post-op, and especially during recovery to full fitness. I found it very helpful just watching people having a civilised chat, even if I didn’t feel like saying anything.
Rob, man, I’m so sorry to hear of your trouble. May you wing swiftly to health so robust people are pretty much offended by it. Get well soon, old buddy. Crossing absolutely everything crossable for you.
Keep us posted, and never worry about being a bummer – if you need to talk, we’re here.
All love,
HP
(formerly Bob)
I’ve ordered an Elfin Queen to pop round your cottage, the first hour is free.
Seriously, Love from The Languedoc and stay strong
I suspect we travel on different cosmic planes Rob or at least we like different music but my thoughts are with you. Take care, good luck and as others have said we live in an era of medical miracle workers. Please keep us updated when possible 🙏
✌️& ❤️
Really sorry to hear this Rob, best wishes to you.
Rob, you’ve been through it and you’re still going through it. Nothing but the best wishes for you.
Keep vibe-ing, buddy.
Nothing to say other than offering my warmest wishes as you go through this. Sounds like you have a solid treatment plan in place and good people managing it.
Get well soon, Rob. All the best for your recoup!
That’s awful news, Rob, but you’ve got the experts on your side now, and if anyone can summon healing vibes to help with the recovery, it’s you! Nothing but good wishes from me and the (other) ancient Norse witches…
Rotten news. I always enjoy your contributions on here and the madcap energy you bring.
Sending all the good vibes your way.
May you be blessed by the God of your choosing
Rob I truly hope all goes well for you. You are a fine human being and have done me favours without being asked to. I don’t do prayers but I will be sending positive vibes out to you. Stay strong my friend, peace and love, Richie.
Good luck. My cousin’s daughter went through something very similar in the last couple of years. It was very tough, but she is doing fine.
All the very best Rob. Sending some positive vibes all the way from Singapore – which being almost on the equator must be even more positive (probably)…….
Crikey, Rob. All fingers are crossed.
Very sad to hear Rob and wish you a speedy recovery. I have had nothing but good experiences with the NHS and will defend them to the hilt. My brother in law currently suffering terminal cancer and the staff have been amazing to him. It sounds like they can put you right and I am hoping for a quick recovery for you
Oh man that’s horrible. I hope it all goes well and you’re back showering us with peace, love and funny as soon as possible. I live a hippy life vicariously through you. Long may it continue. X
Sending nothing but good vibes your way, Rob. See you here on the other side.
I’ve not had a good night and am quite zonked. Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. Every one. It means more than you know. I will indeed keep everyone posted and look forward to astral business as usual a few months down the line. Peace & Love all.
x
Get well soon, young man.
Good luck and get well soon. As many cosmic vibes as I can shove your way.
Only just seen this. Crikey !
What a bastard but thank heavens it is being seen to.
Best of luck with the treatment. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Really sorry to read your news, Rob – but impressed by your indomitable spirit. You’ve got quite a time ahead of you – I hope you have all the support you need to make your way through it. Just make sure they don’t give you the jawbone of an ass…
Best of, Dude. Save them dolphins.
Oh Rob, so sorry to hear this news.
Please keep us updated (easier said than done I know).
Best wishes going forward.
Man hug in the post.
Thanks so much everyone. I’d like to do it individually but it would take too many posts and clog ‘updates’. I got my confirmation/admittance letter this morning so that in itself is a huge relief and all I hoped and prayed for when I knew the outlook wasn’t going to be good and I was extremely stressed and worried. I’m gonna scale this mountain and jive like a cosmic mofo when I get to the top and down again. Yes siree shanti.
Sending cosmic beams of healing to you Rob. May the road rise up to meet you.
Shit Rob that is shocking news. Sending all good vibes and karma and may your chakra spin free. 🙏
Rob’s post is horribly familiar. Someone close to me (I won’t say who with respect to their privacy) put off getting checked out during lockdown and it was the arrival of blood in the pan which woke them up to a seriously advanced cancer which is inoperable. Hormone treatment seems to be working so fingers crossed.
But my point is, get checked out, regularly. I actually had to write to my doctor as I was getting nowhere through the normal route and finally had a set of checkups, thankfully all clear. If you haven’t been done in the last 12 months you know what you need to do.
That’s awful Twang. So sorry to hear that and my fingers are crossed for them and sending vibes for you. My issue was that I was unable to access treatment during the lockdown, and then was kicked off by my dentist although they’d given me a prescription when the problem first occurred, and then due to ‘backlog’ (they’d assured me all would be ok post lockdown). I spent all summer trying to register with a dentist, but did manage to get a couple of antibiotic prescriptions privately as all the symptoms indicated that it was linked to my existing/historical imacted wisdom tooth. No one could have thought otherwise, and my surgeon and team have all confirmed this, in writing as well, to my Medical Centre, who agreed. I got very lucky as I was fast tracked. My heart goes out to all those who haven’t been, believe me.
Thanks Rob and be well. We need you.
My first thought – Yay, it’s Rob, haven’t seen him around here for a while. Then I read the post. Fuck. Stay strong, and listen to Van….
‘And we’ll walk down the avenue again
And we’ll sing all the songs from way back when, yeah
And we’ll walk down the avenue again and the healing has begun’
Hope things go well in the coming weeks.
If you cam imagine a group of fans on the terraces cheering you on, then that’s us. We’re not your immediate family/friends but we’re all wearing a Rob C scarf. We will be looking for updates so when you’re able to do that we will appreciate it.
And from my perspective, I like it when you post on here so please do hurry back. All the very best.
This is how I feel.
All the best mate
Holy Moly Rob, that’s a shocker. I spotted your tag only yesterday in another thread, noted that I hadn’t seen your aura in these rooms for some time, and wondered where you’d been. Wandering trancelike across the Somerset levels in a psychedelic robe with a dayglo shemagh wraped around your bonce, perhaps, or esconsced in a Hobbit house deep in the Presili Hills contemplating a spell in an Irish yurt at the foothills of the Twelve Bens; either way I wouldn’t have been surprised. And then it wasn’t until I scrolled down past the traffic jam of year-end-lists that I found this thread. Gobsmacked for you, but also hugely lifted by your positive progression towards dealing with the thing, and your profound philosophical fortitude in the face of shitness. I heartily extend a monster man-hug in your spiritual direction old sport, and sod social distancing. Keep us posted while we steer a positive tsunami of good wishes your way over the coming months. Much love.
Well said Foxy.
Thanks Vulpesy and EVERYONE. So many lovely comments that are so very dear to me and have been absorbed deep into my heart chakra. Yes. This is one strange trip indeed, but it’s part of my current incarnation’s karmic bundle so ride it out with as much philosophical zen perspective I shall, and keep as much of a reign on monkey worry mind as I can. I’m getting better at that, and lost of mantra helps a great deal too. Day by day. Step by step. Stage by stage, until this healing journey is successfully completed. Om Shanti. Blessed Be.
Dreadful news Rob but delighted to see your indomitable character unchanged. Very best wishes and hope you’ll come out to play again soon.