Hi guys,

I just wanted to send a quick note letting everybody know (in case
anybody cares :-) ) that I'm back from the hospital again.  The
surgery went well.  I was reconnected as expected and I am currently
nursing (packing 3 times daily)the open wound on my abdomen that was
left to heal by itself within the next 3 weeks or so.

It took a little longer than anticipated since my body refused the
first 2 attempts to accept even liquid nourishment.  One time
(Wednesday) I made it through breakfast (applejuice and jello) before
it all came back up, the next day I made it all the way through the
day (tease!!!) before throwing it up at 3 am - oh well.  All is fine
now, though.

The excitement of the first bowel movement (diarrhea) on Wednesday was
great, but that got old quickly after about 20 bouts of more of the
same on the same day...   More excitement on Thursday night when the
gas came in the middle of the night - that got old quickly, too...

By now my colon and the j-pouch seem to have started working.  The
runny diarrhea is gone, and I guess we can be working on producing the
"real thing" at some point in the next month or so (if that soon??)

But enough of the every exciting topic of my bowel movements.  

I'm doing well, moving a little slowly, but not as slow as I was
moving the first time around.  However, I am actually taking the pain
medication this time around.  I guess the last time I was too groggy
to even care.  This time I want to get up and move around - and find
that it hurts when I do that...

I hope this message finds all of you well enough, too.  I'm off to
have my morning tea, breakfast and lortab...

Elsie