Still recovering from surgery, illness, and the holidays

Hello out there in the knitting world! I am alive but owe many people apologies for late swaps, gifts, cards, news, etc. Here is a quick review of why I have dropped off the radar. I am getting through my email and mail as quickly as possible and will try and catch up with everyone personally. So I have been learning a lot about my digestive system.... mainly the Gallbladder! Here is the culprit now... Near the beginning of December I ended up in the emergency room with pain the likes I have not experienced since labor with child #1! Blood tests confirmed it wasn't a heart attack (overlapping symptoms) and the ultrasound found all sorts of nasty stones clogging the "Sphincter of Oddi" (lovely name eh?) which basically was interfering with the processes of the liver and the pancreas within the digestive realm. The end result was a couple of ultrasounds, an ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) or "lets shove a big tube with a camera and various tools in it down your gullet and into your stomach to have a look around" and finally Laparoscopic surgery to remove the gallbladder. I have been recovering since and floored by every cold and flu bug on the block. My body was just not keeping up with all the healing and keeping well functions so I have been home, drugged, and recovering for a while....much longer than I expected. My family has been outstanding doing everything except my knitting and my email allowing me to sleep and heal. Mom and Dad came into town for the holidays to spoil me rotten and helped me reintroduce my body to real food. Tonight is the first night since the emergency room incident where I am actually getting out to do something with friends unsupported by my familial medical staff....I'm going to the Lakewood Knitters Meet-up to knit! Thanks for all the lovely notes and warm wishes and especially for the patience as I catch up with my swapping obligations! Holiday Cheers! Alice