Thank you for responding to me! I was going to ask you what finally convinced you to have surgery, but I think you have partially answered that question already -- I am sorry to hear that you went through hospitalizations for bowel obstructions for such a long time, actually had to go through that at all. I guess that means you had already tried the usual pharmaceuticals, herbal supplements, and various treatments to no avail. I would totally have made the same decision. May I ask how much of your colon was removed, and how difficult the recovery/adjustment was? Did a partial colectomy require significant changes in your diet or lifestyle for the long term? Are you "cured" or do you still battle colon issues of a different sort? Sorry for all the questions!