Hi, Mark!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:   
      
   MH>  I have learned more about bowels than I ever thought   
   MH>  I would ever need to know.   
      
      
               As I did about pediatric leukemia 'way back when....  ;-)   
      
      
      
   [re my mother, after her surgery]   
   AH>  *where she was acquainted with various washrooms she could   
   AH>  get to on short notice*.   
      
   MH>  It seems to depend on what area of the bowel was removed.   
      
      
               Makes sense, now that I think about it.  I just hadn't devoted   
   much thought to the subject because my mother never mentioned it once she'd   
   asked me to look up this strange condition the doctor told her she had.  She'd   
   carefully written down the name... and she knew we had some medical reference   
   books.  But for her that was an unusual degree of openness.  I had to put the   
   rest together from my own personal observations after some time had gone   
   by....  :-)   
      
      
      
   MH>  The descending colon is mainly for "storage".  It doesn't   
   MH>  have much other function.  Basically, you would have less   
   MH>  storage and would have to go more often, but the body   
   MH>  normally adjusts to this from what I understand.   
      
      
               Ah.  My mother had Crohn's disease, which can occur anywhere in   
   the GI tract but is most often found higher up.  That might explain a lot.    
   She was also getting on in years by then.  In my experience kids... including   
   kids with DS... tend to be more adaptable than the vast majority of grownups I   
   know.  :-)   
      
      
      
   MH>  It is going to be stressful.   
      
      
               Yes, I'm sure....   
      
      
      
   MH>  I have checked with every pediatric surgeon in the state   
   MH>  and a few surrounding states.  We have selected the most   
   MH>  recommended one around with lots of experience, so I just   
   MH>  have to trust his ability and knowledge.   
      
      
               Uh-huh.  Sounds to me as if you're doing all the right things.  :-)   
      
      
      
   MH>  Our main challenge right now is getting in touch with him   
   MH>  since he is very busy.  It will certainly be incredible for   
   MH>  our son not to have to deal with the "work-around" that we   
   MH>  have in place right now to keep him well.   
      
      
               Yes, and probably for his parents too.  :-)   
      
      
      
   MH>  The plan right now is for the operation to take place this   
   MH>  summer.   
      
      
               We may go camping briefly now & then, and even at the best of   
   times I may be slow to answer... but please be assured we haven't forgotten   
   you.  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)