'coming up'

real fast: it's been a crazy week. i think on monday i had a kidney stone attack, which woke me up in the middle of the night in agony. i required 14 mg of morphine to settle down. it turns out i had a kidney stone in each kidney and i'm still not positive that the one in my right kidney has passed yet.

i went on cyclosporine -which was like an atomic bomb on my body- trying to get the colitis under control. it didn't work as well as i had hoped. the colitis required more morphine to allow me to function.

because the drugs are not working, i'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning. at 11am they are cutting me open and taking out my large intestine. it's going to be rough but i should be cured afterward.

the kicker in the last 18 hours has been a fever of 103 and the potential of serious infection. things look like they have cleared up after several x-rays and a cat scan. i don't think there will be any complications, but time will tell.

after surgery i will probably be in recovery for another week before i get sent home. there will be much painkillers, and my total time in the hospital will have been almost 5 weeks. if you need details, check with my siter, as i will be out of it.

linda's note: please send tripp stuff at the hospital! mail is so nice to get, and his birthday is wednesday. the address is:
USC University Hospital
room _ _ _ (see linda)
1500 San Pablo St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033