Thanks for your good wishes guys, very much appreciated.
The staff of Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, took excellent care of me, and I can't thank them enough for allaying my fears before the op. and helping me through the difficult few of days straight after it.
I'm taking it very easy, and the twelve-inch zip they put in my abdomen keeps reminding me that's how it's got to be! :-)
Hope to be back out there in a few weeks, but I'll need to get some practice in first - haven't picked my guitar up for the best part of a month.
Thanks again, see you soon.
S:0)