Quick update on recovery since my laparoscopic surgery (appendectomy) on January 31, 2014: how much has my weight and power improved? Some quantitative sample points:
1. Weight: Last year I was training for Haute Route Alps and reached climbing race weight in mid August. The second dip is when I got sick with a burst appendix and spent five days in the hospital just before Christmas. Note that appendicitis had a weight effect for 3 months. Clearly I now have recovered and stabilized. Good.
2. Power: I did my last cross race early December. (It turns out, I believe, already during the onset of (non-burst) appendicitis.) I did an FTP test exactly two months ago, one week before my surgery, and my 20min power had fallen by 20% from my typical numbers. This morning I did my second FTP test this year and improved my 20min power by 30W. Good, but still about 10% below normal.
There are some mitigating factors (“excuses”): my ribs still hurt from my fall on ice 10 days ago, which wasn’t pleasant during the FTP test on the trainer, and we had an ice cold horrible winter in Chicago so few outside miles in the legs so far. The take-away, however, is that appendicitis recovery for a 47 year old takes time. Meaning: more than two months after surgery. I will report back in two months after next FTP test.
Jan Van Mieghem 
Looks like the numbers are going in the right direction, Jan. Like you said, good think you’re not training for HR this year!