Elton John was forced to cancel several shows recently after excruciating stomach pain took him down. Thinking he’d acquired food poisoning somewhere, John went to his doctors, who shot down that theory and told him he had an appendix abscess.

“I’m lucky to be alive. I was a ticking time bomb. I guess I could have died at any time. I feel so lucky and so grateful to be alive. I played nine gigs and the White Tie and Tiara Summer Ball [his annual benefit raising money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation] in agony,” he said.

The musician was forced to cancel several gigs in Europe while he takes rounds of antibiotics before his scheduled surgery; there’s been no word yet on when he’ll be able to make those dates up, but for now he’s just concentrating on getting better with bedrest. Though his appearance at a big show in London’s Hyde Park has been cut, the show will still go on with Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, Gabrielle Aplin and Nick Lowe performing.

“Elton is incredibly disappointed to postpone these tour dates,” publicist Gary Farrow said. “To know that he made such super-human efforts and continued to perform to thousands through his illness only confirms his dedication to his European fans. He is eager to be back on top form and return to play the remaining shows starting in early September 2013.”