I waited months on a popular JR Ward book--my auto request kicked in on 10/4--then it went lost on 11/1.

Do I go to the end of the Wish List now (now up to 155)?

The odd thing in the transaction archive shows it requested on 11/1 and cancelled on 11/3--HUH ?

And when I mouse over the red X it says  "wish listed book not accepted by wishing member"

I went into the hospital on 10/31 for emergency brain surgery (sub-dural hematoma) and just got out today.

no- you go back to the top of the list-  but I don't understand the date thing- was it from two different people?

From the Help Docs

If a book you requested does not arrive by the 26th day after it was marked mailed, it will be declared lost in the mail at PBS. The requestor does not mark the book Lost; the system does this.  The requestor will get credit back, and the book will go onto the Wish List (if there are no available copies in the system) or the Reminder List (if there are other copies available to request).  If the book was a Wish List book when it was requested before, the requestor will go back to #1 in line for the book.

I did not go back on the wish list at all and my entire wish list is "auto-request".

Sounds like it may have been put back on your wishlist, but not as an "auto-request" this time.  The next copy was posted to the system and you were given a couple of days to confirm that you wanted it.  It timed out because you did not respond within two days (you were in the hospital over that period) and so the book was offered to the next member in line and the entry was removed from your wishlist.

Sounds like you should contact R&R, explain the circumstances,  and ask to be put back in line for this book

I think it timed out and the system figured you didn't want it anymore.

The odd thing in the transaction archive shows it requested on 11/1 and cancelled on 11/3--HUH ?And when I mouse over the red X it says  "wish listed book not accepted by wishing member"

This would have been the two day waiting period, I think the first book you accepted it and when it got lost in the mail it went back to your wishlist as #1 but was not on auto, then on the 1st you got the chance for another copy but it timed out after the 48 hour waiting period because it was not set to auto and you were not there to accept it. I think if I were you I would write a letter to R & R and tell them what happened, hopefully they will put you back at the top of the WL.