Hi everyone.
I am now about exactly 24 hours post-op. I thought I would give you a rundown of my surgery day.
I was admitted to pre-op at 6:30am. Tired as I was, I couldn't think of sleeping in there because of my anxiety over what was to come. My wife and daughter (who is an OR nurse - not mine - mind you) were there to keep me company. Well, I'm not sure how supportive they were, they made all the butt jokes they could while we waited. They were great though. I was really glad I could laugh about this. It's better that thinking doom and gloom.
They wheeled me into the OR at about 8:55. They gave me some sedative through my IV to relax me and I was a little loopy when we got there but I remember my CRS telling me how he wanted me to position myself when I flopped on to the table from the gurney. Last thing I remember was my CRS telling me he was going to put some tape on my rear and felt that go on. Next thing I remember is that I was back in the same room I started in and my wife and daughter were there already. I looked at the clock and it was 9:37. The nurse had a glass of ice water, a glass of cranberry juice and a blueberry muffin sitting on the table in front of me. I don't usually like those crappy highly processed pastries but that was the best muffin I can ever remember eating and they warmed it up too. I was starving. No pain, no nausea, nothing. I was feeling great. Thank you drugs and anesthesia.
They gave me a vicodin before I left. No incidents on the ride home. We had to stop at the pharmacy to pick up my pain meds and some numbing cream. I waited in the car but really felt fine. When we were almost home I started to get really loopy from the vicodin. Started seeing stars and sweating. I really hate that feeling so I havent' taken another vicodin. My wife told me I just needed to "flow" with it but I hate the no-control feeling. I wasn't really in pain anyway at that point.
Just took it easy and laid on the couch watching tv all day. The local anesthetic took forever to wear off. Much longer than when you have dental work done. Having a numb butt is a bizarre feeling. Also, I had no control over any gas that would come that way. Luckily I was at home before that started or I would have been really embarassed. I took 600mg of ibuprofin every 4 hours. I also took a few sitz baths which are a great relief for the discomfort. I really had no intense pain. Just really sore down there. The local anesthetic started wearing off sometime in the late afternoon. I noticed that I could finally control the gas and also I really started to feel the incision area. There wasn't any sharp or intense pain, just a general soreness and discomfort from the incision. I didn't sit up much at all. In fact sitting typing this is the most time I have sat up since yesterday in the waiting room. I could get up and down easy enough but walking around seemed to irritate things so I limited it.
The ibuprofin kept the pain at bay without a problem. I went to bed last night feeling about the same as I did all day. Now, at this point, I still had not had a BM since the early morning of the day prior to my surgery (Thursday morning). That bothered me a little because I knew my next one might be a little hard to pass. I hadn't eaten much but still, I was a little scared. I woke up about 2am with the same soreness and a dull pain that was a little more than I have had. I thought I would have to give in and take a vicodin but I thought I would jump in the tub really quick to see if that would ease it and it did. I took some more ibuprofin and went back to bed and haven't had that pain since. Baths are a wonderful tool here (in my case anyway).
Well this morning I finally had the urge to go. I went in and just stripped down because I was going to jump in the tub as soon as it was done. As I feared, my BM was big a little hard, and I had to push to get it started. I also think I was so scared of the pain that I was clenching and couldn't releax. To my surprise I had very little discomfort once it started to go and no pain or burning after. It was really nothing compared to what I had been through with my AF. Still, now, I feel nothing in the way of what I was used to after a BM with my AF.
So I'm past those big hurdles. I am actually feeling way better than I did yesterday. Even the incision is not bothering me too much but I am going to kick back and watch tons of tv again today and stay off my rear. I want this trend to continue, not reverse.
Sorry this was so long. If anyone has any detailed questions about my surgery or afterwards, please ask them (especially you Dawn). I will answer anything and everything.
Take care all

Hey SC,
Good to see you are doing so well! It means so much to me that you have posted.
I'm so glad you got the first bm over and it wasn't a nightmare
I have a few questions but I want you to get all the rest you need and take your time on responding...I still have a week before I have surgery so there's no need to hurry, but I was wondering did you take a fiber supplement or stool softeners the day before your surgery. I read where you said you ate light. Did you just eat fruits and vegetables( AF diet) before? Did you have packing to pass before the bm? Some have said they didn't have any....
Did you ever change your stool softener to miralax or did you stay with the colace? I believe I read you were taking colace.
It's great to hear that you aren't taking the vicodin and your able to manage the pain with ibuprofen.
I hope that you continue to heal quickly and from all that I've read from others, you are doing right by resting as much as you can.
Your post has been so helpful. I'm having so much anxiety about this procedure and you really have been encouraging. Keep the long post coming -by all means. I and I'm sure that others want to know what to expect....
God Bless and take care.

Hey SC,
I believe the baths are a good tool also. They really helped tame my fissure when it was at it's worst so I know they will help with the healing and soothing...

Hi Dawn.
The day before the surgery I ate a normal breakfast of cereal and toast. I also eat probiotic yogurt every day and I had a cup of that too. For lunch I ate some vegetable soup and the same for dinner. I also ate a muffin later that evening (I make my own oatmeal berry muffins that are pretty high fiber and no fats). I also stuck to my 2 colace pills and glass of metamucil that I normally drink every day. Other than that I just drank water. Seemed to work out well for me.
Still not much pain today. Just sore. I only have stitches to deal with, no packing. I've been up and around a lot more today. Even went out to the garden and picked a bunch of blackberries. I'm about to crash on the couch for a little while and give it a rest though. I want to be able to work on Monday. I work from home so that won't be a big deal. My couch is 10 feet from my desk.
All in all I'm feeling pretty good.

SC
Take it easy and pamper that ass, you'll soon be on the road to recovery.

Thanks SC,
You've definitely given me hope. I've been running in circles trying to get everything ready for my family and this procedure....Almost like it's my last few days before dying,lol.
I'm glad to hear you can actually move even if we should be taking it easy and resting. I think the picture I have in mind is much more horrible then it will actually be. My husband keeps telling me to chill out.

Day 2.
Only real discomfort is the incision site. Just sore there but easily tolerable. I can sit on my rear without a problem now. It takes a few adjustmets so that I'm not putting direct pressure on the incision but at least sitting is achievable.
I had 3 BM's yesterday and 1 today...whew. That's a lot for me but no pain or discomfort at all. My anxiety with each of them is the hardest part. For some reason I am always expecting the worst and I still clench up every time I go. I wonder why that is? Could it be that I have been passing razor blades off and on for months. :D
Anyway, I am still sticking close to the tub after each BM and anytime I feel that I want to calm the soreness down. Works every time. I'll keep posting my progress over the next week.
Hope eveyone is doing well. Take care all.

Sounds Like you're doing really well SC.
Did they put you on any antibiotics? I'm pretty sure I will be taking the flagyl from what I read at my crs office.
Oh the razor blades are hard to forget...lol
Hope you continue to do well! These are the worst days and you seem to be doing very good. Take care.

SC, I was wondering have you had any blood with your bm's? I know it's pretty normal...
Have you just been keeping the same exact diet and regimen that you had prior to surgery?
I've been worried about my diet although I have bm's everyday and they seem fine, I never could heal my fissure for long with it but I guess the surgery will make my diet work much better without the spasming. I eat all vegetarian and avoid all dairy except yogurt...and only occasionally eat whole wheat bread.

Hi Dawn,
I had blood almost every BM in the beginning of this thing. That slowed down quite a bit as it progressed and was rare but I did see it occasionally. I had blood the weekend prior to my surgery but surprisingly none since. I was a little afraid to look in the bowl after my first BM post-op but there was nothing and hasn't been any yet. I'm feeling truly blessed with how easy my recovery has been so far but I'm still taking no chances. Good diet, lots of water, stool softners and metamucil. My CRS said he wants me to keep that up until my 4 week checkup but then he wants me to slowly wean off of the stool softner but everything else will stay. And most likely will for the rest of my life. I never want to go through this again.
My diet is exactly the same as it was pre-surgery. I did have half a pulled pork sandwich on Saturday and a couple bites of some cheese dip but I took an extra stool softner just in case and I had no problems. Otherwise it has been strictly high fiber cereals, fruits and veggies.
As far as dairy, I only avoid cheese (with that one exception). I eat probiotic yogurt every day and I also drink non-fat milk. I also eat whole grain bread every day. I make my own, including grinding my own flour, so I know exactly what's in it (flour, salt, yeast, cracked wheat, flax seed meal and water).
Keep your spirits up Dawn. This will all be behind you soon enough. You will be pleasantly surprised at how the worry and anxiety was way worse than the actual surgery experience. The recovery, for me, has been quick so far. You and I opted for surgery before this thing got too far out of control. Maybe that has something to do with an easier surgery and recovery.
Take care.