Hello Suzy,
Sorry that you are in such pain and may you soon have resolution.
I have not had this surgery, and must confess that I only read the last person's view of this surgery this year, with the 'crawling around on the floor,' but there must surely be others who have had this and come through successfully. If the person that you spoke to has had it and come out well from it, then there are probably others who have never taken the time to come back here and given their stories of healing afterwards. There are some other links on here, as you have probably discovered yourself, for others who have had this surgery.
I would comment on the Standardized Anal Dilation to which jr2 referred. Apart from wecc, who had S.A.D. in NY with an active fissure, and is healed and gone on his way (he is an ex-marine), there is one person on here who was recently operated on at the Cleveland Clinic, where they were given Pneumatic Balloon Dilation, while having an active fissure. The main idea behind it is that the fissure can heal when there is less constant pressure on the sphincter. I have a degree of stenosis, and am doing self-dilation which has been confirmed by my doctor at Mass General, in Boston (recently voted the top hospital in the US by US News) as being a satisfactory choice for me as I do not react well to surgery having an autoimmune disease and more surgery is not recommended. Personally, before I would consider surgery on my behind, even if the surgeon suggests it (three hemorrhoid surgeries, one thrombosed hemhorrhoid surgery), I will try anything rather than someone cutting me again.
This is the link to the Cleveland Clinic post:
http://anal-fissure.org/t4737-pneumatic-balloon-dilation-and-skin-tag-removal-1-week-ago?highlight=anal+dilationWish you well, whatever decision you make. Know that it must be a difficult decision.