hello world ... I am so glad to have this forum. It indeed is comforting to see there is a whole community out there who is going thru what I have been enduring and putting up with for over a decade. But now, after my third operation, I have hopes that my fistula in ano days will be "behind" me :).
so it all started with a little lump about a centimetre out of the anal opening, which had to be drained using an incision. Pretty standard procedure I was told but was a very taxing procedure for someone who had just started college and already having to go thru a literally pain in the a$$ condition.
I think I wanted to get over with it in a hurry and I think I didn't pay attention to all the recommendations from the doctor, avoided the pack dressing as much as I could and there you go... blessed with a recurring wound. Though it never had an opening in the anus it was always referred to as a fistula by all my doctors, not sure why as in my opinion it was a non-healing sinus.
The strange thing is that the fistula / sinus lay dormant for years before it struck for the secondtime and remained a little pus oozing hole in the skin for about 5 years. Discharging at a frequency of about 2-3 weeks. All this while which was over 10 years, I tried my best to over look it, praying and hoping that it will go away, it never did.
Finally discomfort and pain overtook my shame and denial and I talked about it to my gp and the first examination was the most horrific day of my life. The very act which I wanted to avoid for years, digital exam, was not avoidable anymore. I still don't understand why it was so shameful for me. Though it was now out in the open, I was still hoping that this is resolved with the least number of people being involved and the least amount of time and with least pain... that's when I learnt, there is no such thing. The reality had dawned on me but I wanted to hide behind denial and tried my best to run away from all of it. l Could have paid anything gone to any lengths to avoid the process of treating my bottom, I wished secretly that I could swap the fistula for any other more "respectable" medical condition or illness, cancer even, but it had to be a fistula. The whole shebang followed.
Op1
fail. FAIL!!!! worst nightmare comes true. Surgeon says, couldn't find the inner opening, so the hole has been cleaned and cauterised and let to heal, should be done in 2-3 weeks. After 3 weeks there is still a bit of discharge, and surgeon says...may be I didn't go deep enough. Sorry, needs another op. NEEDS ANOTHER OP!! came out so easy out of his lips, was like boiling lead in my ears. Took some time off to let the news to sink in and to endure the condition for another 6 months, dealing with the pain in solitude, unfortunately I am not the type of person who will share my pain even with my very near and dear, loved ones. Maybe that's a sickness in its own right. The surgeon however, refers me to another specialist so he can investigate under anaesthesia  with ultrasound and a hydrogen peroxide jet to locate the inner anal opening. I work day and night to make my mind up, for the second op.
Op2
fail. Yes fail again. the surgeon investigates under anaesthesia using an ultrasound and using the peroxide injection, no opening found. So I have another excision... this time deeper it goes but that's it. The wound this time is bigger and deeper, about the size of a cigarette butt . With a bit of practice, I could smoke with my butt :D ... but in reality... I was fuming and getting more and more anxious.
What needs to be done, needs to be done. Cannot run from destiny. So I remain hopeful, decide to go after the damned fistula until I get him. Determined to fight. By now my self esteem is back up, I can now drop my pants in front of an audience and not be shamed at all, infact... I am getting pretty good at it. I must have hit a century by now, having my butt handled by over 100 lucky souls. :) :)
Op3
Fingers crossed. Spirits high. Sun is shining.
Had my op exactly a week ago, last Wednesday. This time the surgeon found an internal opening using the peroxide injection jet. Yaaayyyy!! Had the jackpot feeling, like winning the national lottery, a hole in one, etc. More over, a smaller pus spot had started to develop on the other side of the anal opening, that was cauterised too, the older fistula opening was about 2 cm into the anus, so not a huge chunk cut out. As if to sweeten the deal, the surgeon tied up my piles arteries using the new HALO process, so they will be sorted as well. Yipeeee!!! What can I say...lady luck seems to be smiling. The wound has been difficult to dress. the post op dressings have been done differently by different nurses and I am not sure if they all have the skill and experience that is needed to do. I will post a different topic on it asking about dressing it up tips :) 
So there you go amigos, that's all there is to know about your newest member and his butt. I cannot begin to say how glad I am to find this forum, typing up my introduction itself has made me feel better, venting for the first time in 14 years... priceless. No wonder shrinks are paid so much to just listen. :D 
forum admins... sponsors....keep up the good work, may god bless you with the best bottoms in the whole wide world...!!

Wow, what a story. How terrible it must have been suffering all these years...
Im happy the third time around was more successfull, and I hope you recover soon. Good luck :D

Oh my gosh! I can't even imagine... I'm such a wimp, I think I would have begged for a baggie. Anything to no longer need to poo....

to our Forum BlackStallion. Glad that you found us!
Great to hear that you are at last on the mend, and after such a long time of suffering with a fistula.
I will move your post to the Fistula forum on here, and you will find there that there is a lot of information written by those who have gone through similar surgery to yours. Do take a look through some of the posts there as there is bound to be something about dressing change, etc., there.
Thinking of you, and do come back and let us know how everything is doing!
Sav

Thank you JHH and Katietombone for the moral support.. and thanks Savaici for moving me on to a more relevant forum! Fistulas.. galore :)

hi blackstallion! im so sorry for all the pain u have had, sending u all my thoughts and prayers that u have a full recovery :-) xxxxxx