Great read, Davo! Glad you are on the 'other side' and looking forward to following your saga. So happy for you !!

Glad to hear how things went. My experience was somewhat different, but not unpleasant at all. I was instructed to not have ANYTHING by mouth from midnight on. I was allowed to take my blood pressure meds in the morning, but with "the tiniest bit of water necessary." I was told not to take any of my other meds.
While we had talked about doing the surgery under general, the anesthesiologist opted for an epidural, due to other issues I'm having. I was hooked up to an IV before leaving for the operating room. I'd had my blood tests a couple days prior. Once in the OR, I was given a mild sedative through my IV to stave off any panic issues. Next, it was onto the surgical table, face down. BTW, they need to make those things like the tables chiroprachters use, with a hole for your face. I was then told to lay EXTREMELY still as the needle was put into my back to administer the local. It did hurt some, especially as it gets moved around a bit for good coverage. Within a minute or so, I could not feel anything from my waist down. It was sometime after that when they put the blowup leggings on me. I should note that they had me positioned with some high density foam forms to have me where they wanted. Almost as soon as I was all numbed up, I heard my CRS say "All done." A few minutes later, I was flopped like a dead tuna over to the gurney for the trip to recovery. I was immediately wired for sound, monitoring all my functions or lack of same. There was a machine that took my blood pressure every couple of minutes, and for a bit, they had me tilted head down as my BP was low. Once they got my pressures heading back, I was allowed a cup full of ice. Liquid never tasted so good!
It is the most strange experience imaginable to see your feet but to not be able to move so much as a toe. I laid out like that for some hours. I joked to my nurse that a ten thousand dollar bill taped to the wall would be safe from me. The first thing I did feel was the expansion and deflation of the leggings. Eventually, small movement at hips, then knees. Very strange.

Hi Ras,
Your procedure sounds very different to mine!!!
I had a general anaesthetic and was told they laid me on my back and put me in the same position as they would to a female when giving birth. It must have been quite strange having surgery whilst being awake, it would probably freak me out a little to be honest.
Hope you are keeping well, we should all get together and have a big fissure healing celebration once we are well (sorry, just looking for an excuse to visit the US/Canada!)
Davo

POST LIS – DAY #2 (Friday)
So I woke up this morning and the soreness level was around a 1 on the pain score which basically means I don't feel anything until I start thinking about it. I had breakfast and my morning Movicol but had no desire to go to the bathroom at all (this is quite worrying as I am normally as regular as clockwork each morning after breakfast)
During my procedure the CRS inserted some packing into my butt to stop the bleeding and I was told I would pass this during my first BM. However as I am now into day two with no BM I decided its probably not good to have blood soaked packing up there for so long. So I had a long soak in the bath in the hope that it would free itself...... It didn't!! So I basically had to tug at it even though it was stuck to my incision site. After a bit of tugging and a bit of a oooohhhhh, aaaahhhh it came free which knocked the pain score up to a 3.
As I was expecting a BM today and due to my self inflicted increased pain score I took a tramadol and the pain rapidly disappeared into nothing.
I decided to jump on the scales today and my weight pre fissure was 13st, 2lbs (83.5kg) - today I am 11st, 7lbs (73kg) which is quite a drop for a 6ft medium build male.
At this point I must also give credit to the US for your fantastic TV, I have been watching 24, The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Dexter whereas the only UK stuff I have is Benidorm (cheap tacky package holiday humour) and The Inbetweeners (Schoolboy humour for adults who are yet to grow up)
So another fairly pain free today but still no sign of that dreaded BM, it's now Friday and my LIS was Wednesday.... Hmmmm.
Davo

Ohh just a footnote in case anyone starts offering advice - the first BM happened on the morning of day 3 so i will update things later in the day.

I really hope you celebrated your first post-LIS poop! Like your wedding day, I'm sure it's a day you will never forget!
By the way, all this "pain-free" talk is starting to make some of us think this whole LIS thing isn't so horrible after all. Are you sure you're not being paid by the International Society of Colorectal Surgeons?

Well, glad to hear that you are past that first BM milestone. My CRS didn't pack anything inside of me, and I had my first bowel movement the day after. I thought that I was getting gas at first. After it happening again, I went, removed all the bandaging (on the outside in my case), and sat on the pot until things stirred up once more. It was painful to some extent, but I think that may have been due to my holding back those first times. I did get some spasms, but Ibuprofen relieved that.
I'm wondering if your delay in going for the first time might have been related to the enema. I didn't get one of those. I've read of others who didn't experience that first one for two and three days. That was what so surprised me in my case.
Yeah, it would be cool to get us all together!

Thisfissure,
:D Yes i have been employed by the International Society of Colorectal Surgeons to fool you all into thinking that this whole surgery lark is just a breeze.
Ras,
On the morning of my operation i had my usual BM before leaving for the hospital and i presumed that meant i had been cleared out. The fleet enema proved how wrong i was!! I did also think the delayed BM could have been due to the enema and the lack of food i had on the operation day. I must admit i was getting quite concerned as the hours went by and not having the urge to go.
Anyway my day #3 diary to follow this message
Davo

POST LIS – DAY #3 (Saturday)
Today I awoke pain free, the majority of the time I don’t feel a thing unless I roll around in bed, sit upright or start walking and then the discomfort is only mild.
This morning I did have concerns as it is now Saturday, my surgery was Wednesday and I was yet to experience that much hyped first BM.
I had Bran Flakes for Breakfast with tea followed by a Movicol laxative but still no urges to use the bathroom.
After breakfast I started to run the bath and decided to sit on the toilet in the hope of kick starting my body. I sat there stationary, no straining or pushing and after six or seven minutes I got that rumbling feeling in my stomach that something was about to happen…… and then the point of no return….. it was about to happen!!! I grabbed hold of the radiator with one hand and the bath with the other, tensed up and prayed for forgiveness for every wrong doing in my life…… three days’ worth of food all in one go, it was not going to be pleasant….. then I let go of all my anxiety…. It all came flooding out…

I don’t believe it………. I don’t believe it………. I DON’T F*CKING BELIEVE IT!… No pain WHATSOEVER, no soreness, no twinges, no discomfort; it was a zero on the pain score! (Apologies for swearing but that was my state of mind at the time). I was shaking and on the verge of tears – is this a taste of things to come? My face was brimming with the biggest smile I could muster and has stayed like this ever since the BM, this was my first sign that I may have my life back again, words cannot describe how I am feeling right now.
I cleaned up with cotton wool dabbed in warm water, followed by using a shower head, followed by a 30 minute bath, another wash with the shower head, baby wipes and a hair dryer to finish off. Although it seems a bit over the top I want to try and avoid infection at all costs.
I would also like to point out at this stage that I have no spasm pains or soreness whatsoever. As I currently type I can’t feel any sensations down below at all, it is as if I don’t have a fissure and like I have never had surgery.
It is now three days since surgery, my pain and soreness levels have been almost non-existent, I have no pain during BM’s or spasms. I still do have a small spot of controllable gas and there was some very, very slight pink staining on my underwear which seems to be coming from the incision site.
I know it’s only early days yet and I am sure I will see more twists and turns along the way but so far I feel I have been extremely lucky. I don’t know whether this was due to my fissure condition pre-surgery, the work of my CRS, the way my body reacts to surgery or whatever but I feel extremely privileged so far. However I don’t want to tempt fate and until I get the all clear I won’t be counting my chickens just yet
Davo

Davo, glad to hear of your progress so far. That is absolutely wonderful!