Hey Sphinct, I'm so glad your aunt is okay! And, it's great that you can draw comfort from the stories on this board. I'm so thankful for the people who've logged their experiences here. The thing to remember is that most people do seem to get healed and leave after awhile.
And yes Bumbutt, that's a car in the river! It's a Thomas Kinkade parody....I love it too, it's a great metaphor for my life right now. Kinkade's paintings are way too syrupy for me anyway...if you google Kinkade parodies it's worth a laugh...cottages on fire, run-down mobile homes surrounded by beautful landscapes...
Speaking of low temps...on my way to my appointment yesterday, the city where I was headed had had an ice storm the night before. The drive there was very treacherous and most of the city's stoplights weren't working...but after my appointment, the sun came out and the ice-coated trees were so sparkly and stunningly beautiful...beat that Kinkade!

Sphinct,
Glad that your family is OK!! I guess I would be a little worried about traveling down under with all of this recent seismic activity. :roll: Right now I'm content to go to warmer climes within the U.S. Makes my mom worry less than if I were overseas.

Hey Sphinctersaurus- I'm so glad to hear your family is ok although that must be incredibly terrifying! I hope you aunt gets better quickly.
I'm exactly a week behind you in my recovery. So sorry to read this thread and see that you have been having problems. It is so scary isn't it? I actually have been doing pretty well I think- are you still taking any pain meds at all or are you afraid to because of the constipation issue. I have been having some pain with bowel movements (and I'm back to my fairly typical of the last year 3 times a day...) but it is definitely different pain. It is on the opposite side of my fissure, which I'm assuming is where the incision is. When I have pressure to go, I can feel that start to ache and then it builds and there is a slight stingy pinch as well. I was trying to evaluate in my mind this morning as to how much it does hurt. Maybe a 4 out of 10 but it is over with fast and doesn't continue the whole BM- just as it passes that area and feels like stretcing. I also just have a rather dull achy feeling down there that I assume is some bruising inside. All things considered, I think I am doing ok. Staying hopeful today and it is good to know that even though others have issues, things still resolved. I agree that Dawn's "one week at a time" is a good thing to keep in mind, although I haven't been very good at doing that this week!
I am thinking about you and hoping today is a good day and that every day from now on is a good day for you!
Bambi

Hey all,
Day 15? - I think? I'm starting to lose track, and I guess that would have to be a good thing huh?
Last couple of days things haven't been too bad. I have not had much pain apart from just a little bit when I have a BM ... That is, as long as I keep things soft. If it firms a little, it's more painful. I do have some uncomfortable chaffing of the skin tag site but I'm not too worried about it. I think Dawn warned me that the chaffing might continue for a while. My re-tear a problem from a couple of days ago seems to be getting better quickly. The CRS told me that this might happen. She said that after surgery re-tears can happen, but tend to resolve fast because the underlying sphincter spasm, which is what makes it so painful, has been dealt with. She stressed that keeping the stool soft would allow the fissure the space it needs to heal.
Bambi - No, I'm not taking any pain meds. Like you, I'm having about 3 BMs a day. The CRS says this is too many, but I find that as long as they are soft, it isn't a problem. Your description of the pain during BMs pretty much matches mine. I still have that same stretching feeling as well.
Thanks heaps! It sounds like you're doing really well.

Wow - two weeks passed?! Sounds like a very good strategy to achieve and maintain the Miracle Soft Poop as much as possible. That seems to make such a difference!! If there were an Olympic competition in this sport, we would all get the gold medal!
Here's to your continued recovery!!
By the way, do you get a "real winter" there in Auckland? I've never been in the southern hemisphere...

Yes, I have got the Miracle soft poop achieved, but have yet to figure out over the past few months how to get back to my wonder year days that lasted for years and years when I just got up every morning, went once and that was it. Accept for the occasional loose poop later in the day if too hot, too excited, too anything or a combination thereof!
Bambi

BB,
Nah, we don't really get a "real winter" in Auckland. I'm pretty sure that it's only ever snowed once in Auckland (in recorded history) and that was back in 1939 or there abouts. Sometimes during winter, if you're out of bed early enough, you'll see a frost on the ground, but in general the climate is very mild year round. Of course, we do moan about the cold during winter, but that would seem ridiculous to someone from your part of the world!
I've only been to the northern hemisphere once. You can bet, when I visit again, it won't be during winter!
:D
Bambi - Ahhhh, the good old days! Back when I was a kid, pooping would make me feel like a million bucks!
So sad those days are gone. :(

excellent news sphictersaurus!!!!
keep up the good work and keep the poops soft.
my poop may not come out soft today or tomorrow, whenever it will show up, as i went to my first ever hockey game last night as a guest in a very posh boxed seats and they had lots of "sports" food: chicken wings, glazed ribs, assorted sandwiches, ceasar salad, potato salad, hot dogs, popcorn, chips, assorted cookies, alcoholic and soft drink beverages...
i had to partake in my first hockey game experience ever so i dug into 2 chicken wings, a pita sandwich with chicken, and i just couldn't resist having a hot dog with potato chips! i just had one Sprite.
between the bread in the hot dog and pita sandwich, that is what concerns me.
that game was brutal! by the time it was 9 pm i had to leave and it was only on 2 intermission! the rangers were beating the capitols 4-0 by that time.
i should google the score to see who won.
***
anyway, i have confidence that with some more positive persistence, more high ass maintenance, and keeping your diet and poops under control, you'll be healed but it's a little further walk up ahead.
you'll get there!
big hugs 2 u and lots of healing as well

Sounds like a fun experience at the hockey game, Happy. I bet you can offset the not so good food with all your normal very good eating habits today, don't you? I do think we all need to work hard at still having fun- and that's hard sometimes because food is such a part of that (and drink!).
Bambi

About three weeks since LIS - Wow, the time has passed really quickly!
So ... Not doing too badly! I have very little pain remaining. I'm still getting the odd sharp, stabbing pain in the butt area, but they pass very quickly. About every third BM is still a bit painful, both on the fissure side and the LIS side at times. As always for me - soft poop is key! Even a little bit formed will cause pain. The former skin tag site is closed and continuing to heal and the chaffing I had around that area is almost gone. I’ve no discharge from either wound. That's a relief because it means I can get a little more activity in. Overall, BMs have been just Ok … Not great. I've been getting an aching pain from the LIS site during and for a while after BMs, and sometimes (like this morning) I get pain from the fissure site as well. It hasn't actually torn in the past week, although it felt like it was on the verge of doing so this morning. Hopefully it won't happen! I’m still getting a very ‘stretched’ feeling when I go, but not every time. I haven’t felt the need for any pain relief for the butt issues, but I have taken some for lower back pain and dental pain … Off to the dentist today. WOOHOOOOO!
Overall, I’m just keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully I can get this stupid fissure to heal!

I hope everyone is doing Ok. :)
Happy – did you pay (in the butt sense) for all that ‘sports food’? I’ve been to chicken to try anything new!
:D