Bummer, you sure went through one hell of a ride I dunno how you did that just in the office, but WOW!
BTW: if you're still looking for a way to rinse the old arse area, look up "peri bottle". You'll find tons of places selling them online for just a few bucks. They're often used for post-partum care (perianal rinsing/showering). I carry one on the outside of my backpack at all times (in the external compartment where one might carry a water bottle normally) and get interesting looks all the time from folks who know what it is :) But I don't care because it works a treat in rinsing the bung when I don't have the luxury of my own bathtub.

Hey Bummer - you sound like you are doing brilliantly! Congratulations! I think, though, that you should definitely keep those stools soft! I understand your concerns about going in public, but that is a whole lot better than passing a hard stool and undoing days' or weeks' worth of healing. NG has a great suggestion - I would use a peri-bottle (I'm going to look for one today!). Cleaning in a public restroom is actually not so hard, so personally I think carrying a butt-bag around for a few weeks is worth it (we all have butt bags here!)
Congratulations on your approaching 30th birthday! It sounds like you are really getting everything together ... that's wonderful. My 30s were awesome - way better than my 20s. Now I'm focusing on making my 40s better than my 30s. You are going to have so much fun as a 30-something :D ... Classical singer too - how lovely!
My butt's actually looking pretty good these days. There is only the slightest bit a swelling over the fissure, because the fissure is still healing. The skin tag site is now not swollen at all. It did bleed a bit this morning. That bummed me out for a short time (pun intended!), but then I recalled other people saying that the skin tag can take months to heal, so I'm not going to let it get to me. Generally, the butt looks quite normal now, after three weeks. It doesn't quite feel quite normal yet. The skin tag site still feels a bit raw, but there's not pain anymore (KOW!).
I think you are on your way to good healing! Just take it easy because you will be delicate there for a while yet - and take your stools softeneres! :D

Hi Bummer...at 5 weeks I still have swelling but I am not sure if the tag is swollen or the fissure. Your comment on the "frankenbutt" in another thread is appropriate for me also. I have decided not to look everyday because one day it'll look good and the next for no apparent reason (good BMs, no stress, not overdoing it, etc.) it'll be red and sore and more swollen. It can be frustrating. My CRS said the body is "remodeling" down there so just remember that and don't get too worried when it looks or feels weird.

NG - The peri bottle is an awesome idea! Thank goodness huge pocketbooks are in fashion I could easily carry one around without extra hassle. I'm definitely going to invest in that!
Hopetoheal - You're so right about getting in all my BM! I definitely do not want to undo any progress because of one stupid BM!!!!
I feel that the 30's will be great too! A lot of my peers are down about turning 30. They feel that they are old. I don't feel this way at all. 30 is the new 20! And I think I will feel especially better entering the 30's after all this preparation I have been doing for the past year! I'm excited about 30!
Day 7 and 8 were similar... There is slight pain... hardly noticeable. My BM was great yesterday hardly any blood. But today there seemed to be more blood! (no pain though) It is a bit itchy at times! What's that about!? The swelling has gone way done...but Hopetoheal, it looks like I still have skin tags there! !? Instead of my original 2 and 1 small one it looks as thought I have 4 big ones!! I really hope that means it's still swollen, though the swelling has gone down considerably and the pain has lost intensity. But you are 3 weeks post will no swelling in your skin tags and I am only a week and a day post...so I should relax and stop being so impatient.
Frustrated your crs put it very well "The body is remodeling down there." And Rome wasn't built in a day...soo. I needn't rush things and get discouraged so easily.

Oh yeah, Bummer - your 30s are going to rock!
It's a very good sign that you have no pain. Blood one week and a day post-op wouldn't concern me. I actually had some blood for the last three days (including this morning). I'm not sure if it's coming from the fissure or the skin tag, though. Either way, I don't find that too alarming because it will take some time for things to close up down there. I have no idea why we can have little or no blood one day, and the next have more blood, even with a good BM. But that does seem to be a pretty common experience. The itch! Oh yeah - I know about that! Itching can be associated with healing, so that could be a good sign. Just keep an eye on things to make sure that the itching isn't associated with an infection (i.e., if there's pus, redness, inflammation, etc.) I wouldn't worry about how things look down there just yet. It wasn't until about the end of week two for me that things stopped looking so scary. I was pretty sure I was going to have a huge skin tag at the fissure site because it was so swollen, but it has reduced dramatically and now it's starting to smooth over.
You are doing very well for a little over a week out. Healing from butt surgery takes a lot of patience - but you have a great attitude, so keep doing what you're doing. Soon this will be over. :D

Someone in this forum told me that itching can be due to dampness also. I was using a blow dryer for awhile after soaking. I dab the area lightly with tp a couple of times then blow dry...not too hot though. Also...and my boyfriend likes this new development...I don't put underwear on 'til I feel completely dry. Someone else said she walks around with no pants on for awhile too.
I think my skin tag looks worse than pre surgery too. I had one little one and now it looks twice as big. Trying not to worry about that very much.

hee hee ... I'm the one running around with no pants and undies
good point, Frustrated - moister can cause the itchies too!

I use the blow dryer too, I crack jokes about it all the time with my husband, at least my hair dryers always where I leave it now, no one will use it lol! I also still have a strange looking bum, for me that's not a concern as long as it doesn't hurt, but you had a few tags removed and stitches so the skin will stretch and adjust for awhile, I still have swelling most mornings after BM because there's still healing going on. Give it some time and don't judge by how it looks now, it'll get better. I'm glad you're feeling better though. For itching if it is moisture, use baby powder or corn starch, sometimes when it gets a little damp it can get sticky and stretch/irritate the healing skin.

Bummer, I had that "pulling" and "pinching" feeling for quite a while, so don't worry, it'll eventually go away. Glad to hear you're doing well.
Also, your friends are so wrong. I didn't START dancing professionally till I was 30 and did it till 37. I looked my best and was in the best shape ever during my thirties. Believe me, 30 is young! It is what 20 was 50 years ago.
Hell, I'm 43 and still feel young and do "young" things all the time.
Keep on keeping on!

Hey guys!
It's been 11 days since I've been here! I am 2 away from 3 weeks since my skin tag removal! I have been sooo busy in this opera workshop that I'm doing! It's more like opera bootcamp! I'm off early today because of some minor car trouble. So I figured I'd pop back in here since I had the night off.
Well today is day 19! :D My bum is doing great! It ALMOST looks normal! Where the skin tags were is still a tiny bit bulbous. I'm hoping that that means its still a little swollen. Even still, this is a lot better than what it looked like before the tags were removed. When I rinse the area with my fingers in the shower, it still feels a bit hard where the stitches were. I'm assuming once its all healed it will smoothe out. One thing I do find a bit odd is that I kind of feel that the anus is tigher... Like the hole has shrunk and I sometimes get the feeling like I have to push! That's what got me into this mess in the first place!!! I'm staying in a friend's apartment away from home for this workshop, so I forgot my stool softeners but did go and buy some the other day. Is this shrunken butthole thing normal??
I wasn't able to make my 2 week post dr visit due to this workshop. I'll have to wait another week and a half til the program is over to see him... but I feel good about my progress anyhow.
Sidra1968, what kind of dancing do you do? Thanks for the kind words about turning 30! My 20's was all about a rude awakening to what adulthood is all about! (moving out of my parent's house, having a serious bf for 8 years and then going through that AWEFUL aweful PAINFUL break up, the culture shock of moving out of my native state, getting my masters, maintaining a career, building the economic stabilty to get back to doing what I love-singing opera) So now that I kind of (loosely put) got the hang of adulthood and know what I want I think 30 will be about enjoying life and feeling confident in my skin! I did the prep work in my 20's! I made it out alive!