Hi everyone-
I am still doing well at at little past the 6 month point, but I am very nervous about something I am doing today. I have been keeping up my water consumption, doing pretty well with the fruits and veggies, doing some high fiber things(my body just can't take too much of that). I've been off stool softeners and such for several months and that was a really good thing for me. They made me go several times a day and gave me lots of gas, which made me anxious . I mention that because I would hesitate to take one later.
I am doing one of the most physical things I have done in a while. My husband and I are doing a thing that is an "urban race"- like a 5 hours scavenger hunt of our city. This will be the third year we have done it with a couple that are friends of ours. Last year, I did it with the fissure and was really nervous then and things turned out ok. My concern is that I will get really dehydrated and get constipated and retear. On the other hand, before it starts I am trying to eat things that won't make me have a BM in the middle of things. Trying to find a bathroom to use can be a challenge. And to start things off this morning, I had the most constipated BM I have had in months, which just scared the pants off me. But it all went well- that's a good thing that I shouldn't overlook! I really am healed down there, I just don't want to mess it up!!
So my strategy so far is to eat on the conservative side before the event and try to drink at least my 4 16 ounce glasses of water before it starts (leaving an hour or so to pee most of it out beforehand). Then to take one bottle of water with me and then drink water and eat a big salad and fruit this evening. Hope this works out ok. I still feel the need to have all my potential butt medications and wipes along, so I will have those in a backpack in case I need them.
It isn't really a "race"- I am not a runner! We walk quickly and last year probably walked 10 miles on concrete on a 95 degree day. I guess if I did it last year with fissure, I shouldn't be so worried today, right? Sorry to whine, but only you guys really "get" the anxiety this leaves us with for awhile.
Oh and see happy post in Off Topic concerning hubbie!
Bambi

Good luck with your race!
Hope everything goes well. You sound like you're doing all you can possibly do to prevent a retear, and hey, we have to live our lives! It's so horrible that everything we do is overshadowed by the thought of it returning! I sometimes wonder if that will ever pass.....sigh!
I hope your fears are unfounded!

Hey Bambi! How did your day go? Did you have fun? Do we get to hear the story??
I hope you had a great time and that you bum was nice to you!
How is Doug doing?
We miss you and hope you are doing wonderfully!

Actually the race day went really well. I only had a BM once in the morning and very little if any leakage or irritation. It's a good thing, because you really don't have much of a chance to even pee or anywhere to do so on this race. When we finished, it was at a bar this year (different than the past) and I went in the wonderfully cool bathroom and spent a few minutes checking things out. Everything was ok and the next morning as well. We had company arriving at 11 that morning. I had never met them so I was nervous about that as well. I had a second firm BM when they were here and tried to clean up quickly. Last night right before bed I had to go again and when I blotted on the tp after wiping a few times there were two tiny drops of what looked like blood. Blotted again and same thing- scared me to death! But this morning, no pain or blood. I did eat tomatoes and sundried tomatoes yesterday and maybe that's what it was but I don't think so. But so far so good!
Bambi