Sweet...
I am so happy to hear your visit went so well and that you feel really good about your doctor and about your upcoming surgery! Hooray that you're on your way toward recovery, and that he scheduled you so quickly!
More hugs!

j -
Thank you, so much! No one likes to go through surgery, I guess - but I'm not afraid of it. I only want to recover without problems or difficulties. So, I'm going to do whatever I can to get there.
Dr. B. had a cancellation on Monday - and that's how I got in so quickly.
Hugs back atcha! I appreciate your support, and I'm sending mine to you, too.

So happy for you Sweet! Please please please follow the doc's orders sweetie.. and be sure you keep us informed when you have a chance and feel up to typing away here :) Did u get ur instructions for the prep before surgery?
God bless you and continue healing all of us.. Take care and a speedy recovery

Hi, granny -
Thank you! I'm a little nervous . . . NOT about having a surgical procedure, but I just hope I can recover without problems (I've read some depressing stories - some are on this forum, tool).
I think I'm having a bit of a panic attack over the whole thing.
These types of decisions are so personal . . . I know no one can make this decision, or go through this, for me . . . and various crs's have varying opinions . . .
Gads. It's a little scary, honestly.

Sweet,
Thanks for all that information from your doctor! I really appreciate it!
How are you doing today?
Do you have some help for the first couple days after surgery?
So the CRS is dealing with one fissure, what about the other? Is it too small to worry about?
So glad you found a CRS you could trust and be comfortable enough with to ask all those questions!
I think you will feel better when it is all done. Then you can move on.
Just remember for all the scary/depressing stories you mention above, there are many more that don't get written down, because they are just fine and can't be bothered to write on a forum, because they are moving on with their lives. You get a disproportionately larger number of things gone wrong on forums like this.
Also a lot of the scared posts on here, turn out to be nothing after all. It is just a scary place to get anything done to.
It would be so much easier if we were all suffering from chronic cuts on our arms! Lol!
:D
-woi

Hi, woi -
Thank you for asking about me. I can't say I haven't been nervous or haven't had anxiety. I tend to be anxious, anyway.
If this thing had gone away on its own by now, of course I'd be going on with my life. This is my second recurrence, and it's been a vicious recurrence. When I asked Dr. B. (crs #3, whom I saw on Thursday) if my AF would go away on its own, he unhesitatingly said "no." He said some people live with this condition for years, but other people can't function from it. He said my options were to live with it or have surgery. He also said there are no magic "potions or ointments" to make AFs go away. --- He did indicate that this is a fixable situation (via surgery), and I hope that's true for me and anyone else who does this.
So, this is my hope and prayer - that my surgery goes well, that I recover without complications, and that the surgery helps me. Otherwise, I'll have to live with this misery - and since this is not going away (and even if it did, it would probably come back), and since going to NY back and forth (from CA, where I live) is out of the question, then this is the option I've chosen.
You're right - a chronic cut on the arm could be dealt with so much easier! Even my c-sections were less intimidating for me, because the wound was on top of my lower tummy, where I could see it and tend to it.
And yes, this surgery is not undertaken without fear - but I know that there are many success stories, probably alot that don't get told here.
Of course, I intend to be around - I don't know how much right away after surgery, unless I can get one of my sons (or someone else here) to post for me. I don't have a laptop - and if I can't convince my hubs to buy one for me this weekend, I'll be offline for awhile, because I'm assuming that I won't be able to sit down here for awhile to type.
Anyway, thank you for your support!!! I really like the people I've met here - that's been a blessing about this forum - everyone is nice and just trying to get through his/her own miserable situation.
Maybe I'll get a laptop . . . but I'll be here today, tomorrow, and possibly a bit on Monday morning. I have to be at the hospital at 1 p.m. on Monday.
HUGS to you, woi!

Hugs back at you sweet!
I have to say, I love my laptop. Next time the desktop crashes we'll replace it with another laptop.
I like the tablets too for drawing, but prefer to have a separate keyboard for everything else. The fingerprints and smudges I always have to clean up on the convective screens of my phone and kobo ereader are annoying.
You can get a refurbished laptop pretty darn cheap too.
Anways, rent some good movies and pick up a couple good novels before Monday so you're all set!
-Woi

Hey SB
I just wanted to add my 2 cents also. It is very scary reading the "bad" sugery stories, or the ones who are not 100%, but you have to remember there have been hundreds of people on here dealing with the pain and agony of AF, fistulas and spasms. Most people leave the forum after surgery b/c they don't need support anymore. There is a few of us who stay on to check on everyone, but I must say it is so difficult, I feel so guilty b/c I feel so damn good and everyone is in pain. Also, think of the people who don't even know this forum exists and are dealing with this on their own. So, I am pretty sure there are more positive stories than negative.

I agree, Sue.
I wish everyone well - and for those who are better, but still take the time to check in (like you're doing), that's really appreciated by those of us who aren't there, yet.

Hi there Sweet!
Hope you persuaded your hubby to a laptop. I have one (in fact no desktop computer in the house), and a ipad, and my droid phone, so am armed for all.
I know that you are probably anxious as anything today, but just think that it will soon be over, you will be healing, and will never have to think of this nonsense again. I am going to see a surgeon about a skin cancer on my back (lots of sun in my childhood) and am worrying about that. Always something to worry about, even though I have had so many of these.
Snow blowing around here today, and I can no longer go to my favourite place for coffee (sitting in my car), as the track by my local river is closed now for winter, with about two feet of snow. But, right now I am lolling on the sofa and looking out the window, with the snow all over the place, and the sun peeping through. I love photography, and took a few shots this morning.
I feel for you. Believe me. But, soon it will be at an end for you.
Thinking of you, holding thumbs, and you will be much on my mind tomorrow. Soon all will be well!!