After several months of trials (and tribulations) and 2 botox injections (3 weeks post my 2nd one and doing MUCH better this time around), I seem to have struck a balance diet-wise as to what works for me in keeping things softly-just-right.
Overall, portions continue to be less than what they were.
As instructed by my GI, I get at least 24g Fiber/day and do this by having daily:
A bowl of Kashi cereal (10g/serving) w/frozen fruit/berries, 3-5 prunes and some kind of nondairy milk ( but will use skim if i run out of other stuff) or greek yogurt w/agave.
A gnu bar (12g Fiber) for an afternoon snack.
Aside from that lunch is usually some kind of soup/small salad/1/2 sandwhich
I tend to munch throughout the day on: carrot sticks, almonds, apples, rice crackers, etc
Dinner follows similar principle of protein (meat and cheese is sparing), veggies (usually cooked), some kind of grain.
I usually have 2-4 squares of Lindt dark chocalate/day
and I've even started to splurge with gelato recently, and i've even had a few fries - usually i'll pop 4 citrucel if i feel like a meal has less than desireable fiber content in it.
And of course lots of water (i do have a c of coffee in the morning), herbal/green teas, etc. I have returned to drinking wine, but again less than before and with lots of water (altho i did go wine tasting in vineyards a couple weekends ago and got totally rocked and was a little concerned, but things still stayed soft)
Haven't used any creams on my behind in ages (tried nifed, hydrocortizone, lidocaine, jojoba oil, witch hazel) and it feels better for it, for me.
And I haven't used any stool softeners in a long while (had been taking colace/miralax regularly for months, but have been successfully weaned off of that for weeks now).

Sailorgal,
I'm so glad to hear you are still having great improvement and you have found a diet routine that works so well for you.
And you're even having some fun again. Even better news!
I continue to hope for complete healing for you this time around, and it sounds like you are well on your way! Hooray!

Hi Sailorgal,
It's nice to know that you're feeling better. Did you have a fissurectomy with your botox? Also, are the fiber pills constipating, I mean do you have to drink lots of water with them?

Thanks guys! I pray that as the botox wears off in the next month or 2, that things "will hold" regard the healing - without any setbacks.
I did have a fissurectomy the 1st time around - it was pretty significant per my surgeon who "sliced and diced me" bcz there was so much infected scar tissue and she sewed me up (which retore anyway). the 2nd time around, my new CRS didn't do a formal fissurectomy, but debrided the scar tissue bcz the fissure didn't heal correctly (a layer of scar tissue tried to grow over top the fissure, but there was still a 'pocket' underneath that wasn't healing).
I initially was concerned that metamucil would be constipating in how it bulked up my stool, but combining it with colace helped loads. You want to make sure you take it with meals and with at least a full glass of water. but metamucil did create a LOT of gas for me which was uncomfortable. I eventually switched to Citrucel which created a lot less gas for me and was more comfortable to take in that regard (worth the extra price).