Hey Lisa,
I used the shower head to spray during my recovery and only used regular cotton balls that I wet w/ warm water. If you have to use baby wipes then I would get the dye free, perfume free- hypoallergenic. I have ran warm water on the wipes and rinsed them out before using them. I would put some cotton in a ziploc and some baby wipes and find a handicap stall with a sink to use to clean up if I were you. You definitely want to dab and not wipe to hard I'm sure you already know that, though!
It's too bad you have to go back to school so soon during your recovery... Setting on your butt this soon and moving around so much probably isn't going to speed the healing process up...

Don't forget, your ass has been through a bad trauma with surgery, it will take a long long time to feel anything like normal, I guess we all expect an instant cure with no pain but that isn't the case, I've had intermittent pain ever since my LIS, although it is much more manageable and that's after 5 months.
It's a long road for some and for others it's just a walk up the garden path.

Hi Lisa
Try this:
http://www.sanicare.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Renaissance+Premium+Travel+bidet
I have one of these for those travel moments but you could use it at school obviously. Its like a mini-shower spray that comes out of a long thin adapter that you can angle. You fill it with warm water and its then then a matter of press the button. I had to have it sent from the States, not sure where you are.
To be honest with you though, you probably don't want to hear it but, you might want to think about delaying your return to work. This last op I had three weeks off followed by four weeks only doing half days, then the Christmas off (1.5 weeks) and have managed to go back full time at the moment.
As others are saying it can take a while to recover and sometimes feel like you are going backwards with the recovery. The thing is you don't want to encourage backward steps by pushing your butt beyond its limits. Remember your butt is in charge for now don't give it an excuse to punish you, lol!
Hope this helps.

I definitely don't have a choice in going back to school. Luckily, I am taking 18 hours but only 2 of the classes are at school, so it's only two days a week for like 3 hours. I was hoping I could just bring a puffy coat and sit on it. I need those credits. I am trying to get out of school as fast as possible. This is my second degree and it is already a risk jumping careers like I am. I can't risk even one class.
I feel a lot better today though cuz I stayed off of my butt yesterday. I really think I just overdid it and the episode of constipation and too much miralax just pushed my butt over the edge. I did the ice thing and that helped a lot too. I am just going to take it really easy until Monday.
The cotton ball idea is definitely a good idea for school. I already started doing that and it helps a lot. I think that is something easy to throw in my bag for school without having to carry around anything too crazy.
Silly CRS, told me, "I think you'll probably be good in about a week." Pffft! yeah right!
Does anyone know how long it takes for the stitches to dissolve? I think they are what is driving me the most crazy!

Elizabeth,
What is your new career going to be???

I was told my stitches would dissolve in 4-6 weeks max, they are annoying, I think I popped one or two of mine during excessive pooping which hurt like hell.

@ Cheryl...
I was a nurse. Now, I am going for accounting. I didn't like the hours very much and it wasn't too big of a deal to switch to accounting from the credits I already had with nursing.
I know..I was a nurse. You would think I would know how to answer some of these questions myself, but it's funny how much you forget after you haven't been working or studying it for a while. Plus, I worked in the NICU so what I did, didn't really relate to all of this post-op stuff.
@ Steve...Thanks...4-6? wow that seems like a long time. They are driving me crazy.

Elizabeth,
Nurses have to know lots of stuff besides butt-related info. Where do you live in the U.S.?? Even Pinky used to ask questions, and she's a doctor!

ElizabethAnnB wrote:Silly CRS, told me, "I think you'll probably be good in about a week." Pffft! yeah right!

Lisa, belated congrats on your recent LIS! And if it makes you feel any better, I think nearly all of us were told this whopper

NeuropathicGuy wrote:

ElizabethAnnB wrote:Silly CRS, told me, "I think you'll probably be good in about a week." Pffft! yeah right!

Lisa, belated congrats on your recent LIS! And if it makes you feel any better, I think nearly all of us were told this whopper

No kidding. It was "5 days" for me. It was two weeks before I could start sitting down somewhat comfortably.
As long as we're talking butt cleaning, here's what I do/did. I use the toilet sitz bath after a BM and occasionally other at times. I also use Puffs Plus tissues, wetted down slightly with warm water, for wiping. While my post-LIS discharge was bad, I cut a rectangular piece of soft gauze, folded it over my extended fingers, and jammed it up there (carefully of course). That needed replacing every few hours or so.