(Lt to rt: my daughter, my partner/spouse Deborah, me (also a Debra), my son-in-law,
and in the front my grandson and granddaughter)

On June 14 my partner and I (we have been together over 15 years) gathered with close family (just my daughter and her husband and kids) in the old growth rainforest just outside the Nisqually entrance to Mount Rainier National Park and spoke our vows in the most wonderful natural setting imaginable! For about three weeks leading up to the big day I was super conservative with my eating to make sure I had a calm and quiet bum and no active issues with my fissures. We chose to rent a house in the forest, with multiple bathrooms, and I knew I would have ready access if needed. It was the perfect setting! We also kept it very low key so the stress would be minimal, and we did not stick to a rigid schedule, which helped in the case of a 2 year old granddaughter who decided to discover the world of tantrums right before our appointed time! So we just waited for her to calm down and proceeded!

It was a magical day!


And it is true what they say . . . even if you have been together as long as we have, it is different after you have said vows, exchanged rings, and signed that license! It was a beautiful day under the cedars and amongst the moss and ferns . . . and we even did a little hike in the park the following day.

What a great looking family you have there left handed!
Many congratulations, and I'm so glad you were well enough to enjoy your special day.... It looks an absolutely stunning location!
Thanks for sharing!!

OMB x

For work: I don't sit that much. I have a rolling cart as a desk, and am able to raise it up to stand. Thank God for laptops. If I sit, then I have a donut. The donut isn't pretty, so I throw a small blanket over it at my desk. For all other sitting, it's the shifting back and forth. Anyway, sitting is death.
In the car: I have an ice pack. I live in Southern California, and we spend our entire lives in our cars. Keep a donut in there, and buy some of those ice packs that you can crack and they get cold, for the commute home.
Socializing: I've just started a pretty strict diet --low on carbs, low on meats, but everyone just thinks I'm trendy.
Bathroom: Yes, going at work is essential. I carry portable wipes with me in my pocket, also some ointment --which as I've described isn't working.
I think a lot of people suffer with these problems and never talk about it. Maybe they take early retirement, maybe they quit, maybe they go on disability. but it's so much better talking about it.
Thanks for posting this topic!

I'm a Network Engineer and usually sitting in front of the computer, it caused me a little discomfort that's why I kept walking a little to ease it. It ain't easy to maintain it, especially in drinking lots of water cause I always use the bathroom many times ahaha I can't hold it esp. the pooping one.

I drink a lot of water, had fiber supplements 3x a day, brisk walking on the way to work. I try not to force myself to poop and relax myself when doing it. These past days, I'm doing sitz bath and does wonders (Esp. if it's itchy!) I use wet wipes or the showerhead the company had beside the toilet.

Have UC and AF. Cant work atm and i really dont care anymore anyways. 2014 has been a nightmare and i am living in a deep black hole now.

Having concerns about going back to work next week, which will be 10 weeks since had botox , sentenal pile removal and biopsy. After a long 26 years suffering in silence until op, end of October 2014. Hence my name " my journey" and it certainly has been. the pain post op was horrendous but has lessened over time but nothing I was given for pain has had any effect . At present having a set back getting stressed about work and then having to find new flat with little notice has equalled in stress overload, no sleep and a magnitude of pain all day long . Scared I fall into becoming depressed and it feels like it a lot of the time recently but I need to stay strong and do this. I am also finding out a lot of foods I cant eat anymore and have mainly changed to a vegetarian diet. Eating a lot of fibre and cutting out spice essential as is drinking plenty water 2-3 pints a day preferably. Have cut out all citrus fruits and kiwi , eating plates of carrot and turnip or potato mash , soup works a wonder , low fat plain yoghurt with banana and little muesli is all good. I certainly get why some people have said they become obsessed with it and how a bm can dictate the kind of day they have , I know that's how it affects me. I also take fibro gel and movicol everyday. I don't know if the whole healing process takes longer when older. I am 51 and also have diabetes type 2 .
Things that have worked are hot baths to soak or sitz bath as often as required. tea tree oil in bath , own manuka honey dressings - very soothing. sitting on a hot water bottle . resting as much as possible first few weeks , that was hard but soon learnt the hard way , walking was near impossible but I am not used to being confided to sofa land. Spent a lot of first month or so getting the paints out and being creative , made a lot of Christmas tree decorations and own cards this year . finding something to do other than tv etc is so beneficial as takes mind of it when your able too and a plus with achieveing something however small , always a positive. Anyway I hope some of this is helpful to some and any advice re food diet tips and pain management really appreciated . thank you all

asdf123456 wrote:Has anybody ever had to quit their jobs because of this? I am seriously considering it. I think I have to, honestly. The whole thing is massively depressing. I had three surgeries, all failures, and I just don't know what to do anymore. I can either live with it and pretend that nothing's wrong, or re-organize my whole life around it. It's crazy. I don't know what to do. I have a corporate job and I don't want to continue it if this thing isn't going to get better, and it isn't. If that's the case, then I don't see another option but to gracefully bow out and move into my mothers basement for the rest of my pathetic existence.

I have done that. Quit my job, sold my apartment and moved into my parents house. So i will live there for the rest of my pathetic life.

I'm a software engineer and spend 7-8 hours a day sitting in front of a computer (I do try to get up and walk around every hour or so and then good half hour walk at lunch)

I got hemorrhoids and then some time later bad case of AF in the exact same spot. The pain meant I couldn't go for long walks and was forced to take long toilet breaks at work but apart from that; I think I managed work OK.

I only had to take a day off once; but that was more due to anxiety and mental stress than physical pain really. It's definitely difficult to concentrate on work when your bottom is on fire though :)

I'm a college student, currently working as a waitress which is both a blessing and a curse (I don't have to sit down much, but I'm constantly stressed while at work.) I'm a very anxious person. I've been told by family and friends for YEARS that I need to stop worrying so much. I wonder if this is God's way of teaching me to calm the f*k down haha. It really has forced me to stop stressing so much. I also don't get angry at people as often. Before getting angry I have to stop and think: is feeling butthurt over this really worth feeling LITERALLY butthurt? And the answer is generally no.

Im a primary school teacher. had to take 3 days off last week due to this mess. Two of the days were psychological distress I think as my body didn't feel human and couldn't believe how bad I was. I was passing lumps like golf balls. This seems to have stopped now????? Not sure what that means

Currently on half term.

Work will certainly be challenging next week. Like someone else said wisely-my day at work will be based around the last BM I had and how it made me feel.

Love my job and hate this life changing condition.

Lets see what next week brings...live with my hubby who is an angel but everyone has their limits