Coping With Fistulotomy

I’m 49 and live in Melbourne, Australia. I first experienced anal fissures (2) in 1999 on my 40 birthday. They eventually healed after about three years with topical treatments, but in late 2006, like many others here I developed a large painful swelling near my anus on the left side. I waited two days until I couldn’t walk and was having rigors from fever. My GP diagnosed a peri-anal abscess and sent me straight to the A&E department.
I had the abscess incised and drained by a general surgeon that night, but within six months it was clear a fistula had developed - the classic threesome of swelling, pain, and discharge confirming the diagnosis. Nothing like the first abscess episode, but debilitating nonetheless. It’s worth noting that apparently the longer one leaves a fistula untreated, and the more associated inflammation occurs, the more long term damage and threats to continence can occur, so there really is no point waiting.
I was referred to a colorectal surgeon who inserted a seton drain twelve months ago. He told me that one of his patients had lived with it for 5 years and had refused to have the site explored again because it was such a minimal inconvenience. However, appararently the fistula can become more superficial over time with a seton in situ and enable fistulotomy to be performed as it doesn’t threaten the anal sphincter muscle and hence continence.
Anyway, my seton worked a treat for the first ten months, but then a new swelling developed at the mouth of my fistula with associated discharge, so it was back to the surgeon for me. Two days ago I had a fistulotomy as my surgeon found on examination that my fistula was now sufficiently superficial that my continence was not placed at risk.
So far, so good. The associated pain has been the least of my three procedures, and the haemoserous drainage is not a problem so far. My first bowel action was scary, but thanks to the stool softeners, painless. Sitz baths are a must, both for comfort and healing purposes.
I’ll let people know how it goes - it’s a shame that most posters here don’t provide updates on their progress.
My best wishes to all with this awful condition…