Here we go!!!!

[calico]

Ok so I wanted to start a topic, about my trip to thailand and my surgery with Dr. Chattawut, and I figured it didnt seem to fit in with making a blog so , here is where I am starting it.
This is my intention, I'm not trying to bash or say bad things etc etc etc, I'm just going to coriograph (sp?) my trip the before,during and after so other can gett a somewhat idea what to posibly expect.
I am doing this as an outlet partially because of my excitement,nervousness, and just plain anxiety.
Something I would like to make clear also.. While I wont voice my complete opinion or srs and transgendered things I will say this because of a certain post that was made a bit back that I feel should really be addresed.
SRS is not to be taken lightly, there are rules to being alowed to recieve it, and while the most persistant person can find ways to cheat and work around these rules in order to recieve SRS it most be know THIS IS NOT A REVERSABLE SURGERY so you best make sure this is a must for you before you decide you are ready to take too trip that I am taking. You are ultimately in control of your body and what you decide to do just be sure you are making the right choice, as if you have post surgery regret there is only one person to blame.
I have came to the decision that I would rather be dead than to continue on as I am, I have succesfully transitioned but I feel not complete so this decision is one of self preservation, if I couldnt make it happen than I wont go into the specifics but like I said a few lines back I would rather be dead than stay this way.
and now that I have got that out of my system on with the show, and feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer as I can 

Today I am at T-10 days till lift off, I am to fly out on the 24th for my oh so-fun 29hour flight I am getting more and more anxious as D-day gets closer, and I am sure I will make it throuugh it but sstill non-the-less I am anxious
Another thing that is fixing to happen is tonight will be the night I have to stop taking my preciouse hormone med's and a couple other meds that are related to pain control, so I no-doubt have the feeling that I may go-off on some poor pitiful soul,either at work or random do to pain and lack of hormones which will be playing games with my emotions. While I have thought about forgoing the instructions as to not taking them I have  decided to follow the instructions to the T as I want everything to go as possibly well as I hope fore,
so bear with me friends for I do believe the next 10-14 days are gonna be a doozy!!!
thats it for this eve more to come tomorow!!

[KayCeeDee]

Good luck calico, we will be thinking of you and anxiously awaiting good news from you!

[starbright]

BEST OF LUCK GIRL!!!!! Dr. Chett is amazing and is gonna take great care of you. Your in great hands with him from what all others have told me. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.

[kelly25]

Good luck

[calico]

Today T minus 9 days to lift off and counting, thanks everyone for the pleasent response's today the anticipation builds as does the the stress, today was definately not a good day, work was brutal, if it was allowed I realy could use to give someone a good smacking around. , but I'm not so tomorow will hopefully be better. Tonight, is the first nite of me off my pills soo I'm a lil nervous about this but its a prereq so, I guess I will manage.
Today I also took care of certain bill, and medications making sure I had enough for my trip, and setting up certain account to allow me to jump one payment,till I return. taking care of the little stuff per-se
one thing of minor anoyance is a recent issue I had thought was corrected, and that is my letter for recomendation for srs, I had a letter from 2002-2003 but it wasnt adequate since it wasnt from a licensed psychologist, well I had an apoint spent my 140 dollars and got a letter from a Phd and sent it to the good dr, which I am actually dealing with SOM the business manager, as she is wanting to schedule me with their psychologist for 9600 bht which I am slightly confused as to why this is now needed since I have the aproriate credentials, I have sent an email back explaining this and have offered to re-email a copy of the letter, hopefully this will be ressolved, as having to deal with this one more time is very frustrating as I dont think it is needed, hopefully its just minor confusion and all will be resolved. I do not look forward to haveing to come up with an additional 9600 (324USD) for another letter that I basically do not need at this point. grrr
Anyway, I feel nausiated today so I do believe I will sign off at this point and untill tomorow good-night and sweet dream!!

[tomthom]

you can do it! INTO THE BREACH!

[Elainagirl59]

Wishing you the best.  SRS is a wonderful part of the journey. 

Elaina

[calico]

Quick morning update

Damn the technicalitie's so aparently you need a PhD psychiatrist, not a PhD psycholgist for your letter. I may be screwed and have to just have to pay the fee, would of been nicer to find out earlier.

[calico]

He requires a certificate from a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist. Ask your psychologist if he has a license number given by the Board of Psychology in your State and the problem is solved!

The second letter was from a licennsed psychologist  ,so IDK WTF, and I just checked the website and it say what you just said so now I'm relly like WTF, emailling them now. stress now X 11ty billion.......
and I definately think the lack of hormones is mess'ng with me bad

BTW this is what I am emailing them

Ok now im even more confused, on the website it say licensed psychologist is fine

its say's

"Before scheduling sex reassignment surgery, I need to prove your SRS recommendation letter. Please note that now I accept the letter from only psychiatrist and/or license psychologist with his/her credentials and the contact address/telephone number/e-mail address.You can send the copy by fax or e-mail the attached jpeg.files (size 50-100 KB per each page)"

on this page

http://www.chet-plasticsurgery.com/?page_id=626

I dont see the problem at this point I have a letter from 2002-2003 from a LPC, and i understand thats not good, but does work as a 2nd recomendation, than I have a currentt letter from a Phd licensed psycologist.

not to mention I changed my name and have been living as well... me since then ,and my birth certificate is even changed.

So I dont understand, can you please explain more fully?

this is really upsetting me plus the fact I have 50 thing to do (I made a list) with now only  8 days left
I guess if I have to I have no choice and will have to anty up to what they want but you can bet if they stilll bother me about this I will raise heck with the dr when I get there because if the only letter that will workis one from a psychiatrist than they need to  correct this

[calico]

nope it is not I will email her as well. hopefully she  can help 

[calico]

I just emailed her to please email me her credentials, hopefully after I get that it will be all resolved, I really dont got 300 extra dollars to pay for another letter

[calico]

No response as of yet , but I have had one thing happen today...... I am sick!!! yay:( I was feeling a lil out of it the last couple days, and had a cough thaat got progrssively worse and well, went to an urgent care today and I have strep throat,a lung infection, and somthing else that started with a p . but I have a z-pack, some prednisone so hopefully i should be better soon, untill then not much of an update this evenin.
so after this days festivitie's and fun we are at T minus 6 daystill lift-off!!
oh and one thing to note aparently the standards of care updated in sept 2011, where 2 letter are needed, so for anyone out there be well of aware of this or be prepared to pay the dr's piper!
nite all!!

[rachl]

That's a little ->-bleeped-<-ed up that they're not honouring your letter: they (seem to have?!!) accepted mine from a psychologist (PhD) just fine. WTF indeed!

[calico]

That's a little ->-bleeped-<-ed up that they're not honouring your letter: they (seem to have?!!) accepted mine from a psychologist (PhD) just fine. WTF indeed!

interesting   well hopefully its all good now, kinda frustrating to have last minute things to have to take care of.I think I am going to send another email to them again today.

so far I am really starting to dislike the word psychologist and psychiatrist

[calico]

T-5 days to lift-off  ;
I got a reply back from Dr, C's  and i guess I am SOL I will have to see their pychiatrist because 2 letters are aparently required now, so for those who are planing on going I would suggest you get the letters in order.
Now while I have 2 letters only one of them is valid,the one from the psychologist as a letter from a LPC is not acceptable.
I wrote back a hap-hazzard joke about getting a discount if I could organise a group session for multiple letters, there hasnt been a response yet
meanwhile back at the ---ranch

me being sick is definately cruddy should be over soon, i am now at the stage of geting packed up and ready to go, still need to do a lil more shopping and then I should have everything, I have purchased a voltage converter (very important!!)and it should be here before I leave.

It almost doesnt seem real kinda wild, definately got the anxious butterflies happenin....

till tomorow.....

[imperfectlyperfect]

T-5 days to lift-off  ;
I got a reply back from Dr, C's  and i guess I am SOL I will have to see their pychiatrist because 2 letters are aparently required now, so for those who are planing on going I would suggest you get the letters in order.
Now while I have 2 letters only one of them is valid,the one from the psychologist as a letter from a LPC is not acceptable.
I wrote back a hap-hazzard joke about getting a discount if I could organise a group session for multiple letters, there hasnt been a response yet
meanwhile back at the ---ranch

me being sick is definately cruddy should be over soon, i am now at the stage of geting packed up and ready to go, still need to do a lil more shopping and then I should have everything, I have purchased a voltage converter (very important!!)and it should be here before I leave.

It almost doesnt seem real kinda wild, definately got the anxious butterflies happenin....

till tomorow.....

Thanks for sharing! What a bummer! I was just about to pay my 350 dollars to a psychologist! Glad I didn't! They should update their website!ugh! So what other letter is it that is required? ...

[calico]

Thanks for sharing! What a bummer! I was just about to pay my 350 dollars to a psychologist! Glad I didn't! They should update their website!ugh! So what other letter is it that is required? ...

here is what was emailed to me

"As the new WPATH guidelines, which were published in September of 2011for standard of care, SRS candidates are required referrals from 2 qualified mental health professionals.

Mental health professionals who recommend surgery share the ethical and legal responsibility for that decision with the surgeon.

The referral letter(s) should address directly to Dr.Chettawut and one referral must come from either psychiatrist or licensed psychologist and another referral can be issued from many sources which are psychiatrist or licensed psychologist or sexologist or gender therapist.

All the copies of original SRS recommendation letter with signature need to be approved by Dr.Chettawut in advance (preferred by attached jpeg or pdf file via e-mail) and the original documents must be brought to Thailand and provided Dr.Chettawut on the consultation day."

So yes a licensed PhD Psychologist can write your letter, but you will also need a second letter either from another ddr of the same field, or better, but definately no LPC's but from the way I am reading the reply its still up to the Dr's aproval, but in any of the letters the credentials must be clearly seen.

on another nnote I may have another letter before I leave but its looking grimm, so Iwont hold my breath but I do hope this second Dr. pulls threw for me either way I am now prepared to pay for his dr if not. and honestly IMO if you are going to pay someone here 350 for a letter you might as well get it there since its the same price, I only want to get the letter here as I have insurance that will cover it and a FSA account to pay for the co-pay, so getting one here mean more money in my pocket saved. for me to be able to pull this trip/surgery I have had to plan very carefully so more money is definately better.

so at the moment T - 4 days till lift off, very very very anxious having trouble with sleep lately so much that i was late to work 45 minutes today I have bought the things I needed, and have got one suitcase packed, waiting till saturday to doo the final suitcase. and I am getting my 2 carry-ons sorted, a well.  definately action packed without a doubt.
I was plannin on packing some food but it looks like there wont be spare room guess I will have to get groceries there... hmm

also hormones are starting to really get on my nerves I can definately tell I am not in a good spot, i cant wait for the surgery to come that way I can get back on my mones- as of right now I have a bit of an edgy attitude, I kinda want to run and hide, and avoid the world..  but I can't do that so.. trying to survive
anywho thats it for the evening, untill next time kids- I am off to bed!!

[mintra]

I have bought the things I needed, and have got one suitcase packed, waiting till saturday to doo the final suitcase. and I am getting my 2 carry-ons sorted, a well.  definately action packed without a doubt.
I was plannin on packing some food but it looks like there wont be spare room guess I will have to get groceries there... hmm

Calico, do you plan on having help with those bags? Remember you'll be walking funny and can't lift heavy things for a while.

[calico]

Calico, do you plan on having help with those bags? Remember you'll be walking funny and can't lift heavy things for a while.

Yes, I will, but it wont matter as it will condense once I get there mostly what the 2nd bag is about is disposable's and such. and the carry on's well I'm carrying my laptop,some minor personal items,a book, and my psp.
I plan to go with 4 total and come back with 2 

and we are at T-3 days till liftoff,
so a real quick update- I called my mom and sis, well went through the smear again, my mom was like so your really going to do this and I said yes and unlike the past talked where she just seemed to gnore me she seemed more in on the talking and was no heatedness in our conversation. She wanted to know when I will return so she can get vacation time of to come get me and take me back with her so I can recoup there.
My sister..... just givess me a headache, she's like you dont have to go through this I know lots of people like you who dont do it. you know this is going to change who you are and blah blah blah ,think yer making a mistake blah blah typical stuff peole who dont understand say.. then she tries reverse psycology and starts saying how I sound like im unsure and that she doesnt really care either way.  ....right    oh well, doesnt make my evening very happy ,I do care what she think's I'm not going to lie but its not for her,its for me and I NEED to do this, she will probally never understand
anyway I am off to bed still more stuff for tomorow

[calico]

T-2 days left!!!!!
and I feel horible, and am gettiing to a point that I am really hating this off hormones crap, omg I cant stand it! but I must endure a little longer, than I can go back to taking .................my preciouuss...ack at one point tonight I picked up the bottle and grasping to it like it was life thought about taking them but I put them away this being of hormones really is rough.
anyway thats it just had to get it out as I AM REALLY NOT enjoying the lack ther-of my pretty blue pills