Yeson voice feminization surgery

[ChloëAri]

I'm sorry if this has already been answered, however there's over 84 pages...

Does this surgery allow one to scream? I know that most people are able to yell, but I lost my true scream at around the age of 10.
I know it's not the most important thing, but it does serve social purposes, such as at the amusement park (instead of a cute scream I have to deal with simply forcing myself to be silent instead of emitting an ugly yell). It also has security purposes, such as attracting attention in the case of being attacked for example.

[kwala]

I'm sorry if this has already been answered, however there's over 84 pages...

Does this surgery allow one to scream? I know that most people are able to yell, but I lost my true scream at around the age of 10.
I know it's not the most important thing, but it does serve social purposes, such as at the amusement park (instead of a cute scream I have to deal with simply forcing myself to be silent instead of emitting an ugly yell). It also has security purposes, such as attracting attention in the case of being attacked for example.

I do remember reading (way back) that Jenny was eventually able to get into the whistle register, and if one could get there at a decent volume, then the "roller coaster scream" you talk about would definitely be possible.  I don't know if anyone else has been able to access that as of yet, but I suspect that this would be something you would have to practice and maintain, or your muscles would lose the ability...assuming you can get there in the first place  

[ImagineKate]

I can still do the "roller coaster scream" I think but I don't do it because I don't want to damage my vocal folds.

[Teslagirl]

Ok, we just tried to find food at a reasonable price in the late evening around here and were amazed and shocked at just ho expensive it is here. The only thing that was reasonably affordable was basically soms sort of soup with seafood or meat on a bone in it. It was about 6000 Won, Other foods seem to start at 25000 Won , even a Pizza was 25000-37000 Won at one place we looked at. That is over 25 EU for a meal - I think in the nearest city at home (renowned to be expensive for Germany) I can have about 2-3 meals for that price.
Are we doing something wrong? How to find food at a reasonable price - or where to get raw food to cook for ourselves at a reasonable price at least, so we can maybe just cook pasta in our rental room.
My budget was supposed to be about 1000 EU for the reminder of the hotel costs, food & sightseeing for two people and I was kind of expecting to be able to pay some of the botox bill at yeson with the remainder of the money, I did not really expect to pay 25 EU per Person and day for the main meal

Anja, how are you getting on with communicating? Do you have a translation app on your phone? How about reading menus? If and when I go, I think I'll probably end up losing a lot of weight from not eating much!

[ImagineKate]

Anja, how are you getting on with communicating? Do you have a translation app on your phone? How about reading menus? If and when I go, I think I'll probably end up losing a lot of weight from not eating much!

This prompted me to check out my google translate app to see if they improved it. I had stopped using it because the only foreign language I really have to use is Spanish, and I am fluent in that so I don't have to use translate.

But Google Translate has become pretty awesome now. You can translate using the camera to read text, just like word lens, which is a paid app. We ordered chinese food and I had so much fun photographing the menu and receipt which had (simplified) Chinese characters.

So I guess this is how I'm going to work my way around Korea, when dealing with people who don't speak English.

[barbie]

This prompted me to check out my google translate app to see if they improved it. I had stopped using it because the only foreign language I really have to use is Spanish, and I am fluent in that so I don't have to use translate.

But Google Translate has become pretty awesome now. You can translate using the camera to read text, just like word lens, which is a paid app. We ordered chinese food and I had so much fun photographing the menu and receipt which had (simplified) Chinese characters.

So I guess this is how I'm going to work my way around Korea, when dealing with people who don't speak English.

Most Koreans can read English, although they have difficulty in listening and speaking. Thus, just show your note written in English will be enough, and better than inaccurate translation.

barbie~~

[anjaq]

Thanks for the restaurant tips. We will check them out. We specifically searched for not European restaurants but it seemed they all either closed at 10pm our did not understand us. Our had only soup. We will try again. I love gimbap and nominal. It was so good at Korean restaurants in Germany.

Communicating is hard. No one really seems to understand English. We made photos of the displays they had outside the restaurants and showed them to the service people. Some did not even have Latin numbers for prices so we avoided these.

Now we have some trouble using the Maestro card to get money. Internet said it should be possible, but so far no luck and I have not much credit left on the MasterCard.

[barbie]

Communicating is hard. No one really seems to understand English. We made photos of the displays they had outside the restaurants and showed them to the service people. Some did not even have Latin numbers for prices so we avoided these.

Now we have some trouble using the Maestro card to get money. Internet said it should be possible, but so far no luck and I have not much credit left on the MasterCard.

Your fingers are the most effective and universal tool for communication. Although I do not speak or read Japanese, I once guided several guys from various countries to a restaurant in Japan. They seemed to think that I am better than them in communicating with Japanese, but the fact is that I am the same in understanding Japanese. I chose a menu item and ordered beer using my fingers.

Credit card is a headache. Yes. When I first used my credit card in foreign countries, it was rejected for payment. Fortunately, nowadays I do not have any problem, as the banks now know that I am a frequent traveler to other countries. Usually I carry more than 2 credit cards, keeping one in the hotel for any emergency.

Remember this Korean word. It is "gimbap".


A good news is that the air becomes clean in Seoul.

barbie~~

[anjaq]

Oh, about the rollercoaster scream.... I hope I will retain that ability. I had it before VFS - I could acream in the 900 Hz range, probably "whistle register", but it is unclear if that is retained. Amy said her whistle register is not accessible anymore, while apparently Jenny found hers again. Maybe it takes time and trying hard... I dont know. I can just hope. Dr Kim reassured me however that since his sutures are thicker and more massive and stable, one can scream and shout after it is all healed.

[mk854]

Hi Anjac,
How are you doing post VFS? Best Wishes

[kwala]

Oh, about the rollercoaster scream.... I hope I will retain that ability. I had it before VFS - I could acream in the 900 Hz range, probably "whistle register", but it is unclear if that is retained. Amy said her whistle register is not accessible anymore, while apparently Jenny found hers again. Maybe it takes time and trying hard... I dont know. I can just hope. Dr Kim reassured me however that since his sutures are thicker and more massive and stable, one can scream and shout after it is all healed.

Anja, the whistle register is usually thought to start at Eb6, a minor third above the soprano high C which would be 1318.15 hz.  I read a post by Jenny where she said her "squeak voice" went all the way up to G6 which is Mariah Carey territory.  Most women describe this as a second break, or for a male voice box it would be like if your falsetto had a falsetto lol.  This is possible for some males.

900 hz, is about my current limit as well, going just above on really good days.  I can sustain notes up there at loud volumes.  This is still REALLY high, especially for male vocal cords, but not in the whistle range. 

I wouldn't expect to suddenly develop a whistle register after surgery but I would really hate to lose my regular high notes!

[anjaq]

Michele - I think I am doing ok. I slipped up a very few times with some small coughs and even stupidly two times said a word in a stupid situation. But I hope to be able to avoid that if I concentrate more. Other than that - the throat feels basically just like having some laryngitis - some sensation of a inflammation or "lump", but not much. Feels too healthy almost - one tends to forget that something there has radically changed. We managed to get cheaper food yesterday, anything remotely western (sandwich bread, sort-of-cheese, ham, sort-of-butter) is expensive, but KFC (Korean style fried chicken ) was affordable since the prices some restaurants show are actually often for two people sharing a meal that is large enough. I hope to be able to do some sightseeing today. Maybe the N Seoul tower... we still need to find an ATM that accepts MAESTRO though...

[anjaq]

Well - that "whistle register" is such a stupid debate - I tried to find out a bit, but it seems everyone has different definitions. I was told if I can go with a "male" voice box to above 700 or 800 Hz, it has to be whistle register already. So I dont know really. I know my screams are probably getting in the 900 Hz range and that is pretty squeaky - I have no idea what to expect post VFS. if it stays, it is ok, my upper limit seems to be unusual for a testosterone damaged voice box, if it goes up, i will be thrilled, I hope it will not go down.

[barbie]

we still need to find an ATM that accepts MAESTRO though...

I am looking at http://www.maestrocard.com/gateway/where/where_atm.html (choose 'Korea Republic of' and input 'seoul' in the city name field). It seems to me that "Family mart" has an ATM ("Family bank") for mastro card. Have you checked whether there is an ATM in Mini Family Mart just next to Phil House?

I search again an ATM closer to your location.

barbie~~

[barbie]

Anjaq,

I just called Kookmin bank (KB) to find a branch close to your location. It is KOOKMIN BANK, Guui-dong branch.



It is about 800 m from Phil house, and takes 12 minutes by walking.
If it is difficult to find, you may take taxi and showing the following address.



barbie~~

[mk854]

Anjac,

I am glad to hear that you are doing ok. Just a few more days and you'll be back home. I think most of us had cough here and there and forgot no to talk during 1st week. I did that too, not a big deal.
So, did you guys take subway from Incheon to Phill? Michelle

[anjaq]

Thanks barbie. We found out that apparently it is about which bank we have at home. My card worked without any issue at all at some random global ATM we choose, my friend's did not work at any of 6 ATMs we picked.

Michelle - I hope it all is well. I try not to speak more words as hard as I can. We took the bus from ICN to Gunja station and then the subway to Achasan where Phil House is. it was not too bad, but we were soooo tired that it seemed like it takes forever. On the way back we probably take the subway - the one from Achasan goes directly to the Gimpo airport in an hour...

[ElleA]

Hi MK854/Michelle,

Have you started talking yet? I am just two days away. I have actually managed to make it through an entire month only saying five words total.

I for one am looking very much forward to talking even if it's only a little.

[barbie]

Another Asian dust storm hit the peninsula, although the intensity is far less than the previous one. But it is still high to be categorized as 'Bad'.

http://web.kma.go.kr/eng/weather/asiandust/timeseries.jsp?area=0&stnId=108&view=1

barbie~~

[mk854]

Hi ElleA,

Yes, I started talking after one month because I cannot work without talking to my patients. I really do not feel any difference in voice than before. How about you? soon you will start talking and please let me know if you feel any difference in your voice than before. I am kind of worried about that. But I remembered Dr. Kim said my voice would be same as before and may be lower after BOTOX and after 4 months I would start noticing change. When I read Sarah and Jenny's account, they said that they noticed change right away. Is it? I am so worried and scared. Best Wishes Michelle