So, first dilation just happened, just a quick 15 minutes with what I'll call "Dilator #0" (Chett gives you 4 different-sized dilators, those are the ones referenced in the dilation manual as "#1" through "#4," and then there's a tiny one (girth-wise at least) which is even smaller than #1 that they use just to demonstrate what the proper depth is. I'm calling that one "#0." This first dilation was with the #0.)
Basically, mostly this was just Chett's nurse coming in for 5 minutes, getting me into the proper dilation position (legs spread wide apart, knees up, basically in the "gynecological exam stirrup" position,) and then she shows you how to lube the dilators up (Jeez, she used a lot of lube. And considering that in Chett's dilation schedule he has you using every single one of the smaller ones every single time, you always build up from #1 to #4 one at a time without skipping any, and doing that 3 times per day, JEEZ. That is going to be so much damned lube. I've already used a whole tube just by doing two test dilations, it takes half a tube just to lube one dilator up, so I swear, I'm going to go through like 6 tubes every single day. I have to ask, surely there must be a more efficient way to do this?) Anyway, and then once everything is lubed and you're in the right position, she shows you how to put it in. Basically, you start with the dilator angled down at a 45 degree angle, slowly tilt it to a horizontal position as you push it in, and roll/twist it back and forth as you're putting it in. Then you keep going until you're at your full depth, apply a little bit of pressure to the back wall, and hold it there until the timer is up.
Considering how some people have said that the first dilation can be painful, I was pleasantly surprised yet again, it was pretty easy for me. Honestly this #0 dilator is so tiny that there was basically no pressure against the side walls at all as I was sticking it in. The only uncomfortable part was when it hit the back wall. It feels like it's hitting your internal organs, and it's a bit unpleasant. And I was kind of bummed when the nurse told me "keep pressure," so I had to maintain a bit of pressure on the back wall during the whole 15-minute session, so mild discomfort, and my hands are probably going to get pretty tired once I start doing longer 50-minute dilation sessions, I was kind of hoping that I could just stick it in and leave it and watch Netflix or something. :p
I was very gentle, I'm kind of scared of pushing too hard or something, but then when I'd hit about the 5" mark I asked "how do I get it in the last inch?" And then she pushed harder, and I was really shocked that it was okay to push it that hard, because I was scared of hurting something, but then it just kinda went in the rest of the way, so... that's going to be interesting and a bit anxiety-inducing because I feel like it's hard to know when you've hit the back wall and when it's okay to keep pushing harder or not. Whatever. Hopefully that won't be an issue.
Overall, though, not too bad. Discomfort level was only about a 2/10-3/10. I can tell it's going to be a LOT of work, though, once I move up to using multiple dilators per session three times a day. That is a LOT of cleaning, a LOT of sanitizing, a LOT of lubing, and a LOT of work. Chett's schedule has you using EVERY single dilator, all the way from #1 to #4, EVERY single time you dilate. That means lubing every single one up, and then cleaning/sanitizing every single one afterward. So I am definitely not going to have fun with that, and I'm probably going to be searching for some sort of shortcut to make it easier, because seriously, come on...
Also, this is just me, but I kept a mirror down there the whole time so that I could see what I was doing better, and EEEEE!!!!! I was so happy just looking at it. It's so cute! It's so pretty!

Also, I'm definitely still feeling the "omigod I have a vagina!" feeling which just makes me so happy it's not even funny.
So, a few things I noticed in the mirror that I hadn't really had a good chance to look at before. First of all, I was wrong about my clitoris being big. (And I just heard from a friend, apparently the "Chett makes big clits" thing is just an urban legend, and one that Chett himself is actually well aware of. As well as the rumor that he asks you to prioritize whether you care about depth, sensation, or appearance the most. You can make special requests, but he doesn't ask you to choose like it's been widely rumored.) Anyway, back to clit size... the thing is, the clitoral hood is swollen. And I had basically just taken a look at the clitoral hood and assumed that the clitoris itself took up the entire space underneath it, and thus was rather large. I was REALLY wrong about that. I actually got to take a peek under the clitoral hood while I was dilating, and it's not big at all. It looks COMPLETELY 100% normal. Perfect size. So itty bitt and tiny and cute, I squeed like crazy. And it's very sensitive already, and just thinking that that little tiny dot is all that's left of what used to be a penis made me REALLY REALLY REALLY happy. I love it!

(And it was that closer clit investigation that triggered that "squee! It's so CUTE!" feeling.)
Also, I'm so surprised how quickly the stitches and the scars and the incision sites are healing. It's only been a week, and already the wounds are completely sealed, nothing is open, (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to include a picture of the incision/scar so that I could show just how quickly/well it's healed after only one week or not... I personally feel like it would be really important for easing some people's fears, especially because the word "mutilation" is tossed around a lot in regards to anti-trans individuals criticizing trans surgery. Where I don't feel "mutilated" or "brutalized" or even like I had a surgery creating a new organ at all. It frankly already feels like it's always been there, and feels natural and healthy, after only one week of the skin healing. It has already healed so thoroughly and so naturally that it already feels completely natural. But I'm not sure if it would be allowed because the picture is very close to the genital area. But I do want to say... Being trans is beautiful. Trans surgery is beautiful. It doesn't feel like anything destructive or mutilating. It feels like a beautiful flower blooming. It's beautiful. You're all beautiful too.

)
Anyway... in case it's not obvious, I'm still so happy with this surgery, and how everything feels, that it's not even funny. And dilation hasn't killed my mood yet. Mostly it was just sitting there with some mild pressure on the back of the vagina for 15 minutes, and then it took a few minutes to clean up, and then I was done. It wasn't too bad. I can't see longer dilation sessions being too much different.
Today was a very quick 15-minute session with the #0 dilator, tomorrow hypothetically I'll be doing two 20-minute sessions with #1, but I'm not sure yet, it depends what the nurse tells me.
So far it's really easy, but I'm definitely not looking forward to all the time and effort that's going to be involved once I start doing multiple dilators 3 times per day. I feel like dilation is going to take up half of my life once that time comes...
Only other update is that I'm officially off the strong painkillers. I've been slowly tapering off of them for a few days now, and I was still on them until yesterday because the swelling was still a problem, but this morning everything finally felt much more settled / less painful, enough so that I think I can make it with just the anti-swelling and anti-bacterial pills, so I decided to call a mortem on the painkillers. So far so good, it's 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm still basically completely pain-free. I feel basically healed aside from the swelling now. The incision sites don't hurt anymore.
Anyway, that's my update for the day. More tomorrow.