Surgery...so far, so good!

[Shelly Maree]

WOW, what a surpise .

So happy to hear things are going well.

I do not spend much time on Susan's, but when browsing, if I see a post or comment from you I always  read, as your comments are always, thoughtful, caring or helpful to others facing up to reality in this sometimes difficult world for girls like us. So if you can please keep delivering such messages, sometimes a positive thought to someone else can boost them up when down.

Personaly speaking from my own experiences, you will not believe how quickly your body will adjust to your new lady bits. In no time at all, you will forget what it was ever like before, it will just feel perfectly natural and you will become so comfortable with what you now have.

Congratulations and enjoy your life, you deserve it.

Regards
Shelly

[stephaniec]

a major congrats

[Ms Grace]

Day 9+... swelling and bruising continues to reduce. Getting bouts of energy which I'm careful not to over use. My current ambulatory condition today however is about where I had originally expected to be when I take the plane home in a week's time, so I now hope I'll be in even better shape by then.

[I Am Jess]

Welcome to the post-op club girl. Someone will be along shortly to show you the secret handshake 😏

Glad to hear that recovery is progressing so well. ❤️

[AnonyMs]

It would be nice if you could write about you experience with Dr Ives sometime. There's not much written about him and I'm sure it would help other Australians considering SRS in the future.

[Mariah]

You will see that for sure, but you may have times where that tiredness creeps up on you rather fast and is to be excepted still for awhile as your body heels. Still happens to me at times and I'm 6 weeks out. Hugs
Mariah

Day 9+... swelling and bruising continues to reduce. Getting bouts of energy which I'm careful not to over use. My current ambulatory condition today however is about where I had originally expected to be when I take the plane home in a week's time, so I now hope I'll be in even better shape by then.

[Ms Grace]

It would be nice if you could write about you experience with Dr Ives sometime. There's not much written about him and I'm sure it would help other Australians considering SRS in the future.

I will look to write more once the dust has settled. For me the process has been quite positive and the support nursing staff were lovely. So far everything has fallen within expectations if not actually exceeded them. I'll add though that I have had virtually no pain and appear to be healing and recovering well which I suppose would colour my perceptions more so than others who might, for whatever reason, struggle immediately post-op.

You will see that for sure, but you may have times where that tiredness creeps up on you rather fast and is to be excepted still for awhile as your body heels. Still happens to me at times and I'm 6 weeks out.

Thanks for that, good to know!

[big kim]

Congratulations, you'll soon be back horse riding!

[Ms Grace]

Day 12...can hardly believe it's been 2 weeks. Been dropping back on the painkillers (only paracetamol so nothing hard core anyway), not feeling any pain although I am verrrry tender betwixt me nethers... TMI?

Took it really slow today, had been sleeping ok but probably not enough since I got out of hospital so fixed that with a great three hour nap after lunch. I don't think I've been overdoing it the last few days but it was good to pretty much do nothing today.

Finishing my last round of antibiotics tonight. Guess they've been keeping me infection free for 12 days but it will be good to get that stuff out of my system.

Have my first post op appointment later this week, fingers crossed for the all clear.

[Mariah]

I'm so glad everything is going well for you. I hope things continue that way. Hugs
Mariah

[Ms Grace]

Day 21 - three weeks already! My first post op consult with Ives went well and he was very pleased with how everything was healing. I flew back home from Melbourne two days ago, it was great to get home and I just spent most of yesterday crashed out on the lounge or in bed.

Things continue to improve., pain is minimal although there is some discomfort from sitting but I've fashioned a ring cushion of sorts which deals with most of that. As the swelling and bruising goes down betwixt my nethers it looks less and less like a Frankenvagina...will be glad when the stitches dissolve out though!

Been having insane dreams too, much more vivid over the last few weeks than I can ever remember.

I'm starting to get a sense that this op will be much more profound for me in terms of my gender journey and identity than I ever could have thought possible.

[stephaniec]

I have a brilliant idea , put your dreams into cartoons and post on Susan's so we can grade them using the A+- F- grading system.

[Mariah]

That is one thing that took me by surprise is how other things in regards to that journey were affected in a very profound way. I guess it goes to show this affects us on so many levels and often we may not even realize that tell things change that take us by surprise. So glad to hear your doing well. Yeah I crashed when I got home a little over 3 weeks after my surgery. Your still healing so that is definitely normal. hugs
Mariah

I'm starting to get a sense that this op will be much more profound for me in terms of my gender journey and identity than I ever could have thought possible.

[R R H]

Wow Grace, well done with your progress. It sounds really positive and a great encouragement. Most people say that GRS is easier going on the body than FFS?

Fabulously well done,

Rach xx

[Sharon Anne McC]

*
Grace:

Congratulations!!!

You are well on the mend when you can give us 'decathinated' and 'frankenvagina'.  Tee-hee

TMI?  Find ways to enjoy 'duty' rather than see it as a chore.  Now is your time to explore those new nethers, muscles, and whatnot. Those dreaded 'dangly bits' are gone, eh.

Dreams?  If I might add, I experienced pregnancy dreams.

Okay, you have much on your assignment desk.  Do as best as you can to keep a journal for your memories that you want to hold dear.  Don't be too reluctant to take digital pictures - you can hardly go back and do this again if you missed a shot; they are yours alone, no trips to the film developer shop.

Now you can provide insightful post-op expertise to the same as you did for pre-op advice barely those few weeks ago.

*

[LizK]

I am so glad things are going well and are uncomplicated. Ives will be my only option I should think,  I am really pleased to read that your recovery has been steady and seems as though nothing has occurred that you did not expect. I am so happy for you.

"I'm starting to get a sense that this op will be much more profound for me in terms of my gender journey and identity than I ever could have thought possible. "

Wow and just wow....Fantastic for you. 

Hugs

Liz

[barbie]

 

barbie~~

[Ms Grace]

Day 28...almost a whole month now. Discomfort when sitting has reduced significantly but I still need to be careful. Bruising and external swelling largely gone although I believe internal swelling and healing will take a month or three...will be glad once all the stitches dissolve. Bladder seems to be behaving itself now, or at least as much as it ever did before. Been walking more, taking care not to overdo it and usually catching the bus if I go shopping. Moving up a size with the dilator from Monsieur Petite to Mister So-So.

You are well on the mend when you can give us 'decathinated' and 'frankenvagina'.  Tee-hee

I like having fun with words, that's for sure!

"I'm starting to get a sense that this op will be much more profound for me in terms of my gender journey and identity than I ever could have thought possible. "

Wow and just wow....Fantastic for you. 

It's very hard to describe, but yes "profound" sums it up. So far in my life I've met many trans women in person, they're either pre or post and it's hard to judge the before and after mindset of the post ops since I never knew them beforehand. Currently I've only known one woman both pre and then post. It was hard for me to say why but she seemed lighter, happier, more dynamic after her op. At the time I wondered if that was just her or more common in other women satisfied with their op. I'm certainly feeling lighter and happier that's for sure!

[LizK]

It's very hard to describe, but yes "profound" sums it up. So far in my life I've met many trans women in person, they're either pre or post and it's hard to judge the before and after mindset of the post ops since I never knew them beforehand. Currently I've only known one woman both pre and then post. It was hard for me to say why but she seemed lighter, happier, more dynamic after her op. At the time I wondered if that was just her or more common in other women satisfied with their op. I'm certainly feeling lighter and happier that's for sure!

For those of us pre-op it is so heart warming to know that, the sense of peace, light and happiness is obtainable.

Liz

[JLT1]

Grace,

I'm very happy for you.  Excellent!

Hugs

Jen