The Big Day has arrived.

[Audrey94]

  Ineffective pain meds? Gosh that sounds painful! I hope the percocet works well! Glad you got the nurse switched and the results you wanted!

[Katy]

It is good of you to continue to update us.  (I must confess that when I don't feel well, writing is about the last I want to do.)  Hopefully you will soon turn the corner on the pain path, and you begin to feel and be the new you.  All the best, Audrey.

[SadieBlake]

Audrey, congratulations on completing your surgery! That's a huge step and I'm glad you got onto pain meds that are helping :-)

On sterile technique, hand washing is appropriate prep for managing surgical drains microbes do not travel along clean plastic surfaces or dry surfaces of any kind --from a nursing education and procedure site:

Apply non-sterile gloves and face shield according to agency policy.

{Rationale/explanation}
Personal protective equipment reduces the potential for accidental exposure to blood or body fluids.

Note: gloves if used wouldn't be sterile and would only be used to protect the nurse from blood borne pathogens.

I'm not saying this to in any way chastise your take, rather i don't think it's advisable to setup wrong expectations for others reading this thread.

I can fully sympathize with difficult experience of post surgical night nursing staff, my own experiences have been that the graveyard shift staff have been a good bit less easy to deal with than day/evening staff but then my sample size isn't large and I'm hoping for my own GCS (2 months away!!) to validate the null hypothesis.

[georgie]

So happy for you!

May you heal swiftly!

[audreytn]

Ineffective pain meds? Gosh that sounds painful! I hope the percocet works well! Glad you got the nurse switched and the results you wanted!

It wasnt unmanageable, just uncomfortable. Pain was dull, constant ache at about a 5.5 to 6 level.  Wasnt piercing or sharp and I wasnt in agony.

She should have me on dilaudid instead of morphine. either way, I'm off the iv pain meds and on percoset now. I've been well tended to and very well cared for.

Top notch care, waited on hand and foot and received only the best (w/ exception to the morphine). Really my only complaint so I think I'm doing pretty good here. [emoji16]

Audrey, congratulations on completing your surgery! That's a huge step and I'm glad you got onto pain meds that are helping :-)

i dont need your patronization. What she did was unsanitary and violated sterility guidelines at the hospital and her supervisor even told me so. so please save me your medical lectures as I dont need them.

So happy for you!

May you heal swiftly!

thank you

It is good of you to continue to update us.  (I must confess that when I don't feel well, writing is about the last I want to do.)  Hopefully you will soon turn the corner on the pain path, and you begin to feel and be the new you.  All the best, Audrey.

thanks.  It's been a long journey, but I'm very happy right now. The hard part is the recovery time, and then I am on with life. [emoji3]

[Maybebaby56]

good thing is, she is not back tonight. thankfully.  I spoke with the supervisor and she was not happy at all.  this nurse has 40 years of experience and should know better.


Finally found out why the pains meds werent taking the edge off, Dr. Rumer has me on morphine which doesnt work on me at all.  ugh.

I was able to get one dosage of dilaudid and that helped tremendously.

Later today, I get moved to Dr. Rumer's recovery facility.

I'll be off morphine and onto percoset.  Drains, packing and catheter will all come out next Wednesday.  I am looking forward to that.

Then if everything looks good, I get to go home next Friday.

I've seen my lower results and it looks fantastic. cant wait for bruising and swelling to go down and color to return to normal.

things are looking up.

Audrey,

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this information.  I really wanted to know what the post-operative care was like. I suffered tremendously after FFS, and I am determined not to let that happen again.

Blessings to you for a speedy recovery!

Terri

[Rachel]

Congratulations

I am very interested in knowing the pain of the BA verses the pain of the GCS. I had GCS and will be having a BA this summer.

[audreytn]

Congratulations

I am very interested in knowing the pain of the BA verses the pain of the GCS. I had GCS and will be having a BA this summer.

thank you.

so far everything I have been told was that the BA would hurt worse than the GRS.

That hasnt been the case in my situation.

But the upper is a somewhat stingy, sharp pain around the incision areas mainly, I dont really have pain anywhere else.  That may be different from others experiences.

Audrey,

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this information.  I really wanted to know what the post-operative care was like. I suffered tremendously after FFS, and I am determined not to let that happen again.

Blessings to you for a speedy recovery!

Terri

I've been pretty much on my own with exception to my friend/caretaker who came with me to help out.

The nurses and surgeon wanted me to get comfortable with emptying my drains and catheter.

they do all the removing and replacing of packings every couple days.

they dont want me up too much, but I started with two walks friday just in my room and saturday around the room and to the kitchen and back.

Sleeping flat on your back is horrible after GRS. there's no other position to get comfy in. You just lay there till you pass out from exhaustion. This bed hurts my back, not much I can do for it.

The worst part is the cavity where the packings are...it feels like its coming apart when i try to get up or sit down.  I cant wait till that pain subsides. wooooooeee, talk about rough! It's right there between your front pubic area and your tailbone. that pain there dictates when and how much you walk. I still get light-headed every time I get up.. cheap high though. <giggles>

You wont shower for 7 days, but they gave me a medical scrub and my helper rubbed down my legs, tummy, arm pits and arms, hands and feet so I didnt stink like a rotting fish in the sun.

Whatever you do, tell your surgeon BEFORE hand you NEED dilaudid instead of morphine. Morphine took none of the edge off for me. Dilaudid which I did get twice and it helped tremendously.

[Dena]

Sleeping flat on your back is horrible after GRS. there's no other position to get comfy in. You just lay there till you pass out from exhaustion. This bed hurts my back, not much I can do for it.

You might be able to lay on your side with a pillow between your  legs. As you had a BA, you may need to put a pillow behind your back and lean into it.

[audreytn]

You might be able to lay on your side with a pillow between your  legs. As you had a BA, you may need to put a pillow behind your back and lean into it.

not enough pillows in here

[Dena]

Request some. Normally hotels have some extra. If you are in a recovery center, they will have extras. Often there is somebody you could give a few dollars and they will buy some.

[audreytn]

Request some. Normally hotels have some extra. If you are in a recovery center, they will have extras. Often there is somebody you could give a few dollars and they will buy some.

no one here until Monday. all the others are locked in storage cabinets.

[audreytn]

I dont ever remember feeling so loved. On Thursday the day after my surgery, I had friends calling, friends texting, friends sending me emails, and I had a visitor, another guy from work sent me flowers, people fb msging me and DMing me on twitter. I had another visitor on Saturday that is a friend.

My family has had nothing to do with me. Parents wont answer or return emails. [emoji20]

My Uncle is talking with me and is supportive and kind. He's pretty much the only one in the family who communicates with me.

But despite the family not speaking with me, I have a family of friends back home and I love them all.  They are an amazing supoort system. So thankful and grateful to have them in my life.

[audreytn]

After a good weekend, Monday was pretty tough.

I had my first bowel movement since surgery and it didnt go well at all.

I felt it coming on and was highly motivated to get up and get to the toilet, but once got in the bathroom, i couldnt get my depends off and my muscles contracted from trying to hold it and all I can say is it was so painful and I dirtied the diaper. 

The pain was so bad I cried. Finally got the stupid diaper off and sat on the toilet for 15 minutes till I was clear.  The pain subsided and my helper had to clean me up.  It wasnt pretty, but this is part of why you take someone with you.

With the catheters and drains and packing in, its difficult to see down there and if you had a breast augmentation too...well forget about reaching down there.

In the end we got through it, but rough day.  The nurses came up to check on me and ensure I didnt tear anything, which thankfully I didnt but I was so scared that I did.

Bring hemmorhoid cream (relieves an irritated outer anus and baby powder or look for something called Anti-Lady Monkey Butt...it prevents rashes and irritation down there (do NOT get it on your surgical areas though).


Today was much better.  Had two bowel movements and made the toilet both times.  I'll be getting my cather, drains and packing out Wednesday morning at 10:30.

There is 5' worth of packing jammed up inside me and when you sit down, it feels like you're sitting on a baseball sized plastic spinning top with the pointed side up and its all jammed up inside you.  I'll be so glad to get all that out of me.

Afterwards I can shower finally! Woot! 

Thursday is the last night we will spend here.  Leaving Dr. Rumers about 3:30 am for the airport on Friday morning.  Our flight heads back to Denver at 6 am. 

This girl is ready to be home in her own bed.

So far nurses have checked on me once a day every day and inspected my surgery area, except for Sat and Sun and the office is closed those days. 

A very good, positive experience here and very positive, quiet and uplifting atmosphere.

So far have had no issues worth mentioning with Dr. Rumer, her staff or the facilities.  I have received excellent care and I feel as though I was taken care of wonderfully.

[JeanetteLW]

  It sounds like you are making good recovery progress. I'm sure when it is over you will look back on your experience and say it was all well worth it.  Congratulations.

  Hugs,
    Jeanette

[audreytn]

Today has been a whirlwind.  Mainly not dependent on my pain meds anymore.  Havent really taken anything today except my anti-biotics. Not really in much pain. Just soreness and stiffness.

I got my drains, cathether, stitches and packings out. 

Then I was shown how to do my dilations.  Afterwards, I was blessedly allowed a nice hot shower to let the water and soap just run down my body but not to scrub or wash any of my surgical areas.

I've done two dilations today. One more coming up at 5 pm. Not painful, but more uncomfortable.


these are my dilators.  They help keep things from caving in on top of themselves.

There are skin grafts on the inside that makeup the inside of my vagina and so its living tissue that tries to heal itself from the inside out. So thats why we dilate.

I'm using the blue for 10 minutes then the green for 10 minutes, 4 times a day and going till the 3rd dot disappears. This is what they directed me do



I'll receive instructions about my breast implants tomorrow and the rest of the maintenance/healing process.

Just about 36 hours till I am headed home and I'm looking forward to that.

  It sounds like you are making good recovery progress. I'm sure when it is over you will look back on your experience and say it was all well worth it.  Congratulations.

  Hugs,
    Jeanette

so far so good!

[audreytn]

I made it home this morning.  I've been resting and dilating, and making sure to eat good food and stay hydrated.

I got the all clear to go home yesterday and the final instructions for my breast implants.

What a whirlwind that it's been.  The first 7 days flew by so fast, and then the last 5 days seemed to drag on and on.

My helper and I are both glad to be home though.  We were terribly homesick.

I've received so much love and support from my family of super awesome friends.

Nothing from my family, but I cant make them. They have to want to that for themselves. I hope in time they will come around.

But I am so grateful for those I do have in my life. They are super amazing people and I feel so loved right now. [emoji7]❤️

[audreytn]

The past 12 days have been very challenging for me.  Lots of soreness.
Dilation is my life right now, 4 times a day, every 4 hours. Seems like that's all I do, lol.

But worse for me is my internal hemmorhoids flared up due to dehydration, lack of activity, and the pain meds when I need them.  This week has been the hardest. I'm scheduled to go have a rubber band ligation on Tuesday to take care of them.  Sat on the toilet and cried for 30 minutes after having a bowel movement monday night.  Have never felt so much searing pain in one instant that lasted for so long like that.
Went to the ER and they couldnt do a single thing for me.

Psychologically this and the soreness has beaten me down a bit. I've been a bit emotional and got a little down the past few days.

I was able to get out Monday morning before all this happened and update my gender marker with the SSA and get my new birth certificate with the female gender. But driving my car was brutal because my bottom is sore from surgery AND hemmorhoids. 

Did get to go see my therapist on Tuesday which that helped.

Doctors placed me on a soft/liquid diet and I can have a bowel movement without being in brutal level 9.5/10 pain, so thats a relief.

jello, chx noodle soup, rainbow sherbert, peas, applesauce, scrambled eggs, oatmeal and pear cupsare about all I'm eating right now. It sucks. I want real food and I cant have it till next week.

I'm definitely over the recovery aspect of this surgery. I'm ready to get back to normal day to day life.

Yesterday was a bit better, I got out and went for a walk with my friend who has been coming by in the afternoons.

Today is so so, I'm alone.  My friend is sick and my other friend has to pick his daughter up after work and so he cant come over, so I'm trying to make it through. Going to go for another walk here in a bit.

This is by far the most difficult thing I've endured during my entire transition/surgery process and I am looking forward to better days and hopefully sooner rather than later.

Things seem to be healing nicely and as they should.

[audreytn]

Remarkable turn around between last Monday/Tuesday and this past Saturday.

Didnt walk Thursday or Friday as planned, I was just really tired. So I watched tv and movies all day.

Got out and walked Saturday afternoon and went several blocks with no soreness or pain or fatigue.

Sunday morning I walked almost a mile and a half round trip and I felt great!

I've been taking dolculax and docusate since last Tuesday. It keeps my bowel movements soft.  I got real hungry for real food Sunday afternoon so I decided to try some chinese.  Combination fried rice. It worked thankfully.

Monday I did another walk for a mile roundtrip with my friend. We went and got a frosty from Wendys.

Tuesday morning I got into to see the surgeon, he took a look inside and said while I have hemmorhoids, they're too irritated for rubber band ligation right now and that I really dont need to be opened up to remove these because he said I'd hurt like hell afterwards. Said all I really needed was diet modification (add in fiber, drink more water, and if needed, throw in some metamucil) and to not strain/push while having a bowel movement. So I took his advice and went to the store, bought more dulcolax, some groceries and went home.


He said I could eat real food again, just add more fiber. So my friend and I went out to dinner and I had real food and it was good. had one beer with dinner too, but several glasses of water to offset and stay hydrated.

Wednesday I relaxed. I've been really frustrated with not being able to sit down and pee right and I emailed Dr. Rumers nurse. She had had me standing up in the shower to pee since I got home and thats what I've been doing.  But today she said I need to start making the attempt to sit down and pee.  Dilated and then around 5:20 I went for a long walk. I did 20 blocks in 43 minutes.

I let my bladder get as full as I could stand and then finally, I knew I had to go try and sit down and pee. So I went and sat on the toilet a little while ago and peed for the very first time since before surgery without making a huuuuuge mess! [emoji3]

There was some spraying on the back of my right thigh but it was all contained to staying inside the bowl.

Need some refinement and practice, but I think I can do this!

Now granted it took me about 5-7 minutes to empty my bladder, but I did it.

Notes: Something is restricted when I sit.  I did a lot of starting and stopping.  Didnt strain hard though to restart.  I'd pee for a few seconds and then it would just taper off.

Just had to concentrate when it stopped to get going again naturally. Dont have as much of this problem as when I stand in the shower to pee.  So it seems like it is somewhat mechanical in nature (if that makes any sense).

But these are huge turning points in my recovery and so close together! Gosh this makes me feel so much better mentally and psychologically.

Gonna have to take sterile gloves and wet wipes with me for a while till I get things down, but there is hope! I dont have to take a damn shower just to pee anymore.

So many doors back into my daily normal routine just opened up.

Better days ahead! Future is looking bright and that makes me feel good.

[audreytn]

I've got the sitting to pee thing down perfect.  Passing bowel movements is no longer painful.

I am able to drive my car and sit in the seat without pain.

I can walk without pain or soreness.

Dilating is now down to 3x per day, much to my relief.  4 times a day was exhausting and time consuming. Didnt have much time to do things in between sessions.  Now that I'm at 3x per day, I dilate at 9 am, 3 pm and 9 pm.  Very easy and I can get out and do errands and go for a walk and whatever else I need to do.

I am now also out of my diapers.  I can wear panties with a long, thin maxipad and not leak through, so thats a big relief! No more chafing in the area between my legs and pelvis, no more sores from the diaper rubbing on my leg. It's nice to wear panties again!!!!

My mental state is great. My attitude is very positive and I'm staying busy.

I'm very excited about my results, and I accidentally bumped my clit while applying some lube to my vagina the other day and I about shot up in the air 3' while laying on my back, lol.  Also almost had a vaginal orgasm from the dilator.  Things were a bit tight with the big one and so I had to push it in and pull it out a couple times and I darn near came...all I can say is wow. holy cow this thing is gonna be a lot of fun when its all healed and settled. [emoji15]

My big issue right now is I get tired so easily.  I dont have all of my strength back yet. I want to do so much more and I know I just cant yet. This is the part that frustrates me the most. So I continue to take it easy and do what I can while following all my restrictions (no lifting more than 5 lbs and no strenuous activities).

But at least I can start taking some road trips now.