Orchiectomy cost and concerns

[Devlyn]

Really happy to hear the good news, Chris! I was expecting what you described. I certainly wasn't trying to scare anyone off. My experience deviated from the norm, I'm still glad that I documented it so everyone can learn.

The surgeon felt that the swelling would continue to resolve itself, he wanted an update in a week unless it seemed to be getting worse. The overall swelling has continued to go down, but that has revealed a hard knot inside the scrotum at either side of the base of the penis. ...

symmetrical knots on either side... my layperson's guess is that this is normal and will diminish. I don't say that with any profound knowledge... just that bad things don't seem to happen in a symmetrical way... it sounds like part of the healing process. I'm also wondering if your GP has general concerns but is perhaps not familiar with all of the healing potentials ... so her caution is good but perhaps should be tempered. What I say probably doesn't matter... I don't know anything here and I know for myself if I'm anxious about something until seeing a doc, it doesn't matter what anyone else says.

...  I hope it will go away. I don't want more procedures and medical stuff. 

I completely forgot... setting you up on the IV is like a moon launch.   ... really though considering your level of anxiety there I can especially feel for you. Regardless, another procedure isn't fun but I forgot that any procedure is especially big for you. ... you will be fine though. It will work out. You just need to see the surgeon... that is the one and maybe only person who knows the expectations and anomalies and so forth.

I'm  thinking about you sending positive thoughts... I know so many others here are as well. What can I say, people like you! ... I think it must be the wit... takes courage and has to be good... I can't tell you how time over the years I've backspaced to delete what i felt was a witty humorous response... I inevitably stick my foot in my mouth for there is always some interpretation I was unaware of... so when I see your wit, or sometimes very courageous replies (not necessarily to be funny but make an important point), it's obvious someone's got courage... meaning you. Okay here I go on and on...  ...have a good sleep, you'll be fine. A big hugaboo, Ashley

Thanks, honey, the moon launch line made me laugh, and I need that. 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Chris8080]

Oh no, would I think need to be far worse than you reported to even get me thinking of cancelling. Your posts only had me digging in for what "might" be and to be ready for it. I am/was much better informed by your posts, really glad you are documenting your experience and looking forward to hearing the surgeon's report later today.

I have the hotel reserved until tomorrow but I think I feel up to the 3 1/2 hour drive home today. Got a few hours yet before check out time and I have to decide.

[Megan.]

It's great and useful to hear the different experiences that can be expected,  thank you both for sharing.

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[Devlyn]

Since we're not going to have Testicless Tuesday, how about Whop-em-off Wednesday? 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Chris8080]

hehe . . . That'll work. Can't describe how depressing it was to walk out of there Tuesday with those things still intact. I spent weeks after I got the surgery date trying to get myself to stop trying to convince myself that something would go wrong and it just wasn't gonna happen. Then here I am leaving the hospital and they are still there. Was truly devastating, didn't sleep a minute Tuesday night. Then to make matters worse my pre-arraigned ride to the hospital on Wed morning didn't show up and I had to call a cab, explain to them what happened and try to get them to show up in time. Much added stress but the cab was quick and the hospital is less than 10 minutes and it worked out well. The hospital seemed determined to make it up to me for Tuesday's fiasco and I was one of the first into pre-op.

Surgery on Wed is exactly one week before my birthday, the following Wed. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. What a present that is.

[Devlyn]

hehe . . . That'll work. Can't describe how depressing it was to walk out of there Tuesday with those things still intact. I spent weeks after I got the surgery date trying to get myself to stop trying to convince myself that something would go wrong and it just wasn't gonna happen. Then here I am leaving the hospital and they are still there. Was truly devastating, didn't sleep a minute Tuesday night. Then to make matters worse my pre-arraigned ride to the hospital on Wed morning didn't show up and I had to call a cab, explain to them what happened and try to get them to show up in time. Much added stress but the cab was quick and the hospital is less than 10 minutes and it worked out well. The hospital seemed determined to make it up to me for Tuesday's fiasco and I was one of the first into pre-op.

Surgery on Wed is exactly one week before my birthday, the following Wed. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. What a present that is.

"pre-arraigned ride" is going to be the best typo of the day, mark my words! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Devlyn]

Dr Oates was pleased with the progress. The lumps on the left and right are apparently the ends of the cords where they're tied off. He said they will continue to reduce and my healing seems to be back on track.   

The draining has stopped, the edges of the incision are now joining together, and I'm down to a thin nonstick pad over the site. I should be able to stop using that any day now.

September was a rough month for me with a  lot of highs and lows. I'm still going to give it a big thumbs up.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Megan.]

Good news [emoji4].

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[Chris8080]

Then to make matters worse my pre-arraigned ride to the hospital on Wed morning didn't show up and I had to call a cab,

Dern spell checker anyways. Sometimes it saves ya and then just to prove it was only kidding it goes and does that. Oh well, arraigned they were and the sentence carried out. I sincerely hope they are now as happy as I am. 

So good news then, the doc thinks things are now on the correct path.

A bit more soreness for me on the second evening, nothing bad just some more than last night. Not even close to thinking about those pills they gave me. Last time the docs gave me that stuff for a broken knee I didn't poop for two weeks, was far worse than the knee.  I told them that so he also gave me a script to give me diarrhea. Say what? Far better to sit here and enjoy the minor discomfort just because of what it's from. 

[Ashley3]

Dr Oates was pleased with the progress. The lumps on the left and right are apparently the ends of the cords where they're tied off. He said they will continue to reduce and my healing seems to be back on track.   

The draining has stopped, the edges of the incision are now joining together, and I'm down to a thin nonstick pad over the site. I should be able to stop using that any day now.

September was a rough month for me with a  lot of highs and lows. I'm still going to give it a big thumbs up.

Hugs, Devlyn

There we go! Great news... Congrats Devlyn! Now please rest, relax, and enjoy the rest of your recovery... enough rollercoasters for now. A big hug, Ashley

[BeverlyAnn]

Dr Oates was pleased with the progress. The lumps on the left and right are apparently the ends of the cords where they're tied off. He said they will continue to reduce and my healing seems to be back on track.   

The draining has stopped, the edges of the incision are now joining together, and I'm down to a thin nonstick pad over the site. I should be able to stop using that any day now.

Told ya.  LOL  That seems to be very common from everyone I've talked with.  Apparently most surgeons don't seem to go very high up on the cords to tie off and sever so the swollen ends are still outside of the inguinal canal.  One person said the ends of the cords after their orchi were actually larger than the testicles that were removed. 

Sounds like your drainage is about equivalent to what mine was.  I had one little spot where a stitch had dissolved that lasted a lot longer than anywhere else on the incision.  Just one tiny little dot lasting a week longer than everywhere else.

[Devlyn]

I'm only riding the teacups from now on. Maybe the merry go round, but only if
there's sedatives and a warm blanket. 

Thanks to everyone who's been here for me. You're all my safety net. 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Dee Marshall]

Oh, go ahead and live a little, ride the rollercoaster!

Dee
The hole in your safety net.

[emoji48]

:

April 22, 2015, the day of my first face to face pass in gender neutral clothes and no makeup. It may be months to the next one, but I'm good with that!

Being transgender is just a phase. It hardly ever starts before conception and always ends promptly at death.

They say the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. I say, climb aboard!

Think outside the voice box!

[Tessa James]

Devlyn you are very generous to have shared your story with detail and good cheer.  One of your gifts, then, is for folks to recognize that even a relatively simple surgical procedure has the potential for complications that can be annoying or even life threatening.  Infection, wound dehiscence, hematoma formation and more are well documented risks.

During my career as an anesthetist I was required to provide people "informed consent" and explain in detail, if desired, the procedures and associated risks.  Most of us don't think these complications will happen to us and the odds are good they won't.  Still they do happen, as you have graphically acknowledged, and there can be life long consequences.

Surgery and anesthesia entail serious matters.  My costs for my simple and uncomplicated orchiectomy with local anesthesia were half the costs a dear friend was charged at the University in the same town.  Our goals may be quite valid and well thought out but to err is human.  The rest of the story is that we most often recover, heal and have an improved quality of life.  On with the security of living well, more breeze through our skirts and crossing our legs so easily.

[Devlyn]

Amen, Tessa! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Ashley3]

I'm only riding the teacups from now on. Maybe the merry go round, but only if
there's sedatives and a warm blanket. 

Thanks to everyone who's been here for me. You're all my safety net. 

Hugs, Devlyn

I'm ending a busy week... just saw this very funny post... LoL 

[Devlyn]

Confirmation from my primary care that the orchi was a complete success:

"I hope things went ok with Dr Oates. Your estradiol is 196, which is exactly where we want it to be, and your testosterone is 53, which is nearing the level we would expect for someone assigned female at birth.


I would not increase your estradiol at this point. We can repeat it in 6 months, but I think this will be your steady dose for awhile."

So back to business as usual: It's going to take wyld horses to get me back in a doctors office anytime soon, and they'll had to have stepped on me at that! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Megan.]

Good news,  glad to hear. X

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[Laurie]

Confirmation from my primary care that the orchi was a complete success:

"I hope things went ok with Dr Oates. Your estradiol is 196, which is exactly where we want it to be, and your testosterone is 53, which is nearing the level we would expect for someone assigned female at birth.


I would not increase your estradiol at this point. We can repeat it in 6 months, but I think this will be your steady dose for awhile."

So back to business as usual: It's going to take wyld horses to get me back in a doctors office anytime soon, and they'll had to have stepped on me at that! 

Hugs, Devlyn

Hey Ruffian,

  Good test results and it sound like your attitude has gotten better too. Though I doubt it helped your devylish demeanor. No doctors huh? Well have you at least gotten your flu shot yet? Oh come on , it's only one more little stick. You can do it.

Hugs,
   Laurie

[Devlyn]

Flu shot? Oh yeah, I flew when they said shot. 

Hugs, Devlyn