GCS II and FFS w/Dr Ley on 26 July 2019 - Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 07, 2019, 12:49:11 pm »
In late February I had GCS with Dr. Ley at the Meltzer Clinic, where they perform GCS in two stages. In less than three weeks I will be in Scottsdale for Stage II and some additional remodeling at Dr. Ley's body shop:

- Brow Contouring
- Labiaplasty
- Lip Augmentation
- Scalp Advance

My insurance will cover the labiaplasty, but the rest is on me. Although I will be napping a few hours longer than my initial surgery, the overall visit will be shorter than my first -- only two nights in the hospital followed by five days in the local area before going home. Although the brow contouring includes a slight scalp advance, I decided to go for the full procedure in the hope that it will decrease the work involved in a possible hair transplant down the road. I am looking forward to adding the final touches to my um, entertainment center, and hopefully the face I see in the mirror will be closer to the one I see when I close my eyes.

My hotel reservations are set, and some friends will be taking care of our house and furry kids while we are gone. We plan to drive again, and stop along the way to visit our daughter in Socorro.

I scheduled Stage II from a hospital bed while recovering from my initial GCS procedure. Dr. Ley prefers to wait 3 - 6 months after the first phase, with five months being optimal. When I asked what dates were available in late July, they offered July 26. I thought that would be perfect. On July 27 my dressings will be removed and I will see my new face, which will be the best birthday gift I could ever imagine. I expect most people could think of somewhere better to be on their birthday, but in this case I think it is appropriate.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 16, 2019, 08:04:13 pm »
Thanks @mm and @AllieSF !

My wife and I plan to leave for Scottsdale on July 23 so we can visit a daughter in Socorro NM along the way. I am really looking forward to getting this done and moving on with my life. I will do my best to provide occasional updates.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 21, 2019, 01:44:27 pm »
We plan to leave mid-morning Tuesday, July 23. Yesterday I washed and waxed the car, and today Susan and I started packing. What do you pack for such a momentous occasion? It's going to be HOT in Scottsdale, but I expect to be inside most of the time anyway. My pre-op was moved to 3:00pm Thursday, 25 July, and my surgery is now scheduled to start at 9:45am Friday. The procedures should take about 7.5 hours, during that time Dr. Ley will wield her magic wand and attempt to repair some of the damage wrought by decades of testosterone. I may come home with staples in my scalp, and I already have an appointment with my local physician to remove them on Aug 9.

I applied my last estradiol patch pre-surgery on July 12. So far I have not noticed a lack of hormones, but I would be surprised if I don't experience a power surge (hot flash) or two before I restart estradiol. I expect to have a few uncomfortable days late this week and next, but at least the surgical discomfort is temporary.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 22, 2019, 12:23:17 pm »
Thanks @AllieSF and @Dena !

We have packed some lightweight clothing, hopefully any swelling will be minimal and I will actually feel like leaving the hotel occasionally. I think the lack of estradiol finally hit me this morning. I have a slight headache, and my manager commented that I didn't seem as happy as usual. I can put up with it for a few more days...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 25, 2019, 09:49:45 am »
On Tuesday we went down to Socorro, NM to visit our younger daughter Kimberly. Other than getting another chip in the windshield, it was uneventful. On the way down Kimberly texted us with news she had gotten back together with her boyfriend, Rob. We were glad to hear that, because whenever we see them together they are both smiling. At our hotel later that evening Kimberly game me an early birthday present -- a beautiful set of earrings with a matching necklace! We talked for an hour or so, but soon it was time for bed. After a round of hugs from everyone, Kimberly and Rob left and Susan and I went to bed.

Wednesday morning we drove to Scottsdale. We arrived around 1:30pm local time, so we headed over to a local SafeLite location to get the windshield repaired. About 30 minutes later we were on our way. Although we arrived at our hotel early, they allowed us to check-in anyway. We got the exact same room we had for my first surgery in February! We unpacked, then walked over to Olive Garden for supper. It was 'only' 106 degrees, but it wasn't too bad for a few minutes. Susan and I plan to do a little shopping this morning to pick up some items we may need, then head to the Meltzer Clinic for the 3:00pm pre-op.

Only about 24 hours until my surgery begins! I am both happy and a bit nervous. Dr. Ley did great work on my first visit and I have complete faith that she will do an awesome job again this time. It's just my nature that I will be worried until I awake and see the results for myself.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 25, 2019, 07:28:31 pm »
Thanks @Another Nikki , @AllieSF , and @Maddie !

The pre-op appointment with Dr. Ley went well. I even wore my "I got Ley'd in Scottsdale" t-shirt! I got another 'goody bag': a new peri bottle, some pads, stylish hospital underwear, stool softener, gauze pads, probiotics, arnica montana, bacitracin, hibiclens, and a few ice packs.

The appointment started off with my signing a release form. Next I got undressed and put on a robe, then I was taken to another room for a photo session -- five photos of my face from different angles. Dr. Ley soon joined us and welcomed me back with a smile and a big hug. She asked how I was doing, then checked out the results of the initial surgery.

I mentioned that urinating was sometimes an adventure, the stream occasionally comes over the seat! Dr. Ley said that was not uncommon, and she would take care of it. Occasionally I also see a little blood when I clean up after dilating. Dr. Ley didn't see any obvious causes, but said it could be caused by granulation in my vagina -- she will check that out while I am napping.

Next Dr. Ley explained their labiaplasty procedure. Apparently she came up with a new procedure for creating the labia minora and hooding the clitoris. She showed it to Dr. Meltzer, and they collaborated on a new process both of them now use to create a more pleasing outcome. They have been using the new procedure for about a year with great results.

Dr. Ley then asked me to stand so she could check on my breast augmentation. As soon as I opened my robe she said "Oh, you're the one!" She is amazed at my hips, apparently she doesn't see hips like mine on transgender women unless they start hormones pretty early. Dr. Ley said my breasts looked great, and I agreed!

Finally, we talked about the facial work. She will try to fix my hairline as much as possible, but we both know it won't be perfect. The brow work will smooth my forehead and raise my eyebrows a bit, in addition to removing most of the extra folds in my eyelids. As for the lip implants, she likes to go big -- 5mm in both my upper and lower lips. I was warned not to pucker or show a wide smile for at least two weeks, so don't be alarmed if my 'after' photos don't include my usual smile!

The surgery will start with my scalp, followed by brow work, then lip implants, and finally labiaplasty. It will be a long day for both of us, but I expect Dr. Ley will be much more tired than I will be. I will post a short update as soon as I can after surgery, but I probably won't be coherent until at least 7:30pm Pacific Time.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 26, 2019, 06:56:21 am »
Thanks for the support @ChrissyRyan and @judithlynn !!!

I didn't get much sleep last night, but since I will be napping most of the day I should catch up on any missed sleep. I woke up several times and finally decided to just quit trying to sleep around 2:40am. I snuggled with my wife for a while, then started getting ready for today's festivities. I got in one more dilation, then showered and used the hibiclens all over, with emphasis on the areas which will be modified today. Right now the worst part is that I can't drink anything, with humidity typically below 10% down here I'm starting to get quite thirsty! Susan will be heading down for breakfast soon, and I will pack up my laptop and finish getting ready. No makeup, no hair products, no lotions or deodorants. We plan to leave the hotel in an hour or so. I hope all of you have a fantastic day!

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 26, 2019, 09:40:07 am »
Prepped for surgery and ready to go! Will be dozing off soon...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 27, 2019, 02:37:21 pm »
The procedures went well, but recovery has been extremely difficult. I didn't wake up until 10:00pm, but haven't been able to sleep much since. Between nausea and unexpected head pain, this has hit me hard. The vaginoplasty was painless, but the other procedures have hit hard. Going to try taking a nap...

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 27, 2019, 08:22:14 pm »
Today was another rough day. The catheter was removed (good) and I have no issues peeing (good), but my head feels like it's in vice! My nausea finally passed and I can keep food down. Amazing how good a boiled egg tastes when you haven't eaten in two days. Dr. Ley stopped by twice, first to see how I was doing, and again about an hour later with 16 gourmet cupcakes to celebrate my birthday!!!!

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 29, 2019, 03:38:26 pm »
Thanks for the birthday wishes @jkredman , @AllieSF , and @judithlynn !!!

I apologize for the lack of updates with substance, but I have really been out of it the last few days. My surgery was supposed to start at 10:00am and end at 6:00pm on Friday. Surgery started late, and Susan tells me it was over at 7:30pm. I vaguely remember waking up in my room just as she left to head back to the hotel. I had no idea what time it was -- there was no way to wear my glasses with my head wrapped in gauze, and I didn't know where my cell phone was. I woke up often, if I ever even got to sleep, and I was in constant pain. The labiaplasty and lip implants were virtually painless, the pain from the scalp advance was limited to the drain under my scalp, but the pain from brow contouring was simply too much.

Saturday the staff gave me a birthday gift -- a pain pump. I pushed that little button every time it was green! It helped a bit, but the imaginary clamp on my head just seemed to slowly tighten as time passed. I was so nauseous that taking a pill with water caused me to throw up. I was finally able to keep a light supper down after some anti-nausea medication through an IV. Vicodin took the edge off, but sleep was still impossible, my head felt like it would soon explode.

Sunday was a little better. I was able to eat a light breakfast and lunch. I also did two laps around the floor without issues. The plan called for me to check out of the hospital in the afternoon. Around 3:00pm Dr. Ley called and told one of the staff nurses to remove the scalp drain so I could go home. The nurse released the sutures and pulled the drain so hard that I began sobbing. She only got about a half inch pulled out. She let me calm down for a few minutes and tried again, another round of tears, another half inch of drain. The nurse gave me another Vicodin, waited a few minutes, and tried again. I nearly screamed out loud, and the drain didn't budge. They wrapped the exposed part of the drain in gauze, and checked me out. The plan was for me to visit Dr. Ley's office Monday at 9:00am to have the drain removed. I tried to sleep, but a Vicodin every four hours didn't seem to help. It was another nearly sleepless, pain-filled night.

Today was better. Susan brought me breakfast from the hotel lobby, I dilated without issue (per instructions using the #1 dilator), and I finally got to see my new hood and labia minora. There is obviously still a lot of bruising, but it looks amazing! We went to the Meltzer Clinic at 9:00am, I tried to be inconspicuous by wearing a large straw hat over my stylish gauze head-wrap. Dr. Ley gave me a local anesthetic, waited for it to take effect, and removed the drain on her first try. My head still hurts, but it is slowly getting better. Dr. Ley checked out my new accessories and said everything was looking good. The swelling around my lip implants is minimal. Once we got back to the hotel, I took the best... shower... ever!!! Washing away the caked-on blood from my hair and feeling my new, smooth forehead was simply awesome! My hairline was also significantly improved. I will try to post some 'before and after' photos soon.

This may be the worst photo of myself that I have ever posted, but at the same time it may be the most beautiful. I took this just before my shower this afternoon. Some would say that it looks like I lost a fight. In reality, I have finally won a battle that lasted decades. This is the face of victory.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: July 31, 2019, 09:14:29 pm »
Thanks @Kendra !

The folks at the Meltzer Clinic removed my forehead sutures this morning. There are still quite a few in my scalp, but they will eventually dissolve. The top of my head is still completely numb, but feeling is slowly returning to my forehead. I can also move both eyebrows now, on Sunday only one would reluctantly respond. Hiding the incision on my forehead will be a challenge for a week or two, but I can already tell the results are awesome!

Susan and I will be heading home tomorrow. We have been slowly packing throughout the day. I will post some 'before and after' photos as soon as I get a chance, probably on Sunday.

Before this round of surgery I would occasionally see 'him' in the mirror, now I don't recognize the person I see. It is someone new, yet someone who has been with me all my life. Now she has her own face, one which she never shared with anyone else. Now she has her own life, she is free.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: August 03, 2019, 01:04:21 pm »
A few 'before and after' photos of my recent FFS. My forehead is still a bit discolored from bruising. I 'fixed' the forehead incision line and some discoloration on my lips. I do not wear my hair like this -- I combed it back for these photos to make it easier to see my hairline. It is odd not instantly recognizing the face in the mirror.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: August 23, 2019, 07:58:53 pm »
Four weeks have passed since surgery, so I think it's time for an update.

Labiaplasty - The procedure resulted in a dramatic change to the landscape with little post-op discomfort. Just six days after surgery I drove 800 miles in one day to get home, and there were no issues. Most of the bruising was gone after two weeks, and completely gone after three. The new labia were initially somewhat stiff, but they softened up considerably after the third week. After four weeks I no longer need feminine pads or panty liners. There are still some sutures near the hood, urethra, and labia, but none of them are causing any discomfort. The most important part -- it looks amazing. My wife says it looks like it's always been there.

Lip implants - These come in three sizes (3mm, 4mm, 5mm), and true to form Dr. Ley likes to go big. Once again, there was very little discomfort involved. The incisions were made just inside the corners of my lips, and the sutures dissolved after about 10 days. Initially the implants were a bit stiff and I was cautioned not to pucker or drink from a straw for two weeks. At first the only way to drink was from a glass or cup. After two weeks a straw worked fine. After three weeks I could drink from a can with only occasional dribbles, and after four weeks I could drink from a bottle if I was careful. When I first saw myself after surgery, I thought my lips were way too big, and to be honest I still haven't gotten used to how big they are. However, no one has seemed to notice them. Even after telling a few of my closest friends about the implants, they have all said that my lips look great.

Scalp advance - Only my hair stylist seems to have noticed. She had to trim about an inch of hair off the sides to match the length in the back, which would suggest that Dr. Ley slid my scalp forward by about an inch. My stylist said it lowered my hairline and really closed up the receding areas above my temples. The incision is healing very well, my normal makeup routine covers it enough that no cover-up is necessary. The only drawback is that the top of my head is now completely numb. Occasionally it itches, but scratching is useless because I can't feel it! Most of the feeling should return over the next year or two.

Brow contouring - This was by far the most painful procedure, but also the most rewarding. For about five days it felt like I had a migraine headache, and it took about 10 days for the pain to completely subside. The forehead discoloration from bruising held on for nearly four weeks. I have had a few people ask if I'm doing something different with my makeup, some of my friends have said my features look softer and more feminine. Unless I tell them what I had done they can't describe what looks different. Although my brow wasn't that noticeable, I saw it every day -- now it's gone. The procedure also raised my eyebrows a bit.

My close friends have said the changes are subtle, but to me they were dramatic and somewhat liberating. I no longer share a face with the person I used to be. When I look in the mirror now all I see is Jessica Rose.

Before and four weeks after FFS with my usual makeup...

[Jessica_Rose]

« on: October 25, 2019, 09:23:31 pm »
Three-month (and final) update!

Labiaplasty - The last sutures vanished after week six. All my new lady parts feel as I imagined they would, and they look great!

Lip implants - Most of the time I don't even notice them, although if I rub my tongue across the inside of my lips I can feel them. I also still have a little numbness that creeps in by the end of the day, but not enough to be bothersome. I think they look really nice.

Scalp advance - At first the top of my scalp felt really odd because there were no sensory inputs from that area, but I have gotten used to it now. The top of my scalp is still totally numb, but I have occasional pains along the incision which would seem to indicate some nerve regrowth. The incision just below the hairline is still healing, but it is nearly undetectable with my usual makeup.

Brow contouring - It took about 10 weeks for feeling to return to all areas of my forehead. There was also a small lump near my right temple, but that faded after about eight weeks.

I am very happy with the results. Personally, I think I look better than I ever imagined! Despite the initial pain and discomfort, and the lingering numbness, I am glad I did it. The photos on the left were the day before surgery, those on the right were about 12 weeks after (no makeup). My nose looks a bit different due to the camera angle -- I did not have rhinoplasty.