My consult with Dr Brassard

[stephanie_craxford]

Sooooooo......

We set off for Montreal at 6:30 AM and after 3.5 hours on the road we arrived at 10 AM.  We found the clinic and after about 20 minutes we were able to find a place to park that was relatively close.  The traffic was very busy as it always is in Montreal   We went into the clinic and I must have been just beaming.  The staff was very friendly and nice to deal with and while we were standing at the reception area Dr brassard came up and picked up his next patient file.  I must have been smiling from ear to ear as he said "Bonjour", I replied in kind and turned to Gill and said "do you know who that was..."  as if he were some kind of movie star.  he left and after they checked my file and the time, showed us where the waiting room was where we sat and waited for our turn.

The clinic is in a typically, beautiful old Montreal building, on a typically busy Montreal St "St Joseph Blvd.".  I was surprised at how busy the clinic was.  The waiting room was full, but then I realized that the clinic offers a lot more than SRS.  Our turn came and Dr Brassard came into the room and looked at the name in the file and in a most wonderful French accent "Stephanie Craxford"...

He led us to his office and after shaking our hands, offered us seats and said "How can I help you".  That kind of through me, as duh! how the heck do you think you can help me   It was just his way of breaking the ice so to speak.  He is quite charming and very good looking, his manner quickly dispels any fears or apprehension.  He went on to explain in great detail how the procedure is conducted and the pre and post operative preparation and care.  He also ensured that we were fully aware that this is major irreversible surgery that has it's own dangers and risks and what they are.  He then went on to explain what the options were and if I wanted general anesthetic or an epidural, and he went on to explain how female genitals work.  Additionally he asked me if functional depth was important as if there wasn't enough tissue there could be a possibility of skin graft being required and he explained how that was done.  I said that yes, functional depth was important and he asked if I wanted to be examined now or just leave the decision to me at the time of the surgery.  I told him that I would like to know now and with that we went into his examination room where he examined the tissue I had available and he confirmed that there was more than enough and that a graft wouldn't be required.  Whew...........

After we had exhausted our questions he led us back to the reception in the capable hands of Suzanne, who had my information package ready for me.  It contained a number of hugely detailed articles dealing with everything from pre-op preparation, to electrolysis (not required) to post-op care and what some of the issues that I may possibly encounter such as yeast infections etc...  Also it went on to explain a recommended daily routine to follow during recovery and healing over the six months that follows surgery.  We then went over the payment plan and I then paid my deposit, and that was it.

I can tell you that I feel so much better after the consult and I'm really lucky to have been able to have one as many others do not see the surgeon until the day before the surgery.  I know that I have made the right decision and that I've also made the right decision in selecting Dr Brassard to perform my surgery.

Yep it feels good.

Steph

[cindianna_jones]

Now this is more like it Steph!  It sounds like your visit was very productive.  I wish that I could have seen my surgeon in advance of my surgery.  I dont' know if it would have calmed me a bit or not. But it would have been nice.

I just can't fathom having the support of your SO.  That is amazing to me.

It's not long now is it?  You and Tinkerbell are scheduled very close to each other.

It is an exciting time is it not?

Cindi

[stephanie_craxford]

Now this is more like it Steph!  It sounds like your visit was very productive.  I wish that I could have seen my surgeon in advance of my surgery.  I dont' know if it would have calmed me a bit or not. But it would have been nice.

I just can't fathom having the support of your SO.  That is amazing to me.

It's not long now is it?  You and Tinkerbell are scheduled very close to each other.

It is an exciting time is it not?

Cindi

There you go Cindi

I know that I'm so lucky to have Gill by my side and that she has stuck by me through thick and thin, it has definitely made all the difference in the world.

Yep Tink and I will both be having birthdays very close to each other and some how I don't think that exciting quite covers it   as I'm even at a lose to explain the way that I'm feeling.  Not long now that's for sure.

Steph

[DawnL]

...and with that we went into his examination room where he examined the tissue I had available and he confirmed that there was more than enough...

Braggart!  >

Glad to hear things went well, Steph.  One step closer!

Dawn

[Buffy]

Sounds like a great visit Steph, I am so pleased for you.

Brassard sounds like great guy and to see him before surgery is a big bonus

Becky

[cindianna_jones]

Yep Tink and I will both be having birthdays very close to each other and some how I don't think that exciting quite covers it   as I'm even at a lose to explain the way that I'm feeling.  Not long now that's for sure.

Steph

Na... not that it shows in your pics either! 

Cindi

[Sheila]

Steph, I'm so happy for you. Before long it will all be over with and you will be beaming. I saw my dr. the day before, but I had a lot farther to travel. I guess you will be flying tomorrow at work. You might put some of that flying into the buses. Have a good day Steph and enjoy the moments. Yes, you are very lucky to have Gil. It was really nice to have someone you love there to hold your hand and to wake up to. Very important, to talk to.
Sheila

[umop ap!sdn]

That's great news, Steph!

[tinkerbell]

Hi Steph,

offered us seats and said "How can I help you"

Actually this question threw me off as well.  I thought my doctor was not aware of who I was, considering that I had spoken with his staff so many times.  Later, I found out that they are supposed to ask these type of questions because some people show up with all these weird off the wall requests...."I want this to look this way, I want to keep one of these in my abdomen, I want this without any depth but I want this to be long enough so that it looks like one of those"  you know, really weird, CRAZY requests....sometimes I wonder if these patients are really TS or what.  Anyway...

He also ensured that we were fully aware that this is major irreversible

Same thing here, I learned that they hear all kinds of unusual questions..."will I be able to function as a man?, Can I have a baby after this surgery? Can I have a reversal type of this surgery if things don't work out for me?"  I know...it really sounds like a joke, but this is what they hear and much, much, much more that I can't post here.

He is quite charming and very good looking

yes he is....

He then went on to explain what the options were and if I wanted general anesthetic or an epidural

I chose General, I wouldn't really like to see a bunch of doctors concentrated on one part of my body which I have ignored for soooooooooooo  long.  I know that you are under a strong sedative if you choose to have the epidural, but still, you are aware of things.

Additionally he asked me if functional depth was important

As I understand it , they usually go for what is normal, but most of the time the tissue you already have there is not enough to even create a normal depth
cavity..

graft wouldn't be required.  Whew..........

Wow!   I will need a graft...Oh well..

electrolysis (not required)

Yep! same here.  not required but strongly recommended.  Well, the way I see it, there is no way in this world that I would be pinched with needles down there. No way!

I can tell you that I feel so much better after the consult and I'm really lucky to have been able to have one as many others do not see the surgeon until the day before the surgery.

I also felt much better after my consultation; I just can't imagine people having their consults one day prior to their surgeries, but again, I didn't actually imagine many other things that people ask and request and they do happen.  A great heavy load has been lifted, I would imagine...and now the clock starts ticking....tick tock, tick, tock, tick tock....

I'm just so happy that eveything went well with you.  I am sure the next few months will be filled with joy, impatience, a little bit of fear (which is natural if you are human)  but all in all, it is a great feeling that finally it is going to happen...after all these darn years...it is finally going to take place...unbelievable but true...miracles do happen...


Congrats Steph! 

tinkerbell

 

[Mario]

Congratulations Steph! I am sp happy for you. Time will fly now until the day comes, maybe with holidays and all coming up. He sounds like a great guy

                                            Marco

[BrandiOK]

  Ah....Dr. McDreamy...Ah........

  Glad all went well with your consult Steph.  Now it's just like waiting on Christmas LOL.  I'm going to live vicariously through your journey if you don't mind .   

  I doubt I will be able to go for a consult before hand but who knows.....it's still 1 1/2 to 2 years away for me. 

  Sounds like you had a great time   I can't wait to visit Montreal myself someday.

[Chaunte]

Steph,

I haven't had a chance to read this until now. 

I am so incredibly happy for you!  I knew something was up from your latest pictures.  You are still beaming ear to ear!  You are going to have to give me the low-lown on how everything goes.  Montreal isn't that far from me, either!

Chaunte

[amberctm]

Congrats steph!

I plan on having my correction done in montreal someday. I only live about three hours away, so it mke sense, and they are very reputable. If you don't mind me asking what is it going to cost?

Amber

[stephanie_craxford]

Hey there.

Nope I don't mind... It will cost me $16,000.00 (Cdn).

Steph

[Julie Marie]

Steph, your account of your consultation was filled with much of the same fairytale sense I felt when a friend of mine told me of her surgery with Brassard last January.  I had this image of Brassard being both a gracious host and magician neatly packaged as one.  When she described her time there, from arrival, through recovery and on to the day she left, everything she said seemed too good to be true.  It was a Cinderella story.

Now you have given your account of the consultation and it seems Brassard continues to wow his patients.  After looking at several surgeons and being indecisive, I made up my mind when my friend told me of her experience.  Your experience now has my choice etched in stone. 

While I find myself somewhat jealous I am also very happy for you!  Someone said that transitioning is a miracle and the farther along I get and the more I hear about others' experiences I truly believe it a miracle.  Enjoy your miracle Steph, you deserve it! 

Julie

[tinkerbell]

Hey there.

Nope I don't mind... It will cost me $16,000.00 (Cdn).

Steph

My, my, my, a lot cheaper than what some of us will have to pay in U.S. currency!


tinkerbell

[stephanie_craxford]

Hey there.

Nope I don't mind... It will cost me $16,000.00 (Cdn).

Steph

My, my, my, a lot cheaper than what some of us will have to pay in U.S. currency!


tinkerbell

One of the benifits of being a Canuk eh!   What are you being charged?

Steph

[tinkerbell]

One of the benifits of being a Canuk eh!   What are you being charged?

Steph

I am paying close to U$24, 000 (vaginoplasty and breast augmentation combined)
I obtained  a discount for having both procedures performed at the same time.  Dr. Meltzer's fees for only a vaginoplasty was U$17,500 when I scheduled my surgery, but I understand his fees go up with each new year....


tinkerbell

[Julie Marie]

My friend paid $16K US in January plus $5K for BA.  By today's exchange rate $16K Cdn = $18,051 US. 

I thought I read he was raising his rates to $17,000 in January.

[tinkerbell]

My friend paid $16K US in January plus $5K for BA.  By today's exchange rate $16K Cdn = $18,051 US. 

I thought I read he was raising his rates to $17,000 in January.

Well, yes, his fees vary according to the patient's specific needs.  I, for example, chose general anesthesia, and he will have to do extensive grafting to create a normal vaginal depth, so the fees for a patient like myself are a bit higher than normal......oh no, poor me, skin grafting...OMG....LOL...


tinkerbell