Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So.. I have top surgery tomorrow ;D It has come around so fast, I can remember creating the ticker below and it saying 6+ months thinking dear god that will never go fast enough!

Starting to get pretty nervous  :-\ but excited all at the same time! Been pretty calm, cool and collected so far. Having it done by an experienced surgeon - well with regard to operating, he's a plastic/reconstructive surgeon, but not done that many FTM chests or to be honest I doubt there is that many in my home town in Far North Queensland, Australia!

But I liked him from the get go and him shaking my hand and treating me as nothing less that I am. He has some different kind of ideas for the surgery which I am happy about - wouldn't have signed up for surgery if I wasn't comfortable! But essentially it will be double incision with nipple grafts.. So this time tomorrow I will be laying in my hospital bed hopefully wondering what on earth I was so worried about!!

Was just hoping that maybe some nice, friendly vibes can be sent my way from my brothers and sisters in these forums  :) or if anyone has any last minute advice?!

First of all CONGRATS AUSSIE JAY!  It's been a long time coming.


Just follow the post care procedures and take it easy and relax afterwards.  Grab the bull by it's horns and knock that surgery right out of the park! I'm sure you will do fine mate.

I wish you a speedy recovery and many many many many shirtless days afterwards.

Congrats to you Jay!

Congrats! I remember being fine and then the day before surgery suddenly getting nervous but I had no need to be. Everything was better then I expected, I was up and out the next day.

Good luck, wish you a speedy recovery.  ;D

Total Congrats Jay. Hope it goes really well and you heal up quickly. Do let us know how you get on. You should be all healed up to show a manly chest on the beach next summer.

Hugs

Cindy (freezing my butt of in Adelaide.)

Thats awesome!!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Good luck and I hope you get some great results  ;D

I remember those pre-surgery jitters, I had a hard time sleeping the night before. But it was all worth it when I woke up from surgery and the evil twins were gone. Good luck Jay, I hope you get a good result.

Thanks everyone - means a lot :) I'm getting progressively more nervous haha!! I took my folks out for dinner to a fancy restaurant tonight (they have made the 1300km journey to come up and help me convalesce).. I was surprised I ate! I honestly don't know how I'll go sleeping tonight haha!! That all seems pretty normal though right - I mean I reckon I'd be more worried if I wasn't nervy!!

Thanks again.. I'm just a worrier, I know I am!!

I'm really stoked for you! Good luck mate! Will think of you tomorrow!

Congrats, Jay!  I'm really happy for you and hope things go smoothly with your surgery. 

Huge congrats dude, I'd say the nerves are normal but they will all melt away when you look down and see a lovely flat chest. I can't wait for that feeling :)

Congrats mate and good luck. Mine is next Wednesday so I can imagine how excited you are. Woohoo!!!   ;D

congratulation,
I am sure it will be very great,
I was very nervous the day before surgery and very happy few days latter to see the result^^ even if it was all blue, and green..
hahah :D

Congrats mate  ;D
I've just started t so can't offer any advice really but don't overdo it after surgery! Good luck, keep us updated

Awesome dude! You deserve it.

best of luck to both you, Jay and Greg

Congrats Jay and Greg.  Sending good vibes your way.

Troy

Congratulations Jay!!

I remember being so excited and impatient. It was all so quick once I got there. And being in the anaesthetists room, the next thing I know, Im waking up post op!
   Youll be fine. Take it easy. Even when you feel well, your body will still be healing, so take things really slow for a few weeks for the sake of your scars.

:)

Thanks guys and girls - all comments very appreciated! Stayed in overnight and got home about lunchtime today. Sore, stiff, bruised and drains still in. See the surgeon in his rooms tomorrow for their removal. The bandages I had on overnight have forced some excess fluid and swelling into the upper regions of my chest.

When the surgeon came to see me this morning he wanted the bandages off, me up and showered, dressings changed and into the post op compression vest ASAP which was done. Looked pretty ghastly when they changed the dressings over the incisions and even worse due to accumulation of the extra fluid. Oh and the incisions are vertical not horizontal as I expected.. Not really a problem for me as I didn't mind which way the scars were going to go!

So staying on top of the pain management - but I'm really more uncomfortable that in actual pain. And most of the discomfort is when I go from laying to sitting to standing and vice versa. Time to catch up on the sleep I didn't get last night due to the nurses doing hourly blood pressures etc..

Thanks again guys will update again after I know more :)

Awesome! Good to see you're doing well!

Pics when you can? (and comfortable doing so of course!) <3

Brilliant news lad.  Heal fast and scar free. Unless you want to brag about the shark!  ;)

So me being me - I don't do things the easy way! Saw the surgeon this morning and he said he'd like to drain the excess fluid that has accumulated - especially after he said it looked fantastic straight after the incisions and lipo that he did. So it's back to theatre for me in an hour or so...

I'm still pretty happy but really sore and tight with the excess fluid. He gave me a shot for the pain this morning which is keeping me happy until I go in for admission this arvo.. So going back under the knife but he thinks it's for the best and I would hate to see his hard work go to waste!

So will post again after I'm post op, again!! Thanks again guys and girls - really appreciate all the comments!

Aussie Jay,

Congrats and hope discomfort is easing and you heal fast. I had minor plastic chest surgery in the late 1960's in my late 20's and I had to not move my arms up much for about two weeks in relation to stitches and scaring, so I can relate.

Be good to yourself.

Jamie

Now on the road to recovery :) Came outta the second op worse for wear - was (and have been since) in really tight bandages and my compression vest. And lets just say its not the least bit comfy.. Still have my drains in and losing enough out of them to cause me to keep an eye on them.. But all in all a lo-ho-hot better than what I was the other day!

See the nurse in the surgeons rooms tomorrow for (hopefully) removal of the drains and dressings changed. I haven't had a proper wash since Wednesday morn so I feel completely disgusting. I got my mum and dad to wash my hair in the sink like a 3yo last night lol! And am now only taking panadol for minor pain that i get every now and again! So I will know more after tomorrow but doing much better and onward and upward after round 2!!

Thanks again :)

Congratulations Jay,

Glad that you are feeling better, even if you need a wash. BTW  guys stink most of the time anyway :laugh: it's a male thing.

Also love to your Mum and Dad who are wonderful and are justifiably proud of their son.

Hugs Brother

Cindy

Thanks Cindy :) haha I'm used to getting compliments from my lady friends about how good I smell so this is not something I'm used to (nor do I want to)!!

Mum and Dad have been absolutely fantastic - especially after I was a bit of a crappy patient after having to have more surgery!!

I'm much better now - getting "buggery" back in me as my mother would put it ::D lol

Good to hear things are back on track. 

Great to hear things are going well for you. :)