Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi,

I am new to this site, but not new to the world of transitioning since I kinda did all of that about 13 years ago.  The reason I am posting here for the first time is that I am scheduled to go to Yeson in early February.  I just learned about Yeson a few weeks back after battling some depression over my voice.  My transition has been very successful, at least I think so, with the exception of my voice, which according to my friend is good, but makes me uncomfortable.  I know when I hear it I cringe and for the longest time, I just accepted that was all I could do. 

Now that I have found Yeson and am taking these steps, I wanted some insight into other's experiences.  The number one concern I have is not speaking or limiting how much I speak, be it for a week or for a whole month.  What techniques have people used to keep from speaking?  Or to prevent accidentally coughing, sneezing, or just saying some random word?

I do a bit of writing and I tend to run dialogues in my head speaking out the words occasionally.  It is just something I do, and I worry that it is so ingrained that I cannot help but do it.  I know that sounds crazy, but we all have our idiosyncrasies. 

I have read through (well skimmed actually—there is a lot on this site) about some of the experiences with Yeson, I would appreciate any insight you all have regarding the travel, jet lag, keeping yourself occupied for a week, etc.  As well as anything I should know about the procedure.  I am not nervous about the operation, but it has been over a decade since I had SRS and FFS.  Guidance and info is really what I am looking for. 

Thanks much in advance,
Sarah

Welcome to Susan's Place. I went with Dr Haben but there is much alike between the two doctors. Because I could, I started living with a 3 hour offset before I left. This made making the airline real easy even with an early flight because I was getting up at about 3am.

Yeson wants a month of no speaking where as I only need a week but ended up with two. The trick I used is the week before I left, I avoided speaking as much as possible, worked out ways of coughing, sneezing and other issues. I found that exhaling hard leaning forward could clear accumulations, and some foods like chocolate needed to be avoided. Sipping ice water, letting it warm a bit in your mouth before swallowing works to control coughs and helps with any pain you may feel. Last but not least Sneezing is an issue for me so I was on antihistamines once I returned home to avoid the local weeds.

In my case, the tools gave my mouth a real beating(stiff neck was the problem) so after surgery I wanted soft foods and soups. This isn't true of most cases but still you might want to have some soup available as it feels good going down at first.

Dr Haben says to control the things you can and don't worry about the things you can't. Both surgeries seem to be strong enough to withstand the occasional mistake so if you make one, don't worry about it. Just do the best you can.

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Hi Dena,

Thanks for the advice that is the stuff I need--little tricks and tips.  The things you don't think about.  I am a detail person, so I do tend to overthink things from time to time.     :D

I have already been spending more time thinking about the not talking and increasing my awareness of when I do.  Mostly I am amazed at how much I actually do talk to myself.  I guess that just stems from the work I do.  But you are probably right with practicing before actually having to do it.  I like the advice of controlling the things you can and not worrying about the things you cannot.

Thanks for the links, I have already read through them.  I actually remember this site from years ago, but most of my friends were on another message board that I cannot even remember what it was called.  I think it was the one Calpernia started up.  It is funny how time flies.

Much thanks again and I am thrilled that a resource such as this is still serving so many.  This makes me happy.
- Sarah

Better watch out as when I first came to this site, I was looking for voice surgery. You can still read my initial post(s) about it. Somewhere along the line when I wasn't looking they stuck this moderator badge on me. I think it had something to do with being older than the hills, being post surgical more than half my life and not being able to keep my mouth shut.  :icon_blahblah:

HAHA...

Been there, done that.  I am going to try to keep a low profile.  I got my hands full wrangling 10 CIS women on a roller derby team, I don't think I could handle everyone on this site.  Not sure they could handle me... LOL

We already have a member who had voice surgery and is on a roller derby team. She had her surgery I think the week after mine as there were two appointments available when I took mine so she got the one after mine which was a week latter. This is the link to my thread (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,192393.0.html) that might be useful for you to read as it details most of the first few months.

This was quite helpful thank you.  It is nice to read the challenges and the progress following the procedure.

I also have a question about singing after VFS.  While I am not a professional singer, I do sing quite often.  I have a very dynamic range and perfect pitch.  Has anyone experienced issues retraining your singing voice?  Similarly, once the pitch is increased following surgery, would my range shift higher?

I am fine losing the ability to mimic Leonard Cohen...LOL, but I also want to make sure I can still belt out "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse.   :)

Nothing is sure about VFS including a good outcome. Normally I recommend that VFS be considered as a last resort because failure could leave your voice worst off than it is. Doctors don't promise you that your range will shift and people with a large range tend not to see it shift. However I am the exception. Pre surgical my head voice was 130-190 hz which meant my only options for a feminine voice was surgery. Post surgical, I am may still not be at full range but I seem to be able to drop to about 140 hz and I peak out at about 700. My strongest voice comes at about 220 hz. One other disadvantage is you will not be able to produce the volume that you once could but it should be sufficient most of the time.

As for a singing voice, my male voice was bass so I never bother to sing after my voice changed. After all, that was before Johnny Cash made it big so there weren't that many popular songs that low.

To late :D That's what Dena thought when I helped enlist her. Having said that Dena's voice is a huge improvement as a result of voice surgery considering where she started. Both voice surgeons that are commonly used have different techniques so I'm sure you will be pleased regardless of which one you choose. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 27, 2016, 03:29:01 PM
HAHA...

Been there, done that.  I am going to try to keep a low profile.  I got my hands full wrangling 10 CIS women on a roller derby team, I don't think I could handle everyone on this site.  Not sure they could handle me... LOL

Thanks Mariah & Dena,

I am fairly certain I can regain, or at least not lose, my ability to sing.  Music is such an important part of my life that I cannot see myself not singing.  I grew up with vocal training and have been singing with vocal training since I was in the 9th grade, and I still use that training today.  So I am sure I can still do it.  Plus my friends would never let me not sing at karaoke.  ;)  I might have to find a new partner for "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"...LOL

The results that I have seen and heard from Yeson have very much impressed me, and opened my eyes that this could work for me.  Honestly, I was at a support group holiday party about 12 years ago and there was a woman there who had voice surgery, and her voice struck me as not natural, almost like Minnie Mouse, which frankly did not fit her body (IMHO).  So I focused more on altering my resonance and pitch through voice lessons by a wonderful local speech therapist.  According to by friend, who is actually accompanying to Seoul, she said my voice sounds fine, which is probably because she is my friend.

Looking back on my transition, I was very much involved in my local support group and at the local LGBT youth center.  I even served on the board of a national LGBT advocacy organization.  But about 9 years ago I step away from all of that.  I started playing roller derby and it sort of took over my life—it does that.  But I noticed during that time, I no longer hung around my old friends who I transitioned with and I no longer outwardly did a lot of advocacy support.  I kinda went stealth, I guess, even though I was never in the closet about being trans.  I just no longer focused on that aspect, and I fully embraced where I was at in life, be it work, sport, or friends.  My new circle of friends, in fact all of my close friends now are cis-women.  While I do not regret this, I find it hard to talk about some of these issues.  Especially after deciding to go to Yeson.  I needed to reach out to community again to help me answer these questions and to get some support.

I am happy to have found this place and people open to talking about VFS.  I have learned so much in just the last month.  It feels like when I was approaching FFS and SRS.  There is a jittery feeling—it is good, it is scary, it is exciting.  So thank you all for your kind words, and tolerating me for a while. :D

-Sarah


p.s. - Mariah, I notice by your ticker that you just had SRS...mazel tov!!  Congratz on the new vagina! :)

I have no doubt you will be able to, but do remember don't go trying to sing right after surgery. Your vocal cords are going to need major healing time before you can push them to the limits of sining. I know not being able to sing would be a pain. I love to sing too and I suppose that is something that helped make the vocal range I have easier to maintain and keep all these years. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 09:50:21 AM
Thanks Mariah & Dena,

I am fairly certain I can regain, or at least not lose, my ability to sing.  Music is such an important part of my life that I cannot see myself not singing.  I grew up with vocal training and have been singing with vocal training since I was in the 9th grade, and I still use that training today.  So I am sure I can still do it.  Plus my friends would never let me not sing at karaoke.  ;)  I might have to find a new partner for "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"...LOL

The results that I have seen and heard from Yeson have very much impressed me, and opened my eyes that this could work for me.  Honestly, I was at a support group holiday party about 12 years ago and there was a woman there who had voice surgery, and her voice struck me as not natural, almost like Minnie Mouse, which frankly did not fit her body (IMHO).  So I focused more on altering my resonance and pitch through voice lessons by a wonderful local speech therapist.  According to by friend, who is actually accompanying to Seoul, she said my voice sounds fine, which is probably because she is my friend.

Looking back on my transition, I was very much involved in my local support group and at the local LGBT youth center.  I even served on the board of a national LGBT advocacy organization.  But about 9 years ago I step away from all of that.  I started playing roller derby and it sort of took over my life—it does that.  But I noticed during that time, I no longer hung around my old friends who I transitioned with and I no longer outwardly did a lot of advocacy support.  I kinda went stealth, I guess, even though I was never in the closet about being trans.  I just no longer focused on that aspect, and I fully embraced where I was at in life, be it work, sport, or friends.  My new circle of friends, in fact all of my close friends now are cis-women.  While I do not regret this, I find it hard to talk about some of these issues.  Especially after deciding to go to Yeson.  I needed to reach out to community again to help me answer these questions and to get some support.

I am happy to have found this place and people open to talking about VFS.  I have learned so much in just the last month.  It feels like when I was approaching FFS and SRS.  There is a jittery feeling—it is good, it is scary, it is exciting.  So thank you all for your kind words, and tolerating me for a while. :D

-Sarah

Yep I am aware, and I will follow all of the post surigcal recovery rules to the letter. :)

All good things come to those who wait.

-S

That is the one thing as I'm starting and moving on with my life is that I'm moving into more of a stealth role outside of here too. Other than a few people as I move into that role of getting married and having in laws in the like very few of them will actually no about my past so I can totally understand that. I think it is something we do over time as we grow and just live our lives that we leave that past behind us. The two weeks I spent after my surgery in Arizona with my fiancé were wonderful and well we just lived like any other couple would and no one around us knew the never mind about my past. We didn't talk about  and it wasn't brought up. So I can understand. it's natural and just part of this process. Congrats on everything you have accomplished.

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 09:50:21 AM
Looking back on my transition, I was very much involved in my local support group and at the local LGBT youth center.  I even served on the board of a national LGBT advocacy organization.  But about 9 years ago I step away from all of that.  I started playing roller derby and it sort of took over my life—it does that.  But I noticed during that time, I no longer hung around my old friends who I transitioned with and I no longer outwardly did a lot of advocacy support.  I kinda went stealth, I guess, even though I was never in the closet about being trans.  I just no longer focused on that aspect, and I fully embraced where I was at in life, be it work, sport, or friends.  My new circle of friends, in fact all of my close friends now are cis-women.  While I do not regret this, I find it hard to talk about some of these issues.  Especially after deciding to go to Yeson.  I needed to reach out to community again to help me answer these questions and to get some support.

Thank you. I'm happy with it and very quickly that past of something else is being forgotten completely. It's what we are here for. You have that one thing just needs a little fixing to allow you to be more comfortable with things and so you search out info to deal with that issue. It's how I found this place. I needed just two pieces of info and got them before even joining. Then I just stuck around to help other since I know how difficult it can be especially when your first trying to figure things out. Good luck with VFS. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 09:50:21 AM

I am happy to have found this place and people open to talking about VFS.  I have learned so much in just the last month.  It feels like when I was approaching FFS and SRS.  There is a jittery feeling—it is good, it is scary, it is exciting.  So thank you all for your kind words, and tolerating me for a while. :D

-Sarah


p.s. - Mariah, I notice by your ticker that you just had SRS...mazel tov!!  Congratz on the new vagina! :)

I still wanted to make sure because so many forget our voices have to be at there best to be able to sing well and when there not well disastrous things can occur with our vocal cords so it is why I wanted to be sure to note the importance of that considering how fragile our vocal cords really are. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 10:04:52 AM
Yep I am aware, and I will follow all of the post surigcal recovery rules to the letter. :)

All good things come to those who wait.

-S

Oh Scottsdale  :)

My third trip down there was for SRS.  Does Dr. Toby still have that mustache?  I actually find that I have gone back to Phoenix a lot over the last 13 years since SRS.  Many times to play derby and once to the Phoenix comic-con (yep I am a nerd).  Each time I go there I do think back to my stay, and the friends that were there with me, and the friends I went down there with for their surgeries.  Good memories.

Best wishes for your marriage, it is a wonderful thing and the fact your fiancé was with you throughout your surgery speaks volumes to me.  I wish you both happiness and long life together.  I am certain it will be wonderful.

Cheers to you both,
-Sarah

I don't recall the mustache on Dr. Meltzer at all. Then again I was living in the moment too. Yeah I went to the Phoenix Comic Con Fan fest just days before my surgery with my fiancé and that was blast. Thank You. Me too. Yeah I had my fiancé with me all along and then I had help of Dena on top of that which came in handy when I started dilations. Cheers. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 10:19:41 AM
Oh Scottsdale  :)

My third trip down there was for SRS.  Does Dr. Toby still have that mustache?  I actually find that I have gone back to Phoenix a lot over the last 13 years since SRS.  Many times to play derby and once to the Phoenix comic-con (yep I am a nerd).  Each time I go there I do think back to my stay, and the friends that were there with me, and the friends I went down there with for their surgeries.  Good memories.

Best wishes for your marriage, it is a wonderful thing and the fact your fiancé was with you throughout your surgery speaks volumes to me.  I wish you both happiness and long life together.  I am certain it will be wonderful.

Cheers to you both,
-Sarah

Quote from: Inarasarah on November 28, 2016, 09:50:21 AM
The results that I have seen and heard from Yeson have very much impressed me, and opened my eyes that this could work for me.  Honestly, I was at a support group holiday party about 12 years ago and there was a woman there who had voice surgery, and her voice struck me as not natural, almost like Minnie Mouse, which frankly did not fit her body (IMHO).  So I focused more on altering my resonance and pitch through voice lessons by a wonderful local speech therapist.  According to by friend, who is actually accompanying to Seoul, she said my voice sounds fine, which is probably because she is my friend.

That can be one of the complications of the surgery. The tie must not exceed 50% or you will lose voice quality. In my case I am near 50% because I needed all the increase in pitch that was possible. Dr Haben said he could give me 60 hz but I ended up with about 80 hz. It's possible for the cords in the process of healing to exceed the 50% mark and we have one member who that happened to.

The other issue is therapy. Another member was pushing 250 hz because she thought pitch was the only issue and the voice sounded false. Lowering the pitch gave her more range to work with and produced a more natural sounding voice. Surgery is only half the voice and therapy or knowing how to use the voice is the other half. As you have had therapy already it sound not be difficult for you to take advantage of the new voice.

Dena,

This is what I am hoping.  I have already had vocal training, and I hope that I am able to utilize that to my advantage.  Ultimately, if I can pass on the phone, I will be ecstatic.

Cheers :)

Hi :) I saw Dr. Kim earlier this year - my thread should be further down on the list I think. Documented what I did in Korea and some other things.

I can definitely sing a lot more easily after the surgery. However I am not sure if it is due to the surgery or the voice exercises I'm doing (Dr. Kim will give you some to do).

Your voice will sound natural afterwards, baring some sort of adverse 'event'.  The way they used to do the voice surgeries in the past had a much greater tendency to result in the minnie mouse-type voice.  Also, I reckon that most of the time you're only going to get 40-60Hz from Yeson and not the 75Hz that is bandied about a lot.  As others have said, resonance doesn't change and if you have a very good trained voice now you'll have to relearn that a bit afterwards I think.  My old resonance method results in my voice being too high (I was linking resonance and pitch somehow), so it's been taking me a while to get it down again.

Still, I'm very happy!  Best of luck and ask any questions you want, of course!

Thanks Denjin, this is helpful :)

I am now just under 50 days out from VFS at Yeson.  Everything is booked and one of my best friends is going with me.  February cannot get here soon enough.

Thanks to all of your amazing posts, I have had a lot of reading to get caught up on.  All of it has been insightful and ever so helpful. 

Sorry I don't post a lot, work and life tend to take over.  Just like last week when I went back to Colorado to visit my Mom and let her know I was going for surgery.  She was wonderfully supportive.  I also found that I really don't want to tell a lot of people, I am telling those closest to me--Mom, my sister, and my best friends.  But I really have a "let them figure it out" attitude about everyone else...is that weird?  I am sitting down with my team next month, because they are like family to me.  Funny story about that, I did talk to one of my teammates last week about the surgery and from all indications about our conversation I don't think she knew I was trans.  Given that I have known her over 5 years now I was a little suprised at her responces to our conversation.  Maybe she was being polite, or maybe not...I will take the win :)

The world is a fantastic place and I am so glad I discovered this proceedure and Yeson.  I am so happy right now.

Cheers!
-S

I too am hanging out for February for exactly the same reason! All booked and set for the procedure on the the 14th.

I met Dr Kim and Jessie last Sunday when he visited Melbourne with the Facial Team and Marci Bowers.  While I was already booked, it was nice to have a brief analysis done and not have any obvious issues that might impact the outcome.  It will really be up to me to get the most out of it.

Excitement building.

All the best for February.

Emma


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Emma that is wonderful.  I will be one week ahead of you as I am scheduled for the 7th.  I have my one week follow up on the 13th, then my friend and I fly back to the states on the 14th.  She arranged it so we can have Valentines sushi in Tokyo...LOL.

Best wishes to you Emma. And here is to, as my sister put it "everything in 2017"  :)

-Sarah

Only 4 more weeks.  28 days.  :)

Nope, still not counting...not at all ;)

Just curious for those who have gone to Yeson, did you use AMEX for payment?  I think Jessie said it was ok, but always get nervous before that they might not.  So I thought I would ask if anyone here used AMEX as a payment option

Thanks
-Sarah

I am now 2 weeks out...I swear time is moving so slow. 

Two trips this week to Los Angeles, then one full week before I head to Seoul.  I am sooooo ready.

Sounds all good. Regarding the payment - make sure your credit card company will be fine with this. I aked mine before the trip and they openly told me that they cannot guarantee that the payment would work and that I could not do anything about it as they have random checks or something like that and a big payment made in a very distant country may trip security blocks. So I ended up doing a money transfer in advance to be safe.

February in Seoul is COLD - like snow and ice... Be prepared, also do everything to fend off getting a cold or infection.

Your situation sounds very familiar. My transition was in 1998-2000 and I did VFS 15 years later. Back then I knew someone who had VFS and it was horrible - a 1m90 tall woman with a Minnie Mouse voice. No one in the group did get VFS for years after that. Singing after the surgery works, but it is not perfect. I am trying and it seems to be ok, someone I know had some issues with diplophonia though, Amy however seems to do fine as a professional musician and singer. The vocal rang does not change that much though. In my case I lose a bit at bottom and top, but regained much of the top part, but it is not really going higher than it used to go. My higest pitch still is 1-2 notes below where it was, but that was the E5 range, so I am not going to be a soprano anyways. I am happy to have gone from bariton to alto... ;)

Thanks Anjaq,

Quote from: anjaq on January 31, 2017, 03:52:19 AM
Sounds all good. Regarding the payment - make sure your credit card company will be fine with this. I aked mine before the trip and they openly told me that they cannot guarantee that the payment would work and that I could not do anything about it as they have random checks or something like that and a big payment made in a very distant country may trip security blocks. So I ended up doing a money transfer in advance to be safe.

I already called AMEX and they are fine, so that I am not worried about I just hope Yeson can process AMEX.  I assume they can

Quote from: anjaq on January 31, 2017, 03:52:19 AM
February in Seoul is COLD - like snow and ice... Be prepared, also do everything to fend off getting a cold or infection.

Yep, I am ready for this, warm boots, gloves, scarves, and jackets.  Last time I was in Seoul it was August and so very hot and humid.  I guess I like the extremes...LOL

Quote from: anjaq on January 31, 2017, 03:52:19 AM
Your situation sounds very familiar. My transition was in 1998-2000 and I did VFS 15 years later. Back then I knew someone who had VFS and it was horrible - a 1m90 tall woman with a Minnie Mouse voice. No one in the group did get VFS for years after that.

This is EXACTLY what I encountered.  Back in 2004, I was at a party for the local gender center and there was a woman there about my height who had voice surgery and sounded like Minnie Mouse.  The voice did not fit her frame and seemed odd.  At that point I pretty much resigned that voice surgery would never be an option.  Then I heard the Yeson results and my eyes were opened.  I have another friend who transitioned around the same time I did and she is now considering Yeson.  She is eagerly following my progress :)

Quote from: anjaq on January 31, 2017, 03:52:19 AM
Singing after the surgery works, but it is not perfect. I am trying and it seems to be ok, someone I know had some issues with diplophonia though, Amy however seems to do fine as a professional musician and singer. The vocal rang does not change that much though. In my case I lose a bit at bottom and top, but regained much of the top part, but it is not really going higher than it used to go. My higest pitch still is 1-2 notes below where it was, but that was the E5 range, so I am not going to be a soprano anyways. I am happy to have gone from bariton to alto... ;)

I currently have a very dynamic singing range, so I am interested in seeing what happens.  Thankfully I am not a professional singer, so if I lose my ability I will not be crushed, maybe saddened.  But I will survive.  If I can still sing me some Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, or Chrissie Hynde that would be amazing.

Thanks again for the post.  I will probably do the videos for rainbow passage.  Eeeek, I am so exicited.  Leaving in 4 days OMG!!  <3

Quote from: Inarasarah on January 31, 2017, 09:41:08 AM
I already called AMEX and they are fine, so that I am not worried about I just hope Yeson can process AMEX.  I assume they can

ASK! - AMEX is not that common, internationally. Better write Jessie an email about it and make sure of it. It would be a mess if you are there and need to organize payment in a hurry.

QuoteThis is EXACTLY what I encountered.  Back in 2004, I was at a party for the local gender center and there was a woman there about my height who had voice surgery and sounded like Minnie Mouse.  The voice did not fit her frame and seemed odd.  At that point I pretty much resigned that voice surgery would never be an option.  Then I heard the Yeson results and my eyes were opened.  I have another friend who transitioned around the same time I did and she is now considering Yeson.  She is eagerly following my progress :)

Yes - I also met someone else back then and she had a totally hoarse voice. So voice surgery in the 1990ies was out of the question for me. FFS did not really exist in Europe - so I got none of these - and left the community. I was amazed when I came back 15 years later that now there are options to get the voice changed properly and that one can alter the face, so I did the VFS at Yeson, but am not sure about the FFS thingy - it worked ok for 18 years and I am a bit scared of it.

QuoteI currently have a very dynamic singing range, so I am interested in seeing what happens.  Thankfully I am not a professional singer, so if I lose my ability I will not be crushed, maybe saddened.  But I will survive.  If I can still sing me some Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, or Chrissie Hynde that would be amazing.

Well, it will be interesting to know. I tried doing singing lessons this winter, but I am not that good at it - it works ok, but my voice control is not good and I tend to get some roughness in some parts. I struggle with the transition from head to chest voice. But I never did singing before, so I guess it is more related to that lack of experience.

I am willing to give up having a good singing voice if I can have a voice that passes every day.  To me that is a worthy tradeoff.  If I can manage to sing in addition, that is a wonderful bonus.  Time will now tell. :)

Quote from: anjaq on February 01, 2017, 04:41:59 AM
ASK! - AMEX is not that common, internationally. Better write Jessie an email about it and make sure of it. It would be a mess if you are there and need to organize payment in a hurry.

I am taking a Visa card as a back up.  Amex is better option for me since I don't have to pay the foriegn transaction fee with them.  But if it doesn't work, I will survive...I always do :)

Thanks Anjaq for all your insight, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.  Hugs

-Sarah

In 65 hours I board a plane for Seoul, South Korea.  This will be my second trip to Seoul, the last one being in August of 1990.  I don't remember much from that trip, as it was the end of a month-long trip which was primarily centered on Hong Kong.  But I do remember it was beautiful and I found it much more appealing that Hong Kong was.  I will admit to being a little nervous, but anxious at the same time.  This journey is one that I never envisioned I would ever take.  It always seemed like an impossibility, but the possibility is now upon me.

I have two more days of work to finish up, two more long runs through the neighboring town, a few goodbyes with some close friends, and then I am off on a new adventure.  It is hard to believe that only two and a half months ago, I had never heard of Yeson.  Thank you everyone for your kind words in this thread and your PMs.  Those of you who have reached out to me personally, I cannot express how much your kind words have meant. 

I still need to pack, and prep my new laptop so I can do some personal stuff on it, in addition to a few work things (heck if I can bill a few hours when I am out there, why not do it).  I promise to post some updates from the road.  I do know it is going to be cold, so I might be spending lots of time in the nice warmth of my hotel. 

Hugs,
Sarah

I am now 24 hours away from leaving my house to head to the airport.  Insomnia is waking me up and my brain is running a million miles an hour.  I know this feeling because I have had it before, back in 2004 before I went down to Scottsdale for SRS/GCS.  I have such love and support from my family, friends, and neighbors.  My next door neighbor A, she and I are the same age and both young for the neighborhood, gave me a huge hug while constantly expressing how happy she was for me.  My friend S came over for lunch yesterday, which made my day mainly because I am in love with her (not that it is going anywhere or that she knows or I will ever tell her. I am 100% fine with this btw, just kinda wanted to acknowledge it publicly and anonymously for the first time :) ). I called my mom and had a great talk, I just wish she could empathize more.  I know she cares deeply for me and wants me to be loved and safe, she just has difficulty expressing it, it is somewhat of a character flaw with my family.  I ended up being the empathetic one in the family, which doesn't help when I need that shoulder.  Oh well, that is why I have friends.

Today I have one meeting in Redmond, a trip to the bank for some traveling money, a quick stop at my lawyers, then home to finish packing.  My friend Slammi (derby name), who is accompanying me on this adventure managed to get us upgraded to business class.  Super excited about that.  I managed to get us upgraded on the hotel, so if all goes according to plan we should have 10 days of comfort and relaxation. 

If anyone has any recommendations for site seeing or restaurants I am open to suggestions. We will be staying in Itaewon. 

Now I am going to try and rest my brain.  These are the time I wish I had a significant other to kick me in the head and tell me to relax and go back to bed.  Stoopid monkey brain...

I just wanted to wish you all the very best in Seoul and at Yeson.  I am a week away from my trip to Seoul. Getting excited and everything else!

By the way, I can relate to the insomnia - it is 4:25am here right now and I am typing this!


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Good luck to both of you!

We are at the airport:

<imagur.com fail>

We made it to Seoul, it is chilly here, but everything seems to be heated, even the toilet seat.  LOL.

Tomorrow is pre-op.  Tonight we are going to sing some karaoke...fun times

Quote from: Inarasarah on February 05, 2017, 04:35:11 AM
We made it to Seoul, it is chilly here, but everything seems to be heated, even the toilet seat.  LOL.

Tomorrow is pre-op.  Tonight we are going to sing some karaoke...fun times

Weather forecast says it will be colder tomorrow. Air quality (Asian dust or micro dust) is usually bad at Seoul in winter, but today it is 'average' (no so much bad). Most stores here accept AMEX. Yes. I also once carried and used AMEX about 15 years ago here in Korea.

Itaewon is a kind of old town, but you may find some restaurant there. I once had dinner in a restaurant there last year, and my impression was it was expensive compared with my hometown (Jeju island).

As it is not so far from Itaewon to Yeson, you may take Taxi. A kind of Uber service is available if you have a smartphone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kakao.taxi&hl=en
If English interface is not available, then refer to: https://www.10mag.com/kakaotaxi-for-the-english-speaker/
I am sure it will be tricky for English users, and you may ask a staff in your hotel to call taxi for you.

Also public buses are available (you may ask the hotel staff).

barbie~~

Quote from: Inarasarah on February 03, 2017, 06:56:12 AM

If anyone has any recommendations for site seeing or restaurants I am open to suggestions. We will be staying in Itaewon. 

You may go to Seoul tower by taxi or the National Museum of Korea. It takes less than 10 min to the tower and about 11 min to the museum.

barbie~~

Thanks Barbie!! 

we got in last night and took the train to the Seoul station.  our hotel is right there, the millennium hilton.  it is pretty nice. 

i am still not sleeping though the night, but got more sleep tonight than the last few. 

so excited

I had my pre-op appointment today.  They have a nice battery of tests they ran me through, including blood, x-ray, and ekg.  Jessie was amazingly helpful and escorted me through whole process.  Just for the record, Yeson does accept Amex as a form of payment. 

Dr Kim measured my current natural voice at 148hz, and my trained voice at 168hz.  He believes that after proper training following the procedure I should be able to reach 222hz as my natural pitch.  I have my work cut out for me :)

I wake up tomorrow morning and head to Yeson at 8a, my surgery is at 9a.  Then I will be on my one week of no talking.  It is hard to believe that this is really happening.  And that before last November, I had never dreamed this was a possibility.  I am so excited, and I will update tomorrow evening after I return to the hotel.

Thank you all for your support.  It means more than you will ever know.  :)

-Sarah

I am a little late to this thread, but good luck on your surgery!

I'm also Korean like barbie, but unlike her I've lived in the US for most of my life.  I've visited Korea several times though, and I'll echo her recommendation on Seoul Tower and the National Museum of Korea.  I enjoyed both places when I went there.  The museum may be a particularly good post-op choice as you can just walk around and view the exhibits without having to say anything.  :)

Thx Mirya,

I think my friend has these on her list for this week.  She calls herself my personal tour guide. 😃

My youngest sister is also Korean.  She was adopted when she was 4, and to this day is my most supportive family member.  She is the most important part of my life, and I don't know where I would be without her.

Thanks for the post :)
-Sarah

All the best this morning, Sarah.  I will be sending all my supportive thoughts north.

Emma

Quote from: EmmaD on February 06, 2017, 12:24:55 PM
All the best this morning, Sarah.  I will be sending all my supportive thoughts north.

Emma

Thanks Emma!! You are going to love it here next week :)

Quote from: Inarasarah on February 05, 2017, 01:20:37 PM
our hotel is right there, the millennium hilton.  it is pretty nice. 

It is very close to Namdaemoon market. You may walk there. It is a very old town, but once was the center of Seoul. Probably aged people may stare at you for curiosity. There are many affordable local restaurants, but I am not quite sure whether you can enjoy so much spicy food there. Also, there is a large shopping department called Shinsegae: http://english.shinsegae.com/english/dept/dept_store.asp?STORE_CD=15
I seldom go there because everything is expensive there except food.

My favorite destination for fashion shopping there is Hoehyeon underground shopping center:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.kr/Attraction_Review-g294197-d2428773-Reviews-Hoehyeon_Underground_Shopping_area-Seoul.html

There are many cheap restaurants in Bukchang-dong:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1963058

I hope your surgery will go well and I am sure it will.

barbie~~
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1963058

Quote from: Mirya on February 06, 2017, 09:44:01 AM
I am a little late to this thread, but good luck on your surgery!

I'm also Korean like barbie, but unlike her I've lived in the US for most of my life.  I've visited Korea several times though, and I'll echo her recommendation on Seoul Tower and the National Museum of Korea.  I enjoyed both places when I went there.  The museum may be a particularly good post-op choice as you can just walk around and view the exhibits without having to say anything.  :)

Mirya,

Nice to know you.

My eldest son is currently living in Los Angeles. I lived in Maryland from 1995 to 2006. After that, I usually visited the western part of the U.S. from Seattle to San Diego, mostly for academic meetings.

barbie~~

Sending good thoughts across the ocean my sister!!!

Hugs!!!
A :)

xoxo

Missy

Please keep us update with your result ❤️
And how much did the surgery cost ?

Kisses ❤️[emoji182]


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Hi everyone,

This is the first chance I have actually been on my computer since I left home, so much easier to type here than on my phone.  First off thanks for all the positive thoughts and vibes. 

Yesterday was my surgery, roughly 24 hours ago, I walked into the operating theatre laid down, then woke up 2 hours later in the recovery room.  I was so uncomfortable afterward, sore throat and headache.  I also could not get comfortable on the bed, and moving around was hard because of the IV.  I managed to make it the 2 hours before they brought in some water and ice cream.  It tasted so good.  Then 2 hours later after several failed attempts to sleep, they brought me some soup.  I slowly ate it, asked to go to the bathroom, and managed to only get through half of the bowl of soup.  It tasted good, but about an hour after I ate it I was scurrying down the hall to the restroom to through it back up.  I proceeded to through up 2 more times that afternoon, not pleasant btw, but after the last time, my friend said I no longer looked as green.  Perhaps a good sign.  They gave me a shot to help with the sickness symptoms which was a good sign.

I met with Dr. Kim to see the results and he said it looked very good.  when he originally evaluated me on Monday he actually used Jenny's video to explain the quality of my voice, so I take that as a good sign for possible results.  The follow up results on Tuesday afternoon showed positive sign for recovery.  Now it is on me to not talk for a month, avoid coffee (that will be very difficult for a Seattleite), and to not cough.  So far 24 hours later, I have done pretty good.

I still woke up every 2 hours to pee during the night and the headache persisted.  I felt like I was coming off a weekend bender fueled by tequila.  This morning, I was able to eat scrambled eggs and watermelon, along with some herbal tea.  My headache has mostly dissipated, and I have twice the energy as yesterday.  I am still not at 100%, but I am getting there. 

Last night I had a dream I enrolled in the high school in the small town in Nebraska I lived in as a kid (don't ask me why), but I keep trying to tell every one I couldn't talk because I just had surgery...I love my messed up mind sometimes :)

Today we are going to wander and do shopping and some sightseeing.  Our hotel is right across the street from the Seoul City Wall. So we are probably going to go walk up the trail.  Basically we will do as much as I can without getting too fatigued. 

I will post some more updates tomorrow if there is anything exciting.  I will say that the whole experience has been good so far, maybe not the vomiting, but Yeson has be wonderful.

Thank you all for your care and concern, and Missy thank you for the wonderful messages they totally made my day.  :)

Love & hugs,
Sarah

Sarah,
   I guess you will just have to talk on here. I am happy that it is done for you. You will just feel better and better  from here on out. I imagine you are still able to smile with this surgery. Hope you are fully exercising that right. :)
Moni

Yep Moni, I am pretty much all grins :)

And Slammi, my friend who is here with me, says we need to work on our charades skills.  Thankfully I can write, but it is frustrating that we just cannot read each others minds...LOL

Hi Sarah,

Yay you!  Oh, yum - vomiting!  Something to look forward to.  Anyway, so glad you are out the other side. Take it easy and just shut up!

Love Emma

Quote from: EmmaD on February 08, 2017, 01:17:45 AM
Hi Sarah,

Yay you!  Oh, yum - vomiting!  Something to look forward to.  Anyway, so glad you are out the other side. Take it easy and just shut up!

Love Emma

That is a real danger any time they put you under with a general. Ether made me sicker than a dog but the modern drugs are far less likely to do that. However there still is a risk and that's why they instruct you not to eat or drink for 6-8 hours before any surgery. Otherwise you might do that in surgery with dangerous consequences.

Very true Dena.  I was nauseous because of the anesthesia, it took a day to fully wear off.  Absolutely the worst.

Fortunately my appetite has returned and I had a delicious pork dish for lunch.

I am pretty much on the healing track right now.  I feel good overall but abut tired

-Sarah

Just want to follow up, it has been about 5 days of silence, and it is not too bad.  My throat has been sore so that is a physical reminder to not talk.  You just take things slow

For those interested in Seoul, I have to tell you I love this city.  So much great food, shopping, and history.  The transportation system here is great, and so easy to use.

Today I got a Fendi wallet for less than $100...bargains are everywhere.

I also never thought I would be in a city with more coffee shops than Seattle, but this place has it beat.

My follow up appointment is tomorrow, then we leave on Tuesday.  I am ready to go home, but I will miss this place.

Hi Sarah, so happy the past week has gone so well.

I had my consultation with Dr Kim today and it is all go for tomorrow morning.  I have an added bit of cutting to be done with the removal of a cyst on my epiglottis which is impacting how the sound comes out of my throat. Extra little 30-minute job for him. Glad I am here as it wouldn't have been found otherwise. Will no doubt be an extra bit of "sore" after but the 2 wounds are well away from each other.

Have a safe and uneventful trip home tomorrow.

Emma

Sounds good Emma.  Dr Kim is very sweet and very thorough, and that is a blessing.  I am sure you will have a good result.

I made it back to Seattle today, I am tired, but need to stay up until a normal bed time, so I can work tomorrow, gotta pay for all this stuff!!  Anyway, I had my follow up around 5p on Monday, and after a long day of riding trains and walking, not to mention visiting an aquarium, I was quite ready to sit for a while.  Dr. Kim said Evrything was looking good.  They gave me the vocal exercises and the botox shots, and that was it.

We went back to Hoehyeon for some fried chicken just after stopping in the largest luxury department I have ever been in that was located near the Express Bus Terminal stop on the orange line.  Nine floors of high end clothes, dishes, jewelry, perfume, and even bicycles.  It was amazing, but we found better fdeals at the Namdaemunsijang street markets by our hotel.  Heck, I picked up a Bao Bao bag for around $65 and a Fendi wallet for around $60.  So many things.

I am already missing Seoul, the language, the food, the culture, the transit.  So magnificent.

Now that I am home, I have 3 more weeks of not talking.  My throat is still sore, as are the surrounding muscles.  They gave me exercises to do and the vocal exercises to start at 2 months post op.  The work is just now starting.  :)

So excited, and so happy.
Thank for reading and caring
-Sarah

p.s - Best wishes Emma <3

I welcome any questions about Yeson, you can PM me if you would like.  I would be happy to talk about my experience.  I mean other than the vomiting post anesthesia; I had such a great time in Seoul and with Yeson.  :)

Glad you are home safely.  These are certainly flying trips!

My op yesterday seems to have gone really well, including the additional cyst situation. I am not in any pain but am just managing the phlegm flow. My tongue is bit swollen though.  I am having a day in the hotel just to rest as I haven't been sleeping too well. The silent thing isn't too hard so far but I imagine I might find things a bit isolating once I am home.

Fortunately no vomiting post-op but I have done so before so I think they medicated me in advance.  Dr Kim is very thorough and explained what he was doing at least 3 times and answered everything in detail. It was a very good day. I was more put off by the cyst wound than the vocal folds but both are tiny.  I even travelled back to Gangnam on 2 train lines last night at 6pm after surgery with no problem.  It must have been all that ice cream! Yeson also gave me a USB-powered humidifier as I commented about how dry the air is here especially as they keep the hotel very warm.  I turn the room heat down every day and the staff turn it back up! I have my window open now to cool the room down.  Little machine seemed to work last night quite well.

So, so far so good. Let's just see what happens over the few months, firstly knocking off this week.


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OMG the tongue thing, I had numb tongue for a few days and it is still a little sore. 

Aren't the trains great!!  I love them so much for getting around.  If only Seattle could figure out mass transit, it will never happen beyond the meager light rail they are building.  Seoul trains were wonderful...

The Hilton wasn't has dry, fortunately.  but there were several places that they cranked up the heat, and then outside was freezing.

So glad you are healing up Emma <3

I liked the subway trains - they are like here in Munich but I think they come more frequently in Seoul. Sadly unlike here in Munich, the transfer walk from one train line to another can be amazingly long in Seoul. Once I think I probably walked about the distance from one station to another within tunnels and underground shopping passages just to get to another train line. At least they have rather clean public restrooms in all the stations - very useful once one is in the phase that requires you to drink water all the time to avoid coughing

I took a series of photos for my FB page of the Subways and used the hastag #Seoultrain :D

Totally agree on the walking, holy crap sometimes I thought it would be easier to just follow the streets if it weren't below freezing most of the time we were there.  So I guess the underground tunnels and shopping areas were actaully pretty welcomed :)

Emma,  I hope your recovery is going well and you are able to get out and do some sightseeing.  If you get to the Coex mall, the Aquarium is pretty nice.

Hi Sarah,

It is 3:40am here in Seoul - yes, insomnia is still my friend!

My recovery is ok I guess and I have been taking things very slow. Having 2 wound sites with one a bit higher up than the vocal folds makes it a bit more difficult.  I often wonder which site is contributing to my discomfort the most. I have tiny wound bleeding output in mucous that I hope is coming from the cyst site only.  I am mastering the airway clearing technique as I am very "phlegmy". This is a side effect of having problem sinuses. I will be very curious to hear how I have gone at my check out on Monday.

I am planning to hit Coex tomorrow or Monday. Only a 5-minute walk from Gangnam station on the green line so it is a short ride over there. Thinking of going to the National Museum of Korea today. 

Now to try to sleep!




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Hi everyone,

Just an update on day 12 post-op.  I am still not talking.  I have not uttered a peep since surgery day on Feb 7th.  It is honestly one of the most frustrating things about the surgery.  I am a consultant, and being able to talk and advise my clients is rather difficult right now.  I was even offered a quick project which could have needed me some more money, but I might not be able to do it since it is very client facing...no worries, at least I was the first one they thought of for the work, that means something.

I did get the botox injections following the procedure because of a slight tremor.  There really have been no complications because of this other than I do not have the energy I use to have.  I read that this is a side effect, so basically I just want to nap all the time.  I am still drinking a ton of water, and fortunately, I have not had any coughing fits.  I have had a few incidents when I ate or drank something that made me cough, but I was able to follow their directions of keeping everything open and relaxed , then immediately follow up with slowly drinking water. 

Another frustrating thing is that I find it so hard to interact with people here in the states.  It was easy in Seoul, since we had the language barrier, but here many people think I am deaf.  I want to shout "dude, I can totally hear you, I just cannot talk right now!!"  But obviously I cannot do that.  :)

I am also on an exercise hiatus while I heal up, and being a very active person, I cannot wait for another week to pass, so I can start running again.  Today I went on a nice long walk, and other than the cold dizzle, it was wonderful to just get out of the house and wander through the wooded neighborhood again.  I have also been spending a fair amount of time alone, since having conversations has been difficult, this has not helped my mood much, so tonight I am going to a friend's house for the evening.  The benefit here is that she is interested in the surgery, so hopefully it will be less awkward than the other times I have been hanging out with people I know.

I think Rose asked about the cost of the surgery.  Here is a rough breakdown of what I spend on this trip.  Please note that the travel & hotel costs may vary, especially, since my friend and I did stay at a 5-star hotel on the executive floor.  I was able to cash in some rewards points which covered just over half of the cost of the hotel stay, meaning that my personal hotel cost was for only 4 days, not 10.  They benefit of years of accumulating travel and reward points I guess.  Plus my friend and I tend to treat ourselves to nice things :)

Airfare: $1,584.76
Hotel: $1,697.40
Yeson: $7,932.57 (surgery, plus botox)

This nets out to just over $11k

I still have another 18 days of no talking left.  I am being good and quite honestly, it isn't that hard not to talk, since I feel like I have a sore throat anyway.  I did laugh once while in Seoul, it was very brief but sounded better than how I laughed in the past.

I recommend getting a nice pen and notebook, I pretty much use this all the time.  I also have an iPad and the Apple pen, which is also quite useful.

Lastly, I have nothing but positive things to say about Yeson.  Dr Kim, Jessie, and the rest of the staff have been nothing but helpful, understanding, and nothing but a pleasure to work with.

That is it for today.  I will update again if there is anything new to add...

-Sarah

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and tips, it is invaluable for others who plan similar procedures in the future. Good luck with your recovery Sarah and Emma!

A quick update (and sorry for dumping my stuff in Sarah's thread).

Had the check out at Yeson. Both surgery sites are healing very well. Relief! Botox in. Didn't really like that part. Voice exercises explained. Extra pills prescribed for when the Botox runs out. Didn't think I needed that but there you go.

To echo lots of Yeson patients, what a wonderful team they are at Yeson. The pity is that at the point when I just want to say thank you, I am being bombarded with information and instructions while being unable to speak. A note later might have to do. Dr Kim and Jessie will be back in Australia doing consults at the end of the year so I will let Dr Kim have a look at my progress then.  Will certainly motivate me to do a good job. 

So the first week is over tomorrow and I fly home tomorrow night. Not sure if I will miss Seoul. Perhaps if this had actually been a holiday. To be honest, I am sick of doing these transition surgery trips. This one is the last. I'm done.   

Finally, a huge thanks to everyone who has shared their VFS journeys on Susan's. So much wisdom in one place.

Much love

Emma

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Quote from: EmmaD on February 20, 2017, 05:52:38 AM
A quick update (and sorry for dumping my stuff in Sarah's thread).

No worries at all!  Thank you Emma for sharing your experiences too.

I am now at 2 weeks no talking, and it is getting old.  I am going to make it a full 30 days...

Emma, I second your comment about transition travel.  This trip was actually my last for transition, if I had only known about it a decade ago.  My next surgery trip is more about me getting older and wanting things "firmed up" but it is really no different than cosmetic surgery any cis-woman would have.

-Sarah

Quote from: EmmaD on February 20, 2017, 05:52:38 AM
Voice exercises explained.

I guess it would make sense to go over this before the procedure so we could try it and be told "yes that's the way" or "no not quite like that". If I ever go to Yeson I'll ask for this.

Quote from: Fresas con Nata on February 20, 2017, 01:28:35 PM
I guess it would make sense to go over this before the procedure so we could try it and be told "yes that's the way" or "no not quite like that". If I ever go to Yeson I'll ask for this.

Good point. We only practiced the lip trills without sound along with the massage technique.  Fortunately, most of the voice exercises are very similar to what I have done in the past. But I had the same thought when I was stressing over the past week.

cant u post before afters?

Yeson requires 4 weeks of recovery with no speaking during that time. Even after that it may take a a couple of months or more for a full recovery. If you would like to hear some results of a similar surgery from another doctor, you can view Dr Haben's results here (http://www.professionalvoice.org/feminization.aspx). I am the 64 year old voice sample.

I will post some once I can talk again.  I am waiting the full month to allow for optimal healing.  I can tell you I laughed today and it is in a higher register.  I was not expecting that, nor the laugh for that matter.  It just kinda came out.

They said we should be able to say a word or two, but it has only been two weeks and I am patient.  15 more days!!!

oh i didnt know u just had the surgery my b

No worries, I am happy to help anyone interested in having surgery at Yeson by answering any questions about my experience.  :)

Hang in there - the month will be up before you notice!  I'll never forget my month of silence, though.

I have exactly 12 more days left of no talking.  This song has been running through my mind all day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0AKJMGxwpE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0AKJMGxwpE)

Quote from: Inarasarah on February 18, 2017, 06:57:06 PM
Hi everyone,

Just an update on day 12 post-op.  I am still not talking.  I have not uttered a peep since surgery day on Feb 7th. 

Sarah,

Oh. You are already at home again. I have been too busy writing research proposals during the past 2 weeks to read your posts. Glad that you had no serious problem during the surgery. Hoping that your voice will recover soon with dramatic changes.

barbie~~

Hi Sarah,
   I have this picture in my head of climbing to the top of the mountain to hear the high holy person speak after 50 years of a vow of silence. Any thoughts on a profound, earth moving statement as the first thing you will say after your  vow of silence, oh holy one? "One small step for women kind" maybe?
   We haven't chatted for a while (no pun intended), are you doing okay? It has been a pretty crazy month, I imagine. Is your throat still uncomfortable. I wondered about whispering. It would seem to be very little strain on the voice to do that. I am surprised that is off limits.
   I hope you get the result you are looking for. I would love to have my voice issues resolved, but I have an underlying issue (sorry for this grossness) of mucus on my vocal chords. It means constantly clearing my throat before I talk and I never know if the good or bad voice will be present. ENT doctor had no answers. Even did MRI and things were fine. It really makes my sense of transness in my daily thought process be front and center more than it normally would be. I go for a two day training with strangers where I will have to talk a lot next week and it is stressing me out. After my GCS I will try to pursue an answer again. Sorry for my tangent. Are you able to exercise/ skate yet?
   Talk to you later, Hon!
Moni

Quote from: barbie on February 24, 2017, 05:10:14 PM
Sarah,

Oh. You are already at home again. I have been too busy writing research proposals during the past 2 weeks to read your posts. Glad that you had no serious problem during the surgery. Hoping that your voice will recover soon with dramatic changes.

barbie~~

Thanks Barbie,

Only thing that occurred was nauseousness following surgery.  Most likely from the anesthesia.

All is good now, I still miss Seoul, so much fun there.  :)

-Sarah

Quote from: HappyMoni on February 24, 2017, 08:33:36 PM
Hi Sarah,
   I have this picture in my head of climbing to the top of the mountain to hear the high holy person speak after 50 years of a vow of silence. Any thoughts on a profound, earth moving statement as the first thing you will say after your  vow of silence, oh holy one? "One small step for women kind" maybe?
   We haven't chatted for a while (no pun intended), are you doing okay? It has been a pretty crazy month, I imagine. Is your throat still uncomfortable. I wondered about whispering. It would seem to be very little strain on the voice to do that. I am surprised that is off limits.
   I hope you get the result you are looking for. I would love to have my voice issues resolved, but I have an underlying issue (sorry for this grossness) of mucus on my vocal chords. It means constantly clearing my throat before I talk and I never know if the good or bad voice will be present. ENT doctor had no answers. Even did MRI and things were fine. It really makes my sense of transness in my daily thought process be front and center more than it normally would be. I go for a two day training with strangers where I will have to talk a lot next week and it is stressing me out. After my GCS I will try to pursue an answer again. Sorry for my tangent. Are you able to exercise/ skate yet?
   Talk to you later, Hon!
Moni

Heya Moni,

My first two words have been determined for months--Valar Morghulis.  The geek in me cannot wait to udder these words.  :)

The past few weeks have been full of work and clearing things off my to do list.  I am making progress on both, but there's still so much to do.  Not being able to talk has been frustrating.  I am still debating going to watch wrestling tonight or just stay home and read.  There are many people there I know and I hate that I cannot talk to them.  Oh well, I am sure I will figure it out...

I am going to skate a little this weekend.  I ran a little today, nothing too strenuous, I just wanted to do a little more than just walk.

Thanks for the post Moni, you are super sweet :)

-Sarah

Sarah,
   Wow I love your choice. I am sad to report that I had to look it up, but I love the symbolism. Maybe I should think of  some first words for waking up after GCS. I thought of yelling, "Hey anyone seen my penis?" lol I think the gravity of that event will not lend itself to humor, but to other very strong emotions.
   It is so nice to talk to you. I think you will feel less frustrated as soon as you can be more active. Have they given you any cautions as to whether or not your voice will take some time to see the final result once you start talking?
   Your  friend,
   Moni

Given that I am no spring chicken, I am expecting a lot of work ahead of me.  Fortunately, I have had voice training my whole life.  So I think it will take me a few months of hard work to get my voice into the range where I want it. 

11 more days and I roll up my sleeves and get to work.  Voice training in still another month away, but I am fully committed to make this work. :)

Next on my list is finding a way to make more money, all this Sh*t is expensive :)

Hey everyone,  sorry to have been a stranger on here.  Work has been busy, and not being able to talk has not helped.  But I am nearing the end of my 1 month of silence.  I have said the sporadic one or two words here and there, but really nothing major.  Moni you would be proud, my fist two official words were Valar Morghulis :)

I have asked my Amazon Echo to play music for me and she responds, so that is nice.  Still waiting a few more days before starting full on conversations.  I can say that it is hard to talk if you haven't said anything for a month.  The time for rebuilding has begun. 

I spent this weekend at Emerald City Comic-con.  It was great seeing close friends and a few authors and artists I only see once a year.  Kinda rough not being able to talk with them, but my trusty iPad and pen were a life saver. Of course I spent more money than I had planned, but it was worth it.

Then on Friday whilst having lunch in an overly crowded bar, a guy came over to hang out. I offered the other seat at my table, he ordered a beer and we enjoyed a lovely lunch.  This was totally random and very unexpected.  Turns out he is a writer and a local.  Throughout lunch he kept hitting on me and throwing out the compliments.  I must admit it was flattering, as that really never happens to me.  Well we did exchange numbers and have texted a few times.  I have to say that was pretty cool.  Especially for a mute.   ;D

Once I am fully talking I will post a voice sample, probably not until the two month mark since that is when the voice exercises start.

-Sarah

It sounds great. Yes. Patience and patience.
Wishing to hear your new voice!

barbie~~

I just called and had a short conversation with my Mom, she said my voice sounded good.  I am going to reserve judgement until I can hear it myself. :)  I figured that since I was almost at a month and we have not talked for over a month, it would be best to call her first.  I am happy with this...

Quick update:  I read the rainbow passage yesterday and the average pitch was 167Hz just below my trained voice pitch pre-VFS.  For reference, my un-trained voice pitch pre-VFS was 148Hz.  This is the 1 month update, which I will continue throughout the year.

I cannot lower the pitch right now, this is just what comes out.  So I am happy, even though I sounds like I have laryngitis.  I try to speak a little each day without straining my voice.  Water is still my friend and I drink copious amounts.  That's all for now...

Sarah, am so happy for you! All the best, keep us updated

Thanks.  I am 2 weeks away from starting vocal training.  I am read to start, but I will follow the Doc's directions :)

Stay Tuned!!