Quote from: alena on August 12, 2014, 03:31:49 PM
I love pineapple juice and have been drinking loads this summer! I received an message from Dr Barts secretary the other day to book my post-op consultation in September - they are quite organised! I hope all your prep goes well Carly, keep us updated on how everything goes! 

Hey Alena!!

Hadn't read you for a while! So what is the verdict on your trachea shave overall? Happy? How long has it already been since you had it done if you're already going for your post op next month?

Well, all is looking good over here and just gotta start packing next week, we head for Belgium a week from this Saturday. Got everything ready to go. Will keep you updated. Will be having the neighbour feed and  take care of our 2 kitties while we're gone, that reminds me, I better ask him tomorrow .

Little Thought of the Day

I'm looking forward to this. It's pretty surreal, when I found out about FFS, I didn't know such a thing was possible and then when it dawned on me, I thought..." I can't make an expense like that on surgery"... And now, here i am, ready, knowing this is a much better investment than many other things that cost a similar amount and more. Someone in the forum said to me something that really put it into perspective for me  -a new car will soon get old, but your face will stay with you for the rest of your life- Simple. Powerful phrase. Enough to have stayed with me since.

Bed time for me now...

Carly x

Hiya Carly

It grows closer!!  Truly, it's one of the best investments you can make, no doubt about it. 

As we disussed on my thread,  I believe you are maximising your future outcomes.  When people see you, they'll just see a girl, and concentrate on the real subject at hand.  I imagine the worst case, where I'm at a job interview, and FFS pretty much guarantees that you'll look right.  If you dress right and sound right as well, you eliminate any "soft" concerns that the interviewer may subconsciously feel, and allow them to focus on the stuff of importance.

By way of an example (although not of FFS), I know a transwoman here in Madrid who is an expert in the telecoms sector.  She looks like a girl, but madre mía, when she talks it's 100% male in pitch and intonation, and very deep.  She's been battling to find work, partly because she is in her 50s (so sad!) but probably because the interviewers can't reconcile all the parts of how she presents.

Enough ramblings for today.  One recommendation for ya:  EAT A LOT, NOW.  Depending on how much mouth-work you're doing, you are not going to feel so keen on too much food, and purées are soooo boring.

Hugs
J

Hi Carly,

I've just been busy with work and other things, I still check in daily even if I don't have time to post somthing. It's been three months since my trachea shave. It's a lot better than it used to be but there's still a bit that's noticable. I was chatting to Gia on another forum post and we had a similar outcome. It looked great after the op but when the swelling went away completely there was still a bit noticable. My neck is quite scrawny and I've been hitting the gym quite hard for the past few months so I guess that doesn't help. I'll speak to Dr Bart at my next meeting to see if a revision is possible/necessay if my neck doesn't fatten up due to HRT by then! Have you moved onto patches yet? I find that they stick well but leave a little rash due to the adhesive.

One tip for Antwerp - watch out for the bikes! Most of the pavements are split in two with pedestrians on one side and bikes on the other! Takes a bit of getting used to 

Quote from: calicarly on August 13, 2014, 05:58:18 PM
Hey Alena!!

Hadn't read you for a while! So what is the verdict on your trachea shave overall? Happy? How long has it already been since you had it done if you're already going for your post op next month?

Well, all is looking good over here and just gotta start packing next week, we head for Belgium a week from this Saturday. Got everything ready to go. Will keep you updated. Will be having the neighbour feed and  take care of our 2 kitties while we're gone, that reminds me, I better ask him tomorrow .

Little Thought of the Day

I'm looking forward to this. It's pretty surreal, when I found out about FFS, I didn't know such a thing was possible and then when it dawned on me, I thought..." I can't make an expense like that on surgery"... And now, here i am, ready, knowing this is a much better investment than many other things that cost a similar amount and more. Someone in the forum said to me something that really put it into perspective for me  -a new car will soon get old, but your face will stay with you for the rest of your life- Simple. Powerful phrase. Enough to have stayed with me since.

Bed time for me now...

Carly x

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on August 14, 2014, 03:15:51 AM
Hiya Carly

It grows closer!!  Truly, it's one of the best investments you can make, no doubt about it. 

As we disussed on my thread,  I believe you are maximising your future outcomes.  When people see you, they'll just see a girl, and concentrate on the real subject at hand.  I imagine the worst case, where I'm at a job interview, and FFS pretty much guarantees that you'll look right.  If you dress right and sound right as well, you eliminate any "soft" concerns that the interviewer may subconsciously feel, and allow them to focus on the stuff of importance.

By way of an example (although not of FFS), I know a transwoman here in Madrid who is an expert in the telecoms sector.  She looks like a girl, but madre mía, when she talks it's 100% male in pitch and intonation, and very deep.  She's been battling to find work, partly because she is in her 50s (so sad!) but probably because the interviewers can't reconcile all the parts of how she presents.

Enough ramblings for today.  One recommendation for ya:  EAT A LOT, NOW.  Depending on how much mouth-work you're doing, you are not going to feel so keen on too much food, and purées are soooo boring.

Hugs
J

Hi Julia,

I totally agree with you on that. I think that's the importance of FFS, being unmistakably female, for relieving gender dysphoria but also, so we can really get on with issues at hand without having to worry about how good you look that day.

I couldn't help myself to giggle when you said madre Mia!, I love things like that in Spanish (hoping for a little trip there sometime not too far in the future. Eso espero!)... Yes. Thing is femininity is a package of visual,sounds, and behaviour,  if any of them fails miserably then sadly it just gives away the issue and.although it shouldn't be a problem, life is the way it is.

Thanks for the tip on the food. I shall enjoy my favourite meals this next week along with the healthy ones I've been enjoying! 

Quote from: alena on August 14, 2014, 03:19:58 PM
Hi Carly,

I've just been busy with work and other things, I still check in daily even if I don't have time to post somthing. It's been three months since my trachea shave. It's a lot better than it used to be but there's still a bit that's noticable. I was chatting to Gia on another forum post and we had a similar outcome. It looked great after the op but when the swelling went away completely there was still a bit noticable. My neck is quite scrawny and I've been hitting the gym quite hard for the past few months so I guess that doesn't help. I'll speak to Dr Bart at my next meeting to see if a revision is possible/necessay if my neck doesn't fatten up due to HRT by then! Have you moved onto patches yet? I find that they stick well but leave a little rash due to the adhesive.

One tip for Antwerp - watch out for the bikes! Most of the pavements are split in two with pedestrians on one side and bikes on the other! Takes a bit of getting used to 

You do have to have in mind wether there is any fatty tissue around the neck too, genetic female tracheas are also somewhat visible when they are very slim... It may just be a matter of gaining a few pounds at this point. Even if you continue exercising well, you will realise with HRT there is slightly more adipose tissue fat deposit.

I did get on patches, been on them some 3 weeks or so. Got on them right near the time we mentioned them, I'm feeling well on them. I'm not getting the rash a lot of people get with them but I may still try the gel at some point in the future just for comparison, but they do seem to work well for me so far.

Thank you for letting me know about the sidewalk and bikes on it. I think somewhere I read about a lady who almost got hit by a bike after her FFS for standing on the wrong side so I will have that in mind .

anticipation would be a good word for what I'm feeling today.

Quote from: calicarly on August 15, 2014, 03:59:11 PM
I couldn't help myself to giggle when you said madre Mia!, I love things like that in Spanish (hoping for a little trip there sometime not too far in the future. Eso espero!)... Yes. Thing is femininity is a package of visual,sounds, and behaviour,  if any of them fails miserably then sadly it just gives away the issue and.although it shouldn't be a problem, life is the way it is.

Thanks for the tip on the food. I shall enjoy my favourite meals this next week along with the healthy ones I've been enjoying!

Hey Carly

Ya sabes que tienes una amiga en Madrid - cuando quieras

On the food front, it's 3 weeks since I was remodelled and my chin and lower jaw are recovering very slowly.  It looks good but madre mia it is darn uncomfortable to talk much, and hard foods are still out, or have to be eaten very slowly and very little.   It's not easy to find good personal experiences of this part on the web, but it does seem to come with a slow recovery.

More later.
Hugs
Julia

I'm really excited for you too Carly and I hope it all goes super well for you!

I do hope the HRT fattens me up over the coming months as I'm a bit skinny all over! I'm glad you're liking the patches, I like them too but the rash I get comes when I remove it and can be a bit annoying for a few hours. I may decide to switch to gel at my next doc appointment in six weeks 

Quote from: calicarly on August 15, 2014, 04:25:31 PM
You do have to have in mind wether there is any fatty tissue around the neck too, genetic female tracheas are also somewhat visible when they are very slim... It may just be a matter of gaining a few pounds at this point. Even if you continue exercising well, you will realise with HRT there is slightly more adipose tissue fat deposit.

I did get on patches, been on them some 3 weeks or so. Got on them right near the time we mentioned them, I'm feeling well on them. I'm not getting the rash a lot of people get with them but I may still try the gel at some point in the future just for comparison, but they do seem to work well for me so far.

Thank you for letting me know about the sidewalk and bikes on it. I think somewhere I read about a lady who almost got hit by a bike after her FFS for standing on the wrong side so I will have that in mind .

anticipation would be a good word for what I'm feeling today.

Quote from: Dash on August 08, 2014, 06:25:17 PM
Facial Team were very professional. I was impressed with them (saw Dr. Capitan and Alexandra Hamer of virtualffs.co.uk at Sparkle) though the quote I was offered happened to be higher than both Mr. Musgrove's and Dr. Bart van de Ven's. Mr. Musgrove was very thorough and showed me some before and afters that were quite good, but the consultation charge, like you've previously said, was a lot of money. Out of the quotes that I've received on this half of the pond his is the least expensive though.

Looking forward to hearing your feedback on your surgery. May it go well. x

Hey Dash! Your little trip to London for a consultation with Dr Bart is getting close as is my op, let us know how it goes Hun, I don't mind if you hijack my thread being as you are a Manchester girl and having a consultation with Dr Bart which is where I'm going...

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on August 15, 2014, 05:11:56 PM
Hey Carly

Ya sabes que tienes una amiga en Madrid - cuando quieras

On the food front, it's 3 weeks since I was remodelled and my chin and lower jaw are recovering very slowly.  It looks good but madre mia it is darn uncomfortable to talk much, and hard foods are still out, or have to be eaten very slowly and very little.   It's not easy to find good personal experiences of this part on the web, but it does seem to come with a slow recovery.

More later.
Hugs
Julia

Julia!

Gracias querida! Eres una chica muy linda y creo que si voy a Madrid, me gustaria mucho verte.

See, that's what I keep reading from everyone, jaw and chin can actually take months to fully heal when other procedures can heal rather quickly. Hence the post about the supplements, I started taking the bromelain today (the one that helps with swelling) and the arnica only 3 days before my op. I guess I'll be having a big pizza all for myself on 2 for Tuesday offer if I won't get to eat things like that for a few weeks  . I'm sure my bf won't mind that haha, he's the one always convincing me to pig out with him. I am such a chatter box. I can hardly imagine not being able to talk a lot, but I did get my wisdom teeth pulled out some months back and ended up with a complication called dry socket on top of a tough oral surgery, it took at least a month and a half for the crazy nerve pain on the sockets to go away, yes! I had to be on codeine and other pain meds constantly for a month and a half! So if nothing else I have some experience with not being able to eat what I want and with a long recovery period. Hopefully the supplements help some!

Quote from: alena on August 16, 2014, 05:54:58 AM
I'm really excited for you too Carly and I hope it all goes super well for you!

I do hope the HRT fattens me up over the coming months as I'm a bit skinny all over! I'm glad you're liking the patches, I like them too but the rash I get comes when I remove it and can be a bit annoying for a few hours. I may decide to switch to gel at my next doc appointment in six weeks 

Thank you Alena!

. I am really excited. It's a week from today we fly out to Antwerp so I am as excited and as full of anticipation as it gets. But at the same time I got a lot to do leaving things as ready as I can back at home for while we are away and for when we get back.

I saw my uncle (more like an adoptive dad) yday and he said -oh Carly !! I don't know if I'll be able to handle looking at you all bandaged up and bruised when you get back! You are so beautiful and I hope it will all be ok- he really cares so much. I think he'll see how good this will be for me once it's all done and healed. Isaid it will be ok as I'll have gone through the worst few days of healing while in Belgium, but who knows really, I probably will get to see him only once more before we head to Belgium...

I say a little prayer

I'm so grateful for my bf and my uncle and the family and friends I have right now, grateful for the ability of being able to get these procedures done, it took organising and work to get to this point, I'm also grateful to be able to share with other wonderful ladies here on the forum what will be of my experience. I ask the universe to please make this an experience filled with positives, positive results and a great outcome altogether ...  I know it will be so. Amen. X x

Carli,

I wish you luck and hope that everything goes well and also a speedy recovery. I also want to go dr.bart for some minor changes.

Quote from: beren on August 16, 2014, 02:33:44 PM
Carli,

I wish you luck and hope that everything goes well and also a speedy recovery. I also want to go dr.bart for some minor changes.

I appreciate the good wishes darling! More now that my surgery is getting closer and closer . Have you had a consultation with him already?  I am of the opinion that an in person consultation is better. Particularly if you live in a country where he does consultations regularly. If not, there is always the online consultations. I never had an online one done though so I don't know for sure. Maybe they are just as good. What is it you want doing?

hugs!!!

Xoxo
Carly

PIZZA....!!!!!  Yes, girl! 

One of my fetish foods, wood-fired oven and a nice yeasty chewy dough.  Go and enjoy and know that these are all good calories pre-FFS.

More later....

Xxxx
Julia

Amen to that Carly, I'll be wishing you all the best along the way 

Quote from: calicarly on August 16, 2014, 12:57:08 PM
I say a little prayer

I'm so grateful for my bf and my uncle and the family and friends I have right now, grateful for the ability of being able to get these procedures done, it took organising and work to get to this point, I'm also grateful to be able to share with other wonderful ladies here on the forum what will be of my experience. I ask the universe to please make this an experience filled with positives, positive results and a great outcome altogether ...  I know it will be so. Amen. X x

Xoxo
Carly

How you doin lovely ladies?!

It's Sunday and I do a lot of extra cleaning around the house today , but before I get on with that I thought I would come around and say hi.

We were checking on what things are allowed in the carry on overhead luggage. I kept wondering about tweezers because Dr Bart asked me to not tweeze my eyebrows and just let them grow so he can make an accurate decision on the placement of the brow lift. Like I told a new friend of mine yday... I look like one of the muppets characters!! One of the more uncivilised ones at that too!!! Lol think of animal/Cookie Monster/ or the one that lives in the garbage!  But after checking online, Rob said tweezers are fine, yet turns out no liquids in containers over 100ml can be taken. smaller ones are ok, so long they are in a clear bag sealed ( they are special little bags). We ordered some online. This wouldn't be a problem if you actually check in luggage but we really don't think it's necessary. I won't be able to bring my de tangling /leave in spray cause the container is bigger than allowed for liquids though.

I'll take care of the packing properly from tomorrow...

I'm also seeing a friend tomorrow.  I have never had any friends in the community. It simply didn't happen.until recently, that my whole FFS journey started, with a girl who's also from Manchester and is going to Dr Bart, and is also going through the NHS transitioning process, so with all that in common and also the fact that she is super nice; I met her and we've been able to chit chat about all things FFS and give each other some support. I'll be seeing her tomorrow for some pizza before the trip to Belgium. Her FFS is only a couple of weeks after mine! At the end of the day I like to see it as two average women with a journey in common. Almost like a classmate you make friends with!

Anyway!! The dear Dyson vacuum cleaner is calling my name !! So I will come by the forum to say hi again later tonight xoxo

Hey Carly, have a safe trip and all the best for your surgery.

Btw your new avatar pic is simply stunning

Sheila

Quote from: shedevilcanada on August 17, 2014, 07:42:38 AM
Hey Carly, have a safe trip and all the best for your surgery.

Btw your new avatar pic is simply stunning

Sheila

Thank you Sheila darling.

Oh and thanks for the compliment on my pic I keep trying to use pics that showcase the problems that I need fixing with FFS. In this one you can see the chin and jaw (notice the cleft/dimpled chin and the dimensions ) . Last one I was trying to show the brow bossing problems more cause, interestingly enough I often have to almost convince people that I need this work doing ,so yeah there.

Ok lotsa stuff to do ! Will check in later girls x

I agree, you're looking very pretty indeed Carly! You can also get empty travel containers from Boots that meet the 100 ml limit. My girlfriend uses them for lotions and oils when we go on short breaks!

Quote from: shedevilcanada on August 17, 2014, 07:42:38 AM
Hey Carly, have a safe trip and all the best for your surgery.

Btw your new avatar pic is simply stunning

Sheila

Oh!!! I didn't know that Alena!!  thank you for that tip,  that way I can take some leave in conditioner with me. I'll stop by boots tomorrow.

Go to a big boots, one that does travel stuff http://www.boots.com/en/Go-Travel-Airplane-Travel-Cabin-Bottles_1180100/ or a Superdrug where they have travel bottles 

Good luck with your surgery I am excited for you.
I have decided to go with Dr Bart as well.I met with him and his wife in Seattle last month and was very impressed.
He didn't want to sell what I didn't need.Thank you all for your input and info.
Kristine