Date: 13/11/2014
Stay in Bangkok: 10/11/2014 - 29/11/2014
Recovery hotel: Bangkok-Rama

Procedures
- Forehead contouring with brow lift and hairline Adancement and Reshape
- Eyelid Surgery
- Rhinoplasty with Alarplasty
- Lip Lift
- Tracheal Shave

Dropped Procedures (Planned for a second stage)
- Jaw and Chin Contouring
- Sliding Genioplasty

Actions Taken so far
- Sent the deposit
- Bought Flight Tickets
- Bought some summer clothing
- Bought a Big suitcase
- Obtain a new post-name change passport (08/09/2014)

To Do List
- Have Blood Tests done with National Healthcare (16/09/2014)
- Do x-rays on a private Clinic (10/09/2014)
- get More Pajamas
- Pay the rest of Surgery

Personal Stats
- Time on HRT: 16 months
- Full Time: 10 months
- Passability: Not achieved
- Breasts: A-Cup
- Height: 175 cm
- Weight: 63 kg

Time for me to finally do it. I've been full time since October 2013, and it hasn't gotten easier with time. HRT changes have been minimal, and my face remains completely unchanged shave for the shaped eyebrows and hair removal. After deciding between three doctors (Chett, Cardenas and Bart), Chett was the one I felt more safe with, having followed several other girls experiences and results.

I was lucky that I was required to expend the remaining vacation days for the year and the company actually wanted me to be out for three weeks, so it looked like the best possible time. I've been moving fast during August to arrange everything, and so far things are nearly arranged, just needing the medical tests and x-rays. The minor things would be buying more clothes, specially comfy pajamas. Due to my more or less bad habit of sleeping naked (unless it is freezing), I only have one sumer pajamas. Given the fact that I'll be spending a lot of time bedridden and gorging on painkillers, it's better if I buy at least three more pairs, enough to hold for three weeks.

What to do in Bangkok?
Apparently, not a lot, save for stocking on survival items during the two days before the surgery.

- I've thought about bringing my DSLR camera, but it's too heavy considering that I won't be able to do lenghty trips until the last days. Also, I don't think I want to hit my not fused nose and forehead against the viewfinder. So I'll stick with my small camera.

- Studying would be a great idea, once I can get away from the bed and concentrate. There will be plenty of time to prepare my ISTQB certification book and some PDF's on the tablet (No laptop)

- Supposing the easiest thing I can do is lay on bed and watch tv, I could bring my WDTV Live Hub Media center. It's a 20x15 cm little thing loaded with 1 tb of movies and series, so I will have plenty of time to finish Firefly or maybe rewatch Stargate SG-1.

- Clothes:
Temperature in november will be of 25º, so the only coat I bring will be intended for travelling and commuting on airports.
So far,I have bought one pair of short jeans (the last of their kind, seeing how they are pulling away summer clothes to make room for the autumn / winter collection, two pairs of extra-light sandals (cheap to the point of just being the sole and some strings)... The reasoning is that I will spend most of the time in a pajamas or just a shirt and underwear, and I will only need clothes if I need to go down to the restaurant or buy something at Tesco Lotus. I have several Tank Tops that should make it easier to fit my heat without hitting the stitches mess my face is going to be.

In the end:
- Old pants, t-shirt and sweater for the trip
- A summer dress(for the day I'm feeling ok)
- Long and short jeans with tank-tops
- Sneakers, wedges, and flat sandals. I don't want to fall flat on my face while in stilettos
- A light coat for the airports.

I'm not buying a swimsuit, even if it to stay by the pool. A) I don't want to suntan while between laser sessions, B), the bikini would be useless after the Breast augmentation. Same reason I'm not buying new bras.

- The Journey:
All right, this is tricky. My ID photos are in full drag: Extensions, makeup, and girly clothing. And If I will have to take between two and three flights, want to wash my face, etc... there is no way I'm getting all dolled up just to travel. Even if this causes me problems with controls, I'll go in normal girl jeans (not skin tight), a t-->-bleeped-<-, no make-up and absolutely no tucking. I may even remove my bra. I plan to stay as a comfy as possible. Once I am there I will dress nicely for when I am brought to the doctor.

The real trick would be bathroms. Give me andro clothes, no makeup, push-up bra, I am gendered make, since my face is genuinely male (that's the point of doing this). So I will be using the male bathrooms for the last time. On the way back, maybe things will be different.

Higyene and beauty in Thailand
This one is going to be complicated, namely the hair part. Since my whole face will be a massive wound, most of the cleaning will be decided by the doctor or nurses. I don't think they will let me use my straightening iron until it is fully healed, so for the same reason it does not matter bringing all the stuff from the 7 days straight keratin system (7 different bottles between shampoos, conditioner, heat activated product and daily lotion. I'm not even sure I will be able to use minoxidil, So I will be nearly three weeks with curly hair and headbands. Sucky.

Same way, exfoliating may not be a great idea. Although it is not SRS, having Antibacterial soap with me may be a good idea. What can't miss is truckloads of moisturizer, given the hot and humid climate.

Another excruciating problem will be body hair. I do a ful shave once a week, but my face needs more work. Either way, I'm bringing razors and cream. As soon as I am allowed to, I'm shaving ASAP (I had a new regrowth recently, but I'm not doing electro until I'm back from surgery.

To be continued during the morning

Comfy long t-shirt /nighty (cotton) can be bought from Tesco for about 190-250 baht.
Have a great and safe trip

Dear Julia

I wasn't aware that your FFS was so close - this is great news!!     What you're doing is very similar to the FFS I had in summer with FacialTeam, although I did the rhinoplasty last year separately.

A little bit of advice:  eat more in the 2 weeks before you leave.  You will lose 2-5 kg after surgery due to lack of appetite or a mouth that doesn't want to work properly.  If you are staying on your own, get consommé or puree soups in advance, or make some up for yourself to last for at least 4-5 days.   You may have trouble opening your mouth after the genioplasty, as well as chewing even soft things, and the trach shave might make swallowing uncomfortable too. 

If you recover fast, like I did, in 10 days you will feel pretty good, although my genioplasty remains a real annoyance 6 weeks later.  I expect the mechanical recovery to take around 4 months, and the nervous recovery to take 6-12 months.

Good luck, y mucha suerte chica!
J 

From my and my friend's personal experience though: Chett really messed up my friend's nostrils, up to the point where she couldn't breathe through one side of her nose, her nose was too thin, he removed too much of the bone tissue, and she had to undergo a reconstructive rhinoplasty. From my own experience, he did not remove my addam's apple. It's as prominent as it was.

Good luck and hope you have a better experience with him

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on September 08, 2014, 07:20:36 AM
You may have trouble opening your mouth after the genioplasty, as well as chewing even soft things, and the trach shave might make swallowing uncomfortable too. 

Thanks. The jaw is part of the dropped procedures, or things I won't be doing now (The lip lift is the lowest I will be going on my face, not counting the trach shave. Theoretically I should be able to eat without issues, but if I have the lip lift in the end, I may need to have some liquid food ready.

Also, I've been told that I will be nearly blind for the first two days due to having work done on my eyelids (swelling is going to be BIG)

Hi Julia

The lip lift didn't worry me at all, so I think it's a low concern, but some liquid food will really be helpful. 

After rhinoplasty you won't be able to breathe through your nose for some time, so food that's easy to get into your mouth and rapidly down your throat will be good to have.  And since you will scarcely smell or taste it, keep it bland and boring

 

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on September 08, 2014, 08:19:30 AM

After rhinoplasty you won't be able to breathe through your nose for some time, so food that's easy to get into your mouth and rapidly down your throat will be good to have.  And since you will scarcely smell or taste it, keep it bland and boring

Oh, don't worry about that, I'm have too much experience with having an out of order nose. Between my enlarged nasal turbinates (had surgery one year ago) and the colds I usually get (I only get mucus, just mucus, all the time), I'm pretty used to not being able to breathe through my nose. Irritating, but not the first time I have to spend two days filled with cotton.

As far as the initial evaluation goes, he saw the nose and trach shave as the most complicated areas. I have that kind of nose that is big, long, wide, with a hump and even pulls out the lip, so no matter the angle, it alwayss looks bad. Regarding the trach shave, I've accepted that complete removal may not be possible. It's a big one, and since I also have very little fat on my face and neck, it can't be hidden.

Darling,  I think we need to have a before-and-after competition.  I had a seriously big nose, (I used to arrive everywhere twice ) and there was also some concern that I'd still have some adams apple visible.  Neither was the case, so have faith!!!

Hi Julia,

I have chosen to go with Cardenas and mine is on 22/11/14!  My list is about the same but at the moment, no lip lift or trach shave in the plan but due to the effects of gravity and weight loss, a major face lift is required. I am not full time until I get back to work on 5/1/15.  So I am away from work for 6 weeks.

It seems we have a nose comp going on here.   Mine is a disaster too.  How much so became apparent yesterday when an ENT surgeon had a look.  Blocked sinuses and polyps that all need removing before FFS.  So on October 17, I am going in for that little procedure.  Another week off!!  She is leaving my deviated septum for the Cardenas team so they have enough tissue to play with for the Rhinoplasty.  Life is full of little surprises!

I am about as prepared as you but I have done all my name changes and have the passport that says "F".  Its so much easier in Australia to get everything else done if you have photo ID with the "F" marker.  I have had to be careful with Medicare (Australia) to ensure prescriptions, private health names etc all match.  That is why I jumped the start on The name change thing.

My intention is to lay on my bed and watch films BUT for my vision.  My eyesight is stuffed too so if I can't put my glasses on, well I guess I will do nothing.  Meditate or something.  So eyes swollen, can't see anyway, nose bandaged, the chances of getting specs on seem pretty remote for a few days!!

All the best.  It seems too soon to be getting nervous excited but it is happening with me.  My wife says there is plenty of time to crap myself when I am on the plane!!  Gee, thanks.

Emma

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on September 08, 2014, 10:55:41 AM
Darling,  I think we need to have a before-and-after competition.  I had a seriously big nose, (I used to arrive everywhere twice ) and there was also some concern that I'd still have some adams apple visible.  Neither was the case, so have faith!!!

Arrive everywhere twice! Lol Julia you are a character!!
You always throw in a little joke that makes me laugh

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery!  I went to Dr. Chettawut in 2011 for a lip lift, tracheal shave, breast implants and liposuction.  I am pleased with the results, but would have liked a little more of the trach shaved down, but even still, there is a significant improvement, and just a subtle prominence remains.  As far as the lip lift goes, don't worry, it shouldn't interfere with eating solid food.  Anyway, I had a wonderful  experience, and the after care I received from the nurses when they visited me at my hotel each day was first-rate. 

Thanks, gurlz.

I'm still updating this and adding sections.

Documentation can be a b*tch. My ID has a neutral name, female photo and male gender marker. Also there's the fact that during the flight I won't be wearing any kind of makeup or hair extensions, maybe not even a bra (and clearly not a push up). I won't stay tucked for 17 hours, and I will limit myself to comfy jeans, a t-shirt and a light jacket. Most probably I will get gendered male all the time, so It will be back to using the sausage bathrooms, and see how things change in the way back.

I had partial FFS with dr Chettawut late 2004 with really esthetical pleasing results, very natural, as I requested.
You're in good hands, dr Chet's wife and nurses are very kind and caring too.

Good luck and happy healing!

Quote from: Dahlia on September 09, 2014, 05:59:13 AM
I had partial FFS with dr Chettawut late 2004 with really esthetical pleasing results, very natural, as I requested.

Mmm. is it possible to request more "dramatic" results? I don't need minor sublte improvements, since I am a case of unmistakeable male. It actually needs to change and a lot. I probably need a Type III forehead, nose can't pass for female.. In my case, the surgery is not meant to slightly beautify, but to make me "pass". NO matter the movement, speech, manerism... My face does not induce to error.

Quote from: Julia (Apple-Whatever) on September 09, 2014, 06:03:34 AM
Mmm. is it possible to request more "dramatic" results? I don't need minor sublte improvements, since I am a case of unmistakeable male. It actually needs to change and a lot. I probably need a Type III forehead, nose can't pass for female.. In my case, the surgery is not meant to slightly beautify, but to make me "pass". NO matter the movement, speech, manerism... My face does not induce to error.

I can only complain about dr Chettawut. He charged me 15% extra for my tracheal shave as I had it done once in the past and it's almost as if he didn't even touch it - extremely disappointed. Take your money elsewhere when it comes to addam's apple shave. You've got another woman here saying he left a bit of her addam's apple as well. Pointless

I asked him to carve a V shaped chin for me, and he didn't listen in the slightest, even though he reassured me he knows what I want. he did on me a chin like any other of his patients, and I wanted it to be V-shaped. and it isnt
His jaw work was alright.
But he isn't good in my opinion.

Crowcrow, I have already heard you once, and you are not going to make me change my mind. If you want to ->-bleeped-<-post about Chett, feel free to create your own thread. I could start unleashing ->-bleeped-<- on Dimaggio, Cardenas and Bart, but as you see I'm not doing it. I've created this thread to record my experience, not to decide if a surgeon is good or bad.

10/09/2014
Today I went to a radiology clinic. in the beginning, they would not do them unless they had an specific request from a doctor. Showing them Chett's website detailing the sets seemed to be enough. The problem is that although I managed to obtain a copy, I also have an extra-CD with unknown software, and I'm missing two of the three images in physical format. So tomorrow I will have to do another visit...

In case anybody wants to see them and speculate

http://imgur.com/a/wVdVP

I was expecting to see a dark spot where the sinuses would be. It's hard to appreciate, but definitely that's a Type III. So reshaping and screws for me. Yay.

Quote from: Julia (Apple-Whatever) on September 10, 2014, 01:11:13 PM
10/09/2014
Today I went to a radiology clinic. in the beginning, they would not do them unless they had an specific request from a doctor. Showing them Chett's website detailing the sets seemed to be enough. The problem is that although I managed to obtain a copy, I also have an extra-CD with unknown software, and I'm missing two of the three images in physical format. So tomorrow I will have to do another visit...

In case anybody wants to see them and speculate

I was expecting to see a dark spot where the sinuses would be. It's hard to appreciate, but definitely that's a Type III. So reshaping and screws for me. Yay.

Yes, you're going to be a bionic woman by the time you're done    It won't make the machines at the airport go "ping", but it does make MRI's lightly challenging:

Them: "Anything to declare?"
Me:  "Yup, titanium screws in my chin, and a few titanium plates in my forehead."
Them (thinking):  "Ummm, what has this woman done to herself?"
Me (anticipating):  "It was a bit of plastic surgery..."
Them:  "Oooook, if anything starts to get hot, please let us know immediately"

I had an MRI on my arm a few weeks ago... Apart from the usual claustrophobic discomfort, nothing seemed to get warm :-)

I got a cd with electronic x-Ray images on it. With "unknown" software. You have to remember the manufacturer of x ray devices record images very differently to camera and scanner. The software I had allowed me to export the images as JPEG which was enough for Dr Chettawuts team. Give the cd a try before getting more print outs made

Quote from: Monkeymel on September 10, 2014, 01:58:23 PM
I got a cd with electronic x-Ray images on it. With "unknown" software. You have to remember the manufacturer of x ray devices record images very differently to camera and scanner. The software I had allowed me to export the images as JPEG which was enough for Dr Chettawuts team. Give the cd a try before getting more print outs made

I only have JPG files,I've found that the files are in the other CD, but the software does not allow exporting, just low res copy pasting to photoshop. I have tweaked the levels to show more detail. Hope it works... Helluva big nose, BTW.