Hey very hot Sorcha

OH wow, so a full on assault on your feeties - my heavens.  I guess these nurses have an enormous experience of dealing with people who are rather concerned with their new anatomy, and this is evidence of it.  Personally I think it shows a dedication that is more than praiseworthy!

Brilliant to hear that all bodily functions have resumed adequately enough for now.

Apart from some horrendously sore physio when I broke my wrist last year, I've not experienced deliberately putting myself in pain, even if this cause is good.  But if my wrist was anything to go by, dilation will be pretty similar on the scale of sweating and trembling.  The things we put ourselves through....   And in my case there will also be massages to newly implanted breasties to add to the dilation.  I must be nuts.

You're doing exceptionally well, and I look forward to tomorrow's "Letter from Bangkok".

Hugs
Julia

Thank you Sorcha

Aside from the beds being uncomfortable are is room alright? Does it have good internet? Does house keeping come daily? Are the staff at the hotel friendly and helpful?

Sorry for so many questions.

Your posts are awesome and helping so much to ease my mind about this trip.

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on April 09, 2015, 09:49:33 AM
Hey very hot Sorcha

OH wow, so a full on assault on your feeties - my heavens.  I guess these nurses have an enormous experience of dealing with people who are rather concerned with their new anatomy, and this is evidence of it.  Personally I think it shows a dedication that is more than praiseworthy!

I agree Julia, They are very dedicated and want to help you do well. Thai's don't like shows of unhappiness or anger and this could also include you being in pain, That could also be why Noi seems to want to distract me from being noisy when pain strikes.  They love hearing you laugh and tell jokes. I was just chatting to a lovely Trans girl who is over at Dusit Princess and rang me. I am informed Noi is planning a party here on Thursday next week for Songkran and she intends following the usual Thai custom of throwing water at us.  I remember threatening her with a soaking next week and saying she is allowed to soak me as long as it's not when I'm in bed so it seems she has decided to make a party of it.  My friend in Dusit Princess has been given permission to come here and be soaked too  I am sure if I were the type to complain allot or was always too serious with them then they wouldn't be planning to come and have fun. 

Today's Letter from Bangkok has to include an update on the water works. So far my passing water has gone really well with no signs of incontinence. I won't claim I'm free of it until I've gone 2 nights without any accidents. Dilation is now all in my hands. I needed some alcohol last night to relax me but this mornings effort I did without anything to relax me. One of our lovely American friends here has offered to come and assist me if I really struggle as she is a couple ahead of me in recovery I thought that was a lovely offer. There is a thriving community of friends growing here and I have to feel sorry for a group of Asian Guys who have just been billeted in Trans Alley because I'm sure they never asked to be surrounded by a group of recovering SRS patients some of whom have their partners with them.

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on April 09, 2015, 09:49:33 AM

You're doing exceptionally well, and I look forward to tomorrow's "Letter from Bangkok".

Bernadette seems to think I'm doing well so maybe I am. I feel great and am getting stronger each day. Cee has said everything looks good. I showed a photo to my friend at Dusit and she said it looks like a porn stars vagina  I am wounded by such comments as I don't have a porn stars body to go with it 

Tomorrows Letter from Bangkok will include details of my 6am wake up call for an early nurses visit. Until then take care and remember. Those of us who are currently keeping Chett busy hope y'all come over soon

Hugs

Sorcha 

Quote from: treeLB on April 09, 2015, 12:10:19 PM

Aside from the beds being uncomfortable are is room alright? Does it have good internet? Does house keeping come daily? Are the staff at the hotel friendly and helpful?

There are 3 reasonably fast internet channels you can log onto. It will depend on where you are which is the strongest. We also bought a Thai sim card for Bernadettes old phone and an add on package which gave us 30 days 3G internet, The packages came from DTAC in Bangkok Airport but they have stores inside most Tesco Lotus. You get 12GB at up to 42mbps and then once you've used the 12Gb you can carry on using the internet until your 30 days expire at 384kbps. The cost is 49 baht for the card and 1040 Baht for the internet. That works out at just over $US30 for the pair.

House keeping comes every morning. There is a card in the Patio Doors that you change from do not disturb to Please make up my room when you want them in and they will be around until 2 pm if you want a lie in or you are dilating.

The hotel staff are very nice when you approach them. There is a guard on the door to reception who will open the door as you approach. Reception speak reasonable English and are very friendly. The gaurd can get you a taxi and there are other security guards around in their own huts who are always friendly.

This is a great place to recover and the other patients will always want some company just as you will so you will make friends as well

Hope this helps. if you need any further help please ask

Hugs

Sorcha 

It's time for an update  We have had the daily visits except yesterday because they don't call Sundays. I've passed the 48 hour test for learning to pee as I can report that I had no issues with that. I didn't suffer with incontinence even at night. Dilation is becoming easier and I am doing it 3 times a day for 30 minutes per session. I have christened number 1 Tiny Tim because it's the smallest of my 4 boyfriends 

We come to Saturday A rare night in my stay here and those others that came over to chat. Jenna who was the SRS patient Dr Chett did before me who kept the bed warm for me in the clinic visited from Dusit Princess, It was her first excursion from her room made by taxi  The 2 lovely Americans who are staying nearby and another trans who is here for a revision joined Bernadette and I for an evening of conversation great food which Bernadette provided and a few wee drinkies that I provided. The food did justice to our kitchen. We had Satay Chicken as an entree followed by White Rice, Mung Dal and a stir fry Chicken. The food bill was less than $10 and the drinks without my bottle of Glenmorangie were less than $15. It was one of those nights when all our months of anticipation and years of apprehension were finally able to be released. We'd all finally got free of the past apart from poor Bernadette who has all this to come but she'll have me to nurse her and I'll do as good a job as ever could be done because that's what you do for those you love and Bernadette is a huge reason why I've recovered so well 

Today is the start of Songkran which is Thai new year. The nurses are visiting family so they won't be here until late afternoon. They are planning a water ceremony like most Thais have but we have armed ourselves with water pistols and we are planning for the water fight at Trans Alley  some time Thursday

More later folks on how recovery is going. Once I can get out fully I'll do a review of London Street which is a nearby restaurant complex and include info on dinning options whilst recovering

Hugs

Sorcha 

Quote from: SorchaC on April 13, 2015, 12:48:18 AM
More later folks on how recovery is going. Once I can get out fully I'll do a review of London Street which is a nearby restaurant complex and include info on dinning options whilst recovering

Now this is going to be really useful, so please don't stint - try everything

I do like the sound of a wee dram of Glenmorangie too...

Hugs
Julia

Congratulations Sorcha. You must be so happy with the choices you've made to get where you are now.

Quote from: AnonyMs on April 13, 2015, 02:22:53 AM

Congratulations Sorcha. You must be so happy with the choices you've made to get where you are now.

Thank you AnonyMs  Yes the choices have worked out really well. Healing has gone well so far apart from the sudden nerve pains as they are reconnecting. Dilation is also a pain literally 

The nurses came and soaked our hands in the traditional manner, Then Noi took my water pistol and because I was wearing a white T Shirt she soaked me on the breast area  We then had a water fight in the room with both nurses

Hugs

Sorcha 

Hi folks,

I haven't forgotten you I promise  Most of the gang I was hanging out with have now gone home  The Dusty Princess being the last to go yesterday. During this trip I've met 6 of Dr Chetts SRS patients if you include me and none of us have a complaint about the outcome of our ops. I hope that gives some confidence to those who are reading this and are going to be here in the future.

Tomorrow is a big day as I get to see Chett for my follow up appointment. I am expecting him to want to do a revision on a minor cosmetic appearance issue but otherwise he will be pleased with his work as I am as well. It will be the last time I see Noi as well as she goes on vacation tomorrow. I will miss her but as I am donating all the stuff we bought for the kitchen to her she won't forget me  Cee told me today if I come back to Bangkok I am to contact them and they will arrange for us all to go out to dinner and Chett will inspect the work he did which I thought was lovely. 

I am still compiling a report on food outlets nearby so that I will post next week when I'm home. Overall the experience has been wonderful and very beneficial to my lovely Bernadette. It has inspired her so much she's telling me to go and get FFS done this year but that I must go without her  I'm not sure if she just wants a break from me or of she thinks I look bad but I do love a nice trip 

More after seeing Chett

Hugs

Sorcha 

Hey Sorcha

We kind of guessed that you were having a great social life out there... meantime the rest of us are at our desks, rowing away... looking longingly out of the window from time to time ... 

Hugs
J

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on April 21, 2015, 01:56:39 AM
Hey Sorcha

We kind of guessed that you were having a great social life out there... meantime the rest of us are at our desks, rowing away... looking longingly out of the window from time to time ... 

I did have to stop socialising long enough to dilate 3 times a day except the couple of times we had communal dilations when Dusty Princess came over

It will be your turn soon Julia and I'm looking forward to your thread

Hugs

Sorcha 

I'm so glad everything's going well for you Sorcha!

Really hoping no one tries to tickle my feet when i'm there in a little over a month though. I would trash violently lol.

Hi Sorcha,

Sounds like you are doing really well.  I am so pleased for you.  You have also put my mind at ease somewhat. 

As a matter of interest for me, how long is your stay and are you happy with the amount of time you have spent recuperating or would you rather have had more or less time? 

Also, you have had Saint Bernadette waiting on you hand and foot ( ).  What would you have changed about anything had you been on your own?

Just thinking .....

Emma

Quote from: SarahSchilling on April 21, 2015, 02:48:26 AM

I'm so glad everything's going well for you Sorcha!

Really hoping no one tries to tickle my feet when i'm there in a little over a month though. I would trash violently lol.

Thank you Sarah, I also understand you Sarah Noi is fairly rough on toes. If you've ever had a Thai foot massage you'll know how rough it can be. She seems to want to cause pain enough to distract you from whatever pain you're feeling from what Cee is doing. Then she massages your calf to soothe you but maybe if she touches your feet let her know right away you don't like it 

Thanks Emma 

Saint Bernadette, hmmm I'm not sure she's a saint but you definitely made her smile 

I have now been here 21 days post op with 4 more left until we head home, For me it is about the right amount of time due to how hard it is to sit for long periods. I would not enjoy sitting in economy on a plane for nearly 10 hours if I was flying home today but that doesn't mean I cannot get around fairly easily for short durations. You really need to find distractions though as being alone and staying in your room for long periods would be hard. I am grateful Bernadette insisted on us returning home Business Class because I can lie virtually flat out all the way home.

If I hadn't had pricing problems with Dusit Princess we would have stayed there. Based on what I knew before coming here I would have advised people coming alone to stay at the Dusit as getting food would be easier post op. We visited our friend at the Dusit last week and sampled the food there in the buffet restaurant  and once they saw my donut I was not allowed to do anything, The staff ran around getting me food and drink and anything else I needed. If I were doing this alone with what I know now I would have to weigh up what was more important to me. Socialising is easier here at The Rama but the Dusit is more comfortable. If I am required to have a revision I am going to use Dr Chetts 3rd hotel, The Vertical Suites which is located about 300m from Dusit Princess on the opposite side of the road from Paradise Park Shopping Center. They have 1 and 2 bedroom Suites with fully equipped kitchens including washing machine. Being so close to Seacon Square means you can easily stock up on supplies. I can see benefits in being here alone but would still advise people where they can to bring a friend or family member as that really makes recovery allot easier.

More soon

Hugs

Sorcha 

Well folks going home day is upon me.

At my post op consultation Dr Chett was in fine form.  He excitedly declared that mine was the best result he'd ever achieved. I don't think aesthetically it looks so good as I have loose skin that will need a revision but in terms of what he had to work with at the start to have got the result he did is what pleased him so much. All the nurses wanted a hug especially Noi who was going on vacation that day. Dr Chett posed for photo's then asked for a hug after doing an FFS consultation on me. Cee or it could be Sri even  said "If I come to Thailand again we can all go for dinner including Dr Chett." As for the revision it was not important to have it done so he didn't think it needs a special trip but if I come back he will do it maybe at the same time as FFS. I'm thinking mid November while Bernadette is away with work, 

I've got loads of info which will be included with my next post after I'm home about shopping and dinning options so please keep an eye out for that. I shall miss the attention and the daily nurse visits but I came to collect a vagina and I have one now. I said before leaving Australia I counted success as surviving the op as well as getting some depth and then being recovered enough I could walk to my plane unaided and I've achieved all 3 I think so I'm returning hoe happy knowing I get to come back in a few months 

Hugs

Sorcha 

Safe trip back, Sorcha.   We're looking forward to your post-trip report!

Hugs
Julia

Thank you Sorcha and very happy it has all gone well for you. Have a safe trip home and I will look forward to any more information you have to share. My PM's here seem to have been messed up and lost, it says I have a new one but nothing is there so if you have tried to pm again that is why I have not answered. Best to you hugs

Well I got home. There is allot I want to write so that will have to wait until tomorrow. Cee asked me on her final visit yesterday could the driver collect me early to take us the airport so I agreed as I like to be helpful however it wrecked the whole plan for the day and cost me a dilation which I certainly felt the affects of this morning. I was supposed to dilate at 12.30pm before being collected at 3pm but he came at 1pm meaning a mad dash to be packed and no dilation. We were also in the airport for 5 hours before departure and sitting even on my donut became hard so I give thanks to Bernadette for insisting on Business Class as I couldn't have sat a further 10 hours in economy then dealt with Customs and the chaotic way things were organised at Sydney Airport this morning.

I've managed 2 dilations so far today and after initial pain getting number 1 in 1st time things seem to have gone back to normal after a very long 1st session.

I have things for everyone in a pretty long post I'll try and do tomorrow but for now i thank Julia and Tree for the good wishes and I hope you solve your pm issues Tree It's not that I want to delay writing but I want to properly construct the post so it doesn't turn into a long rambling mess.

Hugs

Sorcha 

Welcome home, both of you.  I am so glad things are going OK for you Sorcha and you navigated the travel problem OK.  I am looking forward to reading more of your reflections.  In the meantime, take good care of yourself.

Hugs
Emma

Welcome home girl. I hope you have a good post-op . It's a delicate surgery and you should be relaxed.

Hugs