Sashaburn,

Right now I'm dilating only to number 3. I start 4 in a few weeks and I'm not excited! I am really tight down there. 1 & 2 was pretty bearable. When I got to 3, I had a very hard time with it. It nearly took me a week to get full depth. Which that was okay for me because I rather not tear anything inside me if I rushed and push too much.

My advice for you is to take your time with it, use a lot of lube, take deep breaths, and listen to some nice & relaxing music. 

One tip i found that works for me is to hold the dilator to one side as far as you can go and hold it for 5 mins then the same on the other side. This way it helps stretch out your vajaja canal & makes it easier for the bigger number.

Good luck hun any questions ask.

Hi Sorcha, Thanks for your dilation experiences, it really helps to hear from someone who's been through it already.  I agree, relaxation is key - it certainly has been for me.  Interesting that pain from standing was taken away by dilation!  Perhaps that was because you had to be on your back for an hour!  I applaud you for sticking to your promise to Chettawut, despite how hard it must have been.  Fact is, he must be one of the top 10 most knowledgeable people about this in the world so I think it was very smart of you to stay with his schedule.  Hugs, Susan

Hi Butterfly,

Thanks to you too for your experience - although, whoa that sounds like I've got some really fun times steaming up on me!  You're advice about stretching gently from side to side sounds good.  A friend of mine went with Suporn and she tells me she has to "stir" hers.  Sounded strange at first, but now sounds very similar to your advice.  I generally take entry slow and easy, big deep breaths and once its in, everything's okay, but I must confess the thought of moving up to 2 then 3 and then 4 fills me with trepidation

Thanks and hugs,

Susan

Day 18, Sunday 6th December.  I'll keep this one brief.  No visit on Sunday from the nurses, took the morning gently, did first dilation, wasn't too bad.  Decided to wait for the second dilation before I hit the shower.  When I did do it I was shattered for some reason and ended up falling asleep ... then when the 30 min alarm went I thought "what the hell" and reset it and went back to sleep, keeping the dilator in.  Not sure if this was a good or a bad move, but doesn't seem to have caused any issues.

Change of subject – after I'd cleaned myself up, I decided to get some exercise and take a wander down to the park.  For those of you coming here later, all you need to do is head down the road which runs between the HaHa and Paradise shopping centres.  It's about a mile down there and I found it an easy walk (mind you it wasn't too hot today).  If you can, do try and get down there.  The park is very pretty, very clean and nice to wander around.  I hit it lucky – there was some form of celebration going on (it cost me 40p to get into the park because of that!).  I had no idea what I'd paid for, but it was cute and fun with some singing and dancing plus acres of food stalls – the Thai's sure LOVE their food!  I spent around 3 hours there and didn't see one single westerner!

When I came back I called by the supermarket in Paradise to pick up some stuff.  Now this is an English thing – if you're from the UK and are particularly looking for some food or other stuff you usually get in the UK, then the supermarket in the Paradise centre is far better to try than Tescos in Seacon Square (which is your other option).  They even sell Heinz salad cream and Golden Shred marmalade – just saying! 

Day 19, Monday 7th December.  Sleeping better, generally everything's just settling down.  Did my dilation 1 without any incident, but that is the one thing which keeps me on my toes – that I put on the apartment's "do not disturb" button (at least it's on a button by the bed here!).  I don't really want Khong, the cleaner, to have to witness that!  I can't really explain it to her because, despite the fact that she speaks 1000x more English than I do Thai, we struggle through each sentence.  Actually, we had a funny incident which had us both giggling today.  I mentioned I was trying to sort out a call with my daughter in Australia.  She said "where in Australia - Disney?".  When we both realised that she'd mixed up the pronunciation of "Sydney" we both fell about laughing!!  She constantly apologises for her poor English and I keep telling her she mustn't because she's so far ahead of me and my Thai.  She's lovely and another asset of this place.

Nurses Sri and Noi came in quite late today, around 1pm.  Check found me good, so another pass.  I explained my added dilation yesterday and asked if it was ok.  She said the odd occasion and only an extra 30 mins was ok, but don't make a habit of it in the first few weeks because you can just put pressure on the stitches internally and that's not good.  I also told her of my walk in the park and she told me to listen to my body and not push myself  .  Overall, the message is keep the activity down in the first few weeks because otherwise you risk causing some internal upset – probably good advice for all of us going through this, but difficult to do, at least for me!

Day 20, Tuesday 8th December.  I designated today as my rest day because tomorrow I'm due to run off and see a friend of mine in the satcom business who kind of went native over 20 years ago.  He obviously loved Thailand so much that he settled down and established an equipment repair business – smart (and nice) guy.  So I've taken things easy, tried to clear up some emails and other stuff (although the internet connectivity can be extremely frustrating) and stay in the apartment.

Dilation seems to be getting better slowly, but surely.  I'm not sure quite why – whether its due to healing or just my body saying "dammit, you're doing this AGAIN, do I just have to get used to it?"  I kind of think it's a bit of both.  Once you get used to the method of getting the dilator in and understanding the little "ooh" barriers you feel along the way, stopping for a moment and consciously relaxing, then pushing forward it's not really a big deal.  I've been taking the 3x30 minute schedule as a time to have a little nap, catch up on Dr Who episodes, watch some Ted Talks and do a bit of reading.  I suspect that this will seem like luxury when I get to the stage of all four sizes of dilator, each of which has to be in for between 5 and 40 minutes during each session – sounds like a busy time to me and not one where you can just pop it in lie back and wait.

Nurses Sri and Noi came in early this morning.  Quick internal check and I got the ok and thumbs up regarding my healing.  They topped me up with more antibiotic and anti-swelling pills (you take 4 of one and 3 of the other regularly through the day).  I asked how long this would go on for and they said until I have my follow-up with Dr Chettawut on the 14th, then he decides.  Fran used to slap me around the head (just kidding ) to remind me when she was here so I had to set alarms off on my iPhone when she left.  Now it feels like I'm constantly dancing to the little dings going off what seems every 5 minutes.  Fran also made me a schedule sheet with boxes I have to tick off each time I take a pill – well worth doing for those of you due to come later because its so easy to forget where you are (at least for someone my age!).

I only have two big complaints about this apartment.  The first is the absolute stupidity of the light switches – they are all over the place, all work differently, turning on different sets of completely unrelated lights.  I almost think they should give me a degree in logistics when I'm finished here.  The second thing is the ants.  They are small and harmless, but they quickly deploy armies across the kitchen worktop if you leave so much as a drip of something let alone some sugar or a jam jar.  Advice – keep everything you can in the fridge, buy some washing up liquid and a sponge and be really diligent in cleaning up after making something to eat. No matter how hard I try, the little babies are usually out in force sooner or later.  Khong has sprayed anti-insect stuff about, but they don't seem to care and only liberal doses of washing up liquid across their routes seem to slow them down.  It's not that big of a deal quite honestly, although I am worried that they seem to be developing a taste for espresso coffee all of a sudden!!

Hey Girls
Basic question.. I have already paid my surgery and flight to Thailand.. how do I pay for hotel and other expenses when I am there.. How should I handle my currency..? 
I was not sure if credit cards work over there..
Any tips would be great.
I go Feb 16 and surgery Feb 20
Keri

Quote from: Keri - formerly known as Dodie on December 08, 2015, 11:28:00 AM

Hey Girls
Basic question.. I have already paid my surgery and flight to Thailand.. how do I pay for hotel and other expenses when I am there.. How should I handle my currency..? 
I was not sure if credit cards work over there..
Any tips would be great.
I go Feb 16 and surgery Feb 20
Keri

You pay the hotel directly usually when you leave, They will likely put a small charge on your CC when you check in as a deposit.

Depending upon what time you land you have various options for currency, if you are landing in daytime hours the best option for currency will be to take the money for your skin graft in cash and exchange it at a money exchange but definitely not in the airport, Average airport currency rates are about 2 baht per dollar less than you can easily get from Grand Super Rich booths in BTS stations. 2 Baht may not sound allot but multiply that by 1000 and you will be looking at $60. Another tip is to take large denomination dollar bills $100 being the best here is a simple demonstration of why $100  bill buy 35.87 Baht and a $1 bill buy 35.10 Baht so again a better rate.

You will find that Thai ATMs will accept you debit cards as well but shop around and also check with your card provider. I have 2 debit cards. One had a transaction fee of $3 per withdrawal and the other wants to charge me $17 per withdrawal. Different banks in Thailand will also have different rates.

When i went for my SRS I took AUD1500 in cash and my ATM cards as well as my CC. The CC was for paying the hotel . I withdrew from the ATM near the hotel to obtain local currency then went for a wander about and found the exchange booth at a BTS station, I think the nearest to Vertical Suites is at On Nut but if you're heading to the center of Bangkok Siam has one as does the Airport link station at Phayathai which you can easily get to from Hua Mak station not too far from your hotel

Hope that helps

Hugs

Sorcha 

Hey Sorcha.
Thanks so much for the info... I guess we will be meeting soon.. wow how time flies.
Love
Keri

Quote from: Keri - formerly known as Dodie on December 09, 2015, 11:51:45 AM

Hey Sorcha.
Thanks so much for the info... I guess we will be meeting soon.. wow how time flies.
Love
Keri

Hey Keri,

You're most welcome  I am hoping to arrive in Bangkok a few days before you but things remain undecided here and I will definitely let you know

Hugs

Sorcha 

That's great advice Sorcha - pity I didn't know you before I arrived here!  I tend not to worry too much about these things because with all the travelling I've done I've never had a problem using my credit cards or ATM machines, although you're so right, its easy to get ripped off at some of them.

Day 21, Wednesday 9th December.  Not much to report for today.  Went off to see my friend up north – OMG the traffic is so bad here, took hours to get there and back even using the toll roads.  Poor taxi driver on the way back had to stop off and run to the toilet at a petrol station!

Had a brief check-up with Nurses Sri and Noi before I went.  I had told them I was planning on going out to visit my friend and they were very considerate and turned up early so that I had time to get ready.  That seems to typify them, very nice and helpful.  Still getting positive reports on my healing progress so all's good on that front.  However, the full internal examination doesn't happen until I see Dr Chettawut for my check up on the 14th.  I guess then I'll find out just how well I'm doing.

Everything is still a bit sore and tender.  Still have to be careful what I do, how I bend down and all that stuff, but spending several hours sitting in a taxi wasn't bad at all which makes me realise that sitting down is gradually, imperceptibly getting better day by day.

Day 22, Thursday 10th December.  Wow, time is moving on, only got a week to go – I'm so looking forward to getting home.  Dilation continues to go fine.  Just like my experience sitting down, it's imperceptibly getting easier each time.  However, tomorrow's my next big day because I have to move up to dilator number 2 which just makes the process more complicated and will probably bring out a few more ":o ohhs "!!  I can't say that I'm looking forward to it, but that' the journey I signed up for (without really thinking about it!  ).

On one side of the hotel, just below my apartment, they are busy building another set of houses (it seems).  Digging and laying foundations – weird, their foundations are based on hammering sticks into the ground before they spread concrete on the top.  Makes you wonder just what lies underneath most of the buildings around here.  The whole thing is being done by hand, 25 or so workers just hacking away with spades and hammers – and several of them are women.  I wander out on the balcony and watch them from time to time and now we almost know each other and I wave to them and they wave back.  They live in a corrugated iron shack by the building site and their children come out in the evening and run around playing with tools and jumping in the holes. Just makes me realise just how lucky I've been and what a hard life some people have to endure.

Nurse Sri came in later today.  Again, healing check, no problems.  Advice is to take it easy as I had an active day yesterday.  Too much activity or walking can split the internal stitches – listen to your body is what Sri always says.  I asked her whether I would know if I pulled any stitches and she said yes, I would definitely feel pain - so that's good news, because I have none, only minor external soreness.  In fact, I'm quite surprised, I have had no real pain at throughout the whole process.

Hi Sasha!  Thanks again for your detailed reports.  I have just a little more than a month to go.

Curious!  When you had your first consult with Chett. were you given a detailed explanation of the actual surgical procedure or a written summary of just exactly what he would do?

If you were required to have the "graft as a separate expense from the GCS was that process explained?

I have seen illustrations and animations of the "penile inversion" process, but nothing on the "scrotal skin inversion" process. 

Thanks!
Hugz!

Sasha,
I have been so busy.. I honestly must say I have not read too much of your thread until now.
I plan to read it more soon as my date with DR Chett is coming fast. Feb 20th.  I want to say how much I appreciate your detailed account of your experience..
Its helping me know more of what to expect.. I will be traveling alone.. ugh but I am tough and may have some help.
So happy for you and others that have completed this part of the journey..
So, thank you girl so much!!
Keri

Quote from: Joi on December 10, 2015, 10:20:11 AM
Curious!  When you had your first consult with Chett. were you given a detailed explanation of the actual surgical procedure or a written summary of just exactly what he would do?

If you were required to have the "graft as a separate expense from the GCS was that process explained?

Hi Joi, When I had my initial consultation with him back in Feb, he did explain his technique in quite a lot of detail.  He didn't give me anything with details about his technique and plan in writing though.  I expect had I asked he would have just referred me to his website.  When I returned for surgery a few weeks ago and had a second consultation we didn't really go into his techniques that much, but then he probably figured he'd already done that.  When he quoted me a price with procedures, he had already seen me and so had some idea of what he had to work with and what additional things I might require.  Obviously the skin graft was extra, but I was expecting that because I was circumcised and so probably didn't have the full inventory!  Hugs, Susan (not Sasha!)

Quote from: Keri - formerly known as Dodie on December 10, 2015, 01:44:10 PM
I have not read too much of your thread until now.
I plan to read it more soon as my date with DR Chett is coming fast. Feb 20th.

Hi Keri,

I'm very pleased my storyline helps in some way.  Just make sure you check back later because I'm shortly going to put up a suggested packing and prep list, built from MonkeyMel's thoughts and my own experience, which I hope will give you, Joi and others something to help prepare as much as possible.

Good luck to all of you getting ready for your journey.  I'll probably say this again several times before this thread is finished, but you made the right choice to go with Chettawut in my opinion. 

Hugs,

Susan

Day 23, Friday 11th December.  Yesterday afternoon was interesting.  I met up with Tia, another girl who's here with her boyfriend, David.  They live in France, but Tia's originally from Tahiti.  She's young and clearly very determined because she's come through a huge amount of difficulties and yet is wonderfully vibrant, positive and social (and very beautiful!).  She's just done BA with Chett and is staying across the corridor from me which is how we met.  We had coffee in my place and chatted away for ages before we decided we'd all go out for dinner together.  Problem was, I had to dilate first.  Now as most of you will know (and if you don't you'll soon find out!) we trans girls are happy to share our experiences and show results to each other.  It helps both sides, I got another independent assessment and she got to see the kind of results that Chett achieves.  She thinks my result looks fantastic and totally natural and she couldn't stop going on about how wonderful it was.  She plans to come to Chett for SRS when she's saved enough and now she's even more excited (and a little bit jealous ).  She tells me that many of her friends who have also been with Chett also have great results, had very little pain and are very happy whilst some others that chose different surgeons are not so pleased .... So, once again, she seems to reinforce the fact that Chett is a great choice and that's certainly my view.

As for today, it was the first dilator number 2 for me.  The experience is a bit difficult to describe because I didn't find it painful, but I felt the hint that pain might be there if I wasn't careful.  Entry was more uncomfortable and took longer, but it wasn't excessively uncomfortable and it didn't take oceans of time.  I managed to get to my full depth (which I understood I had to do) and 10 mins with 2 was more uncomfortable than 30 mins with 1.  An hour or so afterwards I noticed that I was definitely bleeding much more than I have done to date which has been minor, light and watery.  This time I had real blood (producing a vampire's tea bag!), however, it wasn't enough to worry me.

Nurses Sri and Noi came in early afternoon and I first asked them about the bleeding and showed them my pad – Sri said this was entirely normal and nothing to worry about.  Inspection found me doing well, so I got a thumbs up on that.  She was a little surprised that I really experienced no pain moving up to number 2 and even more so when I told her that I pretty much got to full depth.  She gave me a little slap for that  and said that I should really only go to 4 inches (rather than 6) first time, then move up to 5 and then to 6.  Take it easy, listen to your body  .  I said I had and that it honestly hadn't hurt, was just uncomfortable and a bit achy – that earned me a "very good patient" bit of praise!   She went on to say that moving to 3 and 4 would be painful and also cause bleeding to start again, but that it all heals up after a few days.

Thanks Susan!

I'll be looking for your packing list. I've seen a couple, but might as well be current,  especially since you are at the "Vertical"

Later!

Hugz,
Joi

Quote from: sashaburn on December 11, 2015, 02:37:34 AM
Hi Keri,

I'm very pleased my storyline helps in some way.  Just make sure you check back later because I'm shortly going to put up a suggested packing and prep list, built from MonkeyMel's thoughts and my own experience, which I hope will give you, Joi and others something to help prepare as much as possible.

Good luck to all of you getting ready for your journey.  I'll probably say this again several times before this thread is finished, but you made the right choice to go with Chettawut in my opinion. 

Hugs,

Susan

Love you Sasha.. that list would be so helpful.. How was internet.. phone.. I thought about using my facebook to phone home.. but my email is what is so important to me.. I have to work from bed..
Keri