Decided best to dump my thoughts and updates into a thread of their own so I don't spam Sarah's or others.

So far so good.

20161110
Give serious thought to Thailand and decide it's best for me.
Find out Suporns calendar for 2017 (he was the first to spring to mind) was booked solid.

20161111
Sent enquiry to Chettawut

20161113
Got a reply with a tentative date of 9th February 2017
Scream OMG repeatedly while marvelling at the possibilities
Talked to Mum and sister both ok but mum wants to research (good)

20161114
Wonder how the hell I can afford it
Cunning plan of big loans etc
Check my credit score (not impressed but MY credit history is less than a year)
Log onto my bank and have a big message above my account offering a £4k overdraft so yeah that's a perfect start
I reply to Chettawut email saying I want to proceed and giving info asked of me
Received email back for making deposit payment  (no money available though)
Picked up passport application form
Got passport photos
Ordered birth certificate online (looking forward to having one in my name in March)

20161115
Spontaneous overdraft offer from my bank worked!!!!
Paid the deposit (yay)
Emailed transaction details to Chettawut
Chose The Vertical Suite (looks awesome and heard great things)

Congrats. Just make sure you are aware of how much that overdraft gonna cost you and consider it in the budget.

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When maxed I think it's £60 a month in interest but even if it's double it's ok.

I rarely use credit but it's a means to an end in this case so I'll let myself do it.
Expecting to pay maybe a grand or so in interest and fees over everything.
Got enough month to month in order to maintain it and all the debts should be clear by the end of next year.

Just been a bit too extravagant in 2016 since I got back so need to stop spending so much money but I can handle that. If I considered Thailand as a possibility sooner I could probably have had it ready in cash but this years money has just been so much fun to spend.

Love all the posts with people tracking their experiences so hope to be very well prepared when the time comes.

Brand new heart attack when I made a countdown timer.

It's not 4 months as in Nov, Dec, Jan & Feb it's 2 months 3 weeks and 4 days which is freaking insane.

With stuff needing to be paid say a month in advance that gives me less than 2 months to get a small fortune sorted.

Wow this is way heavy but I can do this although I'm gonna need my luck to hold a wee bit longer.

Good news after a few restless nights worrying about money I've fixed it all 

So now I have the time & the money with the deposit paid (confirmation pending for receipt and date)

Once date is set in stone I'll be booking the flights (prices via skyscanner then booking through airline direct)

One consideration I didn't take into account is travel insurance for the trip as normal travel insurance wont usually cover surgery abroad. I've sent an enquiry to a company called Medical Travel Shield which seems to specialise in this niche market. If it's not too expensive I'll take it just in case.

Also getting a TravelEx Supercard for spending on over there. Pretty cool set up they bill your accounts at home in sterling using Mastercards wholesale rate with no extra charges because it's then a domestic payment instead of foreign. It looks and works like any other Mastercard so should be good for saving a bit here and there especially for the likes of hotel costs.

Waiting for Docs letter to get passport
Waiting for date confirmation
Waiting for new credit card to arrive to pay for flights

I really suck at waiting but will get plenty practice over the next couple of weeks as I turn my money projections into reality.

Price back for insurance is £629.64 it's a lot but heaven forbid something goes wrong or I get hit by a bus etc I think I'll try to get the extra money to get the insurance just in case.

Also asked about a price for him to fix my trach but doubt I'd be able to afford any more work getting done.

No confirmation of funds being received yet but I know it can take a week.
That way you're saying to yourself "You know you made a big international payment on the strength of a gmail to buy the promise of a dream right!?!" followed my brain being sarcastic with "Wanna buy a unicorn?".

If not for the reassurances at Susan's and others I'd be worried 

My essential reading list to help plan things out (will add more as I go along)

All wonderful threads that will help immensely with my mental preparations as well as physical.
Thank you to all.

Really loved Mel's spirit and style especially the crazy bits"
A monkey is on the loose and her name is Mel" - Awesome

Susan's post helped me get a feel for Supporn & Chettawut to help make the choice confidently
Packing List

Carrie's for the feel of being off hormones (aka my worst nightmare)
Carrie's channel (Hope this is ok to link)

I'll be seeing Dr. Preecha on February 10th, 2017. It's coming up pretty fast. >.<

It's fun knowing it's coming but feels like forever away and soon at the same time 

Got Doctors letter and birth certificate all I need now is an appointment at the passport office to get a passport in my name with a female marker. Yay!!!

Som confirmed my deposit and date today for 9th Feb 2017 

Just to be sure I'm checking my arrival date for Saturday 4th Feb is ok giving me a wee bit of time to get settled and still have 4 full days before surgery.

That way I don't want to mess up arrangements so best to ask.

Just in case you haven't seen this

http://bambi.site88.net/guide.html

Oh thank you. I'd bookmarked it and then forgotten about it so I'm very glad you linked it 

Defo adding to my reading list with loads of great info in it.

Passport application accepted. A lot easier than I expected to have my proper name and gender on it.

Birth certificate, Deed of Name Change, drivers licence, signed photos and letter from GP just saying "gender change LIKELY to be permanent".

So cool that it can be changed before/without SRS as I'd feel awkward as hell when my passport got looked at if it were otherwise.

congratz... and enjoy the experience..... it is a rollercoaster ride...

Thank you. I'm looking forward to it so much even knowing some of the pains and trials involved.

There is sure to be so much more both good and bad but definitely be a once in a lifetime experience that I wouldn't miss for the world.

So much to learn and prepare for defo not a book and forget affair for me. Need to work on my lists for before and after surgery then my return to UK stuff (extra donuts, liners, lube etc the mundane necessities). More prep now while at my strongest will save much worry once I'm at my weakest.

I've heard no matter how good you think your healing is before you're going to take a serious beating after surgery reducing power levels substantially for a good while. My healing is generally pretty good but best to stick to the tacticians motto "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst".

And to add to that "take it one day at a time" tackle each day of the recovery as best as you can and let tomorrow's recovery be tomorrow's problem.

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Definitely jfong

I'm honestly looking forward to that part the most. To temporarily be outside of normal time with no burdens placed on me beyond healing. It'll be no picnic for sure and I expect recovery will need every bit of focus and energy I can muster but it will be so nice to forget about everything outside my room for a while.

My life and head are usually so busy looking after everyone else and work while dealing with my own stuff last it's draining but that's life as a mum I guess.

It'll be nice to just be in the present for a time. To be able to just do what I'm told for a bit while someone else is in charge.

It's gonna be really painful... and uncomfortable for awhile... I say a month


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Pain and discomfort we are guaranteed and like the money side we'll pay what we expected then so much more.

Pain I'll take if the reward is great enough. My pride will be left at home in UK along with my almost perfect normal albeit busy life and I'll allow whatever that has to happen happen. Humility, obedience and acceptance will be the order of the day.

For the longest and shortest month of my life it will definitely be a live in the now phase with focus probably no further ahead than what I am to do next. Anything better than that will be considered a blessing.

Until then it's research and make plans as best I can. The littlest details can make all the difference.

Great unexpected tip last night to not freak out if you regain consciousness with a pipe down your throat to just focus and prove you are awake enough to breathe for yourself.

I want my mind to be prepared for the worst and my body to be in the best possible condition prior to surgery for recovery. I am confident Chet will do everything in his power to give me what I ask for so for my part I can do no less.