Sadie,

Sounds like things are going very well. 😊 I am so happy for you and encouraged by your progress! It seems that you are healing AND gaining sexual feeling at a very good pace. Are you taking a small dose of testosterone along with your estrogen? My doctor will put me on t after from what I can understand of my schedule, I think it is to keep my libido going. Meh, not sure it is necessary. I had a point where my sexual desire dropped but as my testosterone dropped and estrogen went up it slowly increased to where I am back to normal, or close to it. Lol, taking care of it is another issue, wow, it can be difficult sometimes! Thankfully it doesn't bother me that much when it doesn't happen. My bf has no problem at all, has an orgasm every time, that is good enough for me when I can't. Though come on! A little unfair don't you think? "No, no. Go get your coffee. Leave me here tingling all over, trying to catch my breath. You go, I'll clean up when I can move again."

You make me feel like the most underachieving couch potato on the planet though! You are so active! 😁 Wait, I walk to get the mail. Does that count?

Keep being wonderful and heal fast.

Michelle

Michelle thanks, we'll see on the active, that's my intention I'll have to see how the undercarriage holds up to miles in the saddle.

I don't take any testosterone, I have been taking micronized progesterone for about 9 months and it seems to help with libido. I've also found it has some effect on mood and so I've cycled it on a couple weeks, off a couple weeks. Right now I'm taking it until I experience a rough patch, see if cycling really matters.

My testosterone hasn't been checked since GCS but I'll be getting post op measurements next week, I'm guessing it's still at the 18 ng/ml range as before -- probably what's made in the adrenals.

I get what you say about the O. In the last several years of testosterone I hardly ever orgasmed during sex - usually after but getting my gf off was great pleasure, the main event for me. 16 months on estrogen pre-op just pushed the needle farther in that direction :-).

I finally feel ready for penetration with the strapon. I want to be playing with that soon with my gf.

Another small first yesterday I wore a halfslip under my skirt, not that it was really needed I thought I'd enjoy the sensation of a silky layer. I did, it felt nice.

Worked 7 hours, had also done a full day Thursday (we normally blow for 6, add to that getting the shop and equipment started in the morning and cleanup after -- glass studios get messy as you work, time is expensive and so you save cleanup for after your blow time is over.

And healing has finished to the point I can swim, I'm ordering a Tyr suit this morning, I should be swimming laps Friday for the first time ever properly attired. Hope to be biking before August. It's a lovely cooler day here, a heatwave broke overnight and I wish I could get in a ride,. I might just hop onto the saddle for a test ride around the block.

Brief account here. https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,218064.msg2005838.html#msg2005838 tl;dr I'm no longer a virgin.

Other good news for today, I made a large bowl I'm *really* happy with. Bowls are quite hard in glass and this one hit well in both design and execution / shape details. I finally feel like I'm hitting stride again and some strength is coming back (large bowls are also physically demanding).

Wow! Another huge milestone! I would be jealous but I am so happy for you. 

Do you have a web address where I could see your work? Or maybe send me some photos?
I watch the glass blower every year at the Ren Fair, it is so cool. Not sure if what you do is the same thing but that looks very hard to do.

Take care and I look forward to reading more of, "The Life and Times of Sadie Blake; A Tale of Happiness!"

Michelle

Thanks Michelle! Pm sent.

Yep a happier me seems to be here. Funny how my life hasn't changed and yet has.

Another couple of firsts today.

Rode bike and rode wearing a skirt -- sort of didn't intend the latter but some plans changed and I didn't want to go change clothing again before riding to get lunch.

It wasn't exactly easy, and there's a little blood visible on the panty liner at my neocltoral area. I've dropped my saddle about 1" and that's reduced discomfort. I won't be riding any distances but ¼-½ mile at a time seems ok.

I also spent a really fun hour chatting with an old friend. She's one of my first teachers in blowing glass and she's also been away from the work for 4 years due to having a kid and therefore little time to work.

And I go to see my PCP tomorrow to have a look at granulation tissue mainly at the neocltoris. These are the only remaining sources of pain (probably not from the proudflesh itself as that's not innervated.

Thanks for the update Sadie.  I can't imagine riding a bike at this point. Not sure when granulation shows up but I wonder if any doc can treat. I mean  other than the surgeon.
Moni

Any doc should be fine with it, I guess the patient can do it with washcloth abrasion also, the current method seems to be simply application of silver nitrate. I'm pretty sure I could do it myself but buying AgNO³ would come to more than my co-payment.

I'm pretty sure mounting a bike even at this point wasn't a great idea, not recommended anyone try this at home, I'll let y'all know if it seems to set things back.

It may well be they've said this just to be done with my weekly checkin emails (at 3 months I may be asking for too much hand holding):

via her surgical nurse

QuoteDr. Wittenberg feels it is ok to go back to your normal routine with work and exercise as tolerated. Vaginal intercourse is also ok at this point.

So yay!, I'm effectively cleared for any and all activity. I'm still working out how to find someone to apply silver nitrate :-( turns out my healthcare practice doesn't allow it's use. OTOH a positive point of being at a very large research institution is you have some very practically minded technical people and the dermatologist advised that I shouldn't have too much trouble juad scaring up some of the stuff in a local lab and applying it myself :-).

So a good close to this week, yay!

Sadie,

You are an inspiration for me and I think many members. Keep us updated and thanks for that.

With warmth,

Jacqui

Another first, I biked part way to work today, 4 miles which got me to Harvard square and I then hopped into the trolley for the last couple of miles. I'm definitely feeling a bit touchy, especially on the problematic left side but at least I have proper bike shorts to wear, that really helped and my saddle is well designed to put all your weight directly on the sit bones so pressure wasn't actually much on perineum / labia.

The other thing in the last week or so I'm still finding I'm simply horny a lot of the time. Feeling is slowly returning to my labia and clitoris and I'm kinda conscious of them a lot of the day. Frustratingly, I've yet to get to orgasm -- I suppose that might be contributing to this weird awareness. ... I guess I could make myself some ben wa balls and make it really constant?

First world problems for sure :-)

Sadie,
   At this point I can't imagine ever touching that area again. lol Too early, too sore, too numb. (That's what is written on my coat of arms.) Anyway, I think patience is more conducive to orgasm than frustration. I have read many speak of it taking a year. Easier said than done I guess.
Moni

Moni I certainly was avoiding all contact 2 months ago! At that point I'd only inserted a finger when I needed to guide the dilator, everything that wasn't numb was hurting and neither sensation was really welcome!

I'm not feeling any special need for orgasm in sex play, this morning I tried a different approach with a vibrator which was quite wonderful, just didn't lead to the "O" which was fine! The frustrating point is more like when I'm sitting in the library doing some work and unbidden, my vagina is reminding me of the morning excursion.

Patience my ass anyhow! I worked hard for this p*ssy, it's time to let her have some fun :-).

Fun yes, pressure no! My doctor and a few on here speak of it as like a sneeze.( Have you tried pepper yet?) No, actually it seems to make sense in that there is a letting go aspect to it happening rather than a pressure to make it happen kind of thing.
Moni

I got a new bathing suit this week, tank suit for lap swimming and today I went to the campus pool and swam 50 meter laps for a half hour. Not continuous, I've been away from it and 50m is a long way when you're out of practice so resting at the wall today, still I figure I logged a good bit over a half mile.

I probably hadn't swum in probably 6 months, quite a while before my surgery just because I hadn't had much time. First time wearing a feminine suit, first time I've not felt conscious of the wrong genitals visibility walking into the pool deck.

I prefer swimming outdoors and should be getting to that tomorrow but I don't mind just doing laps, feeling suspended by the water. Even enjoying the problems remembering how to breath and stroke efficiently because I'm not a great swimmer, merely adequate. And simply enjoying the only aerobic exercise I know that has no jarring, pounding, really no worries.

Today I used the gender neutral changing room, maybe soon I'll brave the women's locker room.

As planned we swam outside today with my bff, a trans woman I've known a few years now. We were at it for over an hour and now I'm a little sore and very tired indeed.

And I can't believe how good it feels to wear a tank suit, swim and swim and swim, to realize a vagina is right there, feel supported by the water and by my good friend.

I think it's time to dilate and sack out.

And more sex play, I think all the physical activity this week contributed to being extremely horny last night: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,218064.msg2011331.html#msg2011331

I've been turning still more corners. In work I've been able to execute a few really good large bowls, bowls are difficult in glass and nailing the difficult shapes well feels really good.

Saturday I took as a relatively down day, i felt a slight cold and decided to devote the day to cooking and reading. We ate well and I felt better for the rest, drove my daughter to Worcester for a wedding she attended.

Sunday I made breakfast, pleasured myself (gf was busy all day) and then headed in to catch a half mile swim in the lap pool and got some welding fabrication work done. Had an amazing mushroom carbonara washed down with a lovely pilsner from my cousin's brewery in Worcester.

I probably went a little too hard with my sexual play and my evening dilation had a fair bit of blood on the dilators :-/.

Sadie,

Wow. You are almost to a normal life. All in under 6 months? I know things continue to shift and become more regular. In a way that is great. In a way, it seems kind of sad. It does get a little tiring at this age to have so many new discoveries. These are all my thoughts. I am not trying to speak for you.

You go girl.

Jacqui