Quote from: Laurie on March 02, 2019, 11:38:12 PM
Jessica and Susan,

  I am glad to see you both doing well and on your way home at last. Do be careful and do not tire yourself out in the process. My hat is off to Susan as I am sure she has been a real trooper in helping you whenever she can. It is probably a wonder she hasn't walloped you at least once in the adventure.
  Hey I have an idea..... instead of chancing the snow, you could head west to Michelle's and wait for the snow to melt. I am sure she would love that company. I happen to know she has frozen cookie dough balls in the freezer just waiting for someone to cook them for to arrive. ( You might want to clear it with her first though)

Hugs,
  Laurie

Thanks Laurie. Susan was simply amazing during the entire time we were in Scottsdale. She was probably my biggest critic when I started, but now she is my staunchest ally. I could not have done this without her love and support.

I did consider the offer to visit @Michelle_P for those frozen cookie dough balls. Alas, we just wanted to get home so I could continue recovery.

First, I want to thank everyone for their support during my GCS experience. Your notes, no matter how brief, helped divert my attention from the near constant discomfort caused by surgery.

I did not sleep well last night. After dilating at around 11:00pm and taking a shower, I woke up at 2:30am and could not get back to sleep. At best I napped for another hour or so before getting out of bed at 5:30am. While I was subjecting myself to my first dilation of the day, Susan went to check on the breakfast offered by the hotel. Once I finished my session, I asked Susan about the breakfast:

Susan: They have scrambled eggs, bacon, and waffles. I picked up a banana.
Me: A banana? Is that a fruedian reference? Now you are just picking on me!
Susan (laughing): No I'm not!

The banana reference came up several more times during the drive. At one time I was laughing so hard I almost had to pull over! I had made a comment about Susan picking up random bananas at every hotel we visit...

Anyway, after breakfast and another dilation session, we departed the hotel around 9:30am. Even though the local temperature was 58 degrees I was wearing my parka -- I knew what was in front of us. Our first stop was in Las Vegas, NM for gas and some sandwiches. Although only about 120 miles north of Albuquerque, the temperature was now 17 degrees with light snow and heavy fog. By the time we hit the Colorado state line a few hours later it was 12 degrees, the highest temperature we saw in Colorado today. There was light snow most of the afternoon, but the roads were clear until about a half mile from home. Our friends had cleared the driveway of several inches of snow, and our furry kids were happy we were home.

Trying to keep on schedule, as soon as we got home I dilated while Susan unloaded the car -- she told me that she would take care of it. She is trying to make sure that everything we have gone through is not ruined by me trying to do something that my body is not yet ready for. To compensate, I cooked supper. I also mentioned something about grocery shopping tomorrow... we need to put bananas on the list!

I am happy to read that you two made it home safely.

Unfortunately the ride home was a bit too hard on the perineal stitches, based on the evidence I think they pulled apart during the first leg of our trip yesterday. I noticed a little more blood than usual when we stopped in Las Vegas, NM. I now have an open wound about 1.5 inches long and a half inch wide at the lower edge of my vagina. Apparently this is not an uncommon issue, the skin in that area is very thin. I contacted @jill610 about it last night, because she had posted about a similar issue (I also sent a note to the Meltzer Clinic). The standard care for something like this is to simply keep it clean and apply bacitracin one or more times a day. I plan to keep stress off the area by not sitting whenever possible, and by going 'commando' around the house -- wearing a nightdress without undies (I have no bleeding issues). Hopefully that will help it heal more quickly.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 04, 2019, 09:15:20 AM
Unfortunately the ride home was a bit too hard on the perineal stitches, based on the evidence I think they pulled apart during the first leg of our trip yesterday. I noticed a little more blood than usual when we stopped in Las Vegas, NM. I now have an open wound about 1.5 inches long and a half inch wide at the lower edge of my vagina. Apparently this is not an uncommon issue, the skin in that area is very thin. I contacted @jill610 about it last night, because she had posted about a similar issue (I also sent a note to the Meltzer Clinic). The standard care for something like this is to simply keep it clean and apply bacitracin one or more times a day. I plan to keep stress off the area by not sitting whenever possible, and by going 'commando' around the house -- wearing a nightdress without undies (I have no bleeding issues). Hopefully that will help it heal more quickly.

Oh my Jessica, I hope all will be well!

Hugs 🤗

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 04, 2019, 09:15:20 AM
Unfortunately the ride home was a bit too hard on the perineal stitches, based on the evidence I think they pulled apart during the first leg of our trip yesterday. I noticed a little more blood than usual when we stopped in Las Vegas, NM. I now have an open wound about 1.5 inches long and a half inch wide at the lower edge of my vagina. Apparently this is not an uncommon issue, the skin in that area is very thin. I contacted @jill610 about it last night, because she had posted about a similar issue (I also sent a note to the Meltzer Clinic). The standard care for something like this is to simply keep it clean and apply bacitracin one or more times a day. I plan to keep stress off the area by not sitting whenever possible, and by going 'commando' around the house -- wearing a nightdress without undies (I have no bleeding issues). Hopefully that will help it heal more quickly.

Good luck and to set expectations... this happened to me over a month ago and just recently started closing and has a long way to go. Yours sounds a bit bigger than mine but not by much.

Sharing this for the public good

Moral of the story, don't [emoji90]

Also I would not go without pads... I randomly opened and had significant bleeding for weeks.

Well my issue was not constipation, apparently it was a rough ride on I-25N through New Mexico!

I received a little more not-so-good news today. Although my leave of absence from work was approved through 8 April, my short-term disability was only approved through 20 March (grrrr)! I can stay home through 8 April, but I would either go unpaid or need to use vacation time. I guess I will need a note from Dr. Ley to allow me to go back to work beginning 21 March. I have asked my manager to allow me to work from home from 21 through 28 March, which will get me through the four-a-day dilations. He has been awesome through all of this, and I don't expect he will have any issues with my request.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 04, 2019, 07:32:32 PM
Well my issue was not constipation, apparently it was a rough ride on I-25N through New Mexico!

I received a little more not-so-good news today. Although my leave of absence from work was approved through 8 April, my short-term disability was only approved through 20 March (grrrr)! I can stay home through 8 April, but I would either go unpaid or need to use vacation time. I guess I will need a note from Dr. Ley to allow me to go back to work beginning 21 March. I have asked my manager to allow me to work from home from 21 through 28 March, which will get me through the four-a-day dilations. He has been awesome through all of this, and I don't expect he will have any issues with my request.

Work, it gets in the way so much.     Glad you have a supportive manager.

Sorry to hear about the torn stitches.  Thanks for keeping us up-to-date. Take care of yourself.

Julie

Glad your home safe. Welcome home ladies!!!

Hugs.

As expected, my manager is fine with me working from home as long as I need to. There is a chance my short-term disability will be extended, but I won't plan on it.

Yesterday morning I sent a few new photos in to the Meltzer Clinic. Sometimes my labia become very painful, and I had noticed what appeared to be a huge blister on each of them. Despite how bad it looked, Dr. Ley and the nurse said they had no concerns -- it was just normal swelling. Back to ice packs for a while.

Things I forgot to mention...

After checking in to the surgical center a nurse took me back to a staging room, where I disrobed and put on a lovely hospital gown. Next I was taken to the pre-op staging area and got on a gurney. Another nurse came in and made sure which surgeries I was there for, then she tried to insert an IV line. Left arm inside elbow, no luck. Right forearm, no luck. Right arm inside elbow, success! She hooked me up to a few monitors and got my vitals, then Susan came in. We talked for a bit, and we held each other hands. After 10 or 15 minutes the anesthesiologist arrived and asked me a few questions. They asked for my glasses. Then he said something about 'better living through pharmaceuticals', and the next thing I remember was waking up in the post-op recovery room.

I was extremely uncomfortable, mainly from the painfully tight ace bandage around my breasts. I also felt as though I really needed to pee, which I thought was odd because I knew I had a catheter. I could see a clock in the room, without my glasses I squinted to see the time - 2:24pm. I remember being in that room for about 20 minutes, then suddenly the next thing I remember was waking up in my private recovery room.

Instead of those really tight socks they usually make you wear they were using something I had not seen before. Basically I was wearing a pair of inflatable 'boots' which alternately put pressure on one calf, then the other. I kept the button for the 'pain pump' handy and pressed it with regularity. The ace bandage around my breasts stayed for a day or two, and it was quite a relief when they removed it! I could also feel a burning sensation on either side of my genitals, there were two surgical drains. They did not use any drains for my breast augmentation.

That first afternoon after surgery I was hungry, but the pain medication made me nauseous. I was amazed to be asked what I wanted for supper! I was barely coherent and agreed to anything they suggested - apple juice, chicken soup, and a turkey sandwich. I mentioned the nausea, and the nurses quickly resolved that issue. Once the nausea cleared, I ate the sandwich. I was down to around 160 pounds the morning of surgery (my normal is about 165 pounds), but I gained about 12 pounds during my stay (including about 2 pounds for the implants).

The day after surgery is bed rest. The second day after surgery they want you to get up and move to a chair. Just standing up without blacking out was a difficult task, I lost count of how many attempts I made. It is amazing how much strength recovery from this surgery requires.

I have a 'cactoris'. My new clitoris is extremely sensitive. I don't understand how my 'new' parts can be even more sensitive than my old parts, but it is true. It is currently ringed by about a dozen sutures which protrude above the surrounding area like cactus thorns, and it is topped off by another protruding suture dead center. It looks like a tiny cactus right now, so I have a 'cactoris'.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 08, 2019, 11:44:14 AM
Things I forgot to mention...
.
'
I have a 'cactoris'. My new clitoris is extremely sensitive. I don't understand how my 'new' parts can be even more sensitive than my old parts, but it is true. It is currently ringed by about a dozen sutures which protrude above the surrounding area like cactus thorns, and it is topped off by another protruding suture dead center. It looks like a tiny cactus right now, so I have a 'cactoris'.

Hi Jessica,                            08 March 2019

Do you think just maybe they don't want it played with?

Glad you are recovering well and have a great sense of humor. Have been enjoying your posts.

Best Always, Love
Christine

First, I want to thank everyone for their support through my surgery and recovery. I probably won't make too many more posts in this thread. Although my recovery will continue for several more weeks, the goal of this thread has been met. I will create a new thread for the GCS Stage II (labiaplasty) and FFS (brow reduction) scheduled for 26 July, until my preparations for that surgery begin I will be posting in my 'Rose Garden' thread.

Last Thursday I moved up to dilator #2. It was very snug at first, but starting off with a tapered #2 really helped. I may have lost a tiny bit of depth, but the dilator bottoms out at just over 6 inches so I am happy. The bruises continue to fade -- the horrendous bruise on my left side is gone. The only remaining bruises are on the inside of my left elbow, my upper left thigh, and at the top of each labia. My labia still feel very raw, using ice packs whenever I can seems to reduce the swelling. Driving is more comfortable now, but any trips over an hour or so would be tough.

My breast implants are still on the move. Dr. Ley hoped they would drop enough for me to begin wearing a bra about six weeks after surgery. I was wearing a 36B prior to surgery, but those were very tight -- I probably should have been wearing a 38A. From what I can tell I think I will soon be wearing a 38C. I have full sensitivity on my right breast, but the inside half of my left breast is still numb. I am not concerned yet, I know it may take several months for the feeling to return. My left nipple also seems to be off center, but this may resolve itself as healing continues. Despite these minor issues, they look great!

I have an appointment with my HRT doctor next week. Last she knew my surgery was scheduled for 5 April, so she is in for a surprise! I have already had three electrolysis sessions since surgery in order to catch up on my face, neck, and upper chest. My next appointment is Tuesday, we plan to work on my cleavage -- having cleavage with long dark hair is not very sexy! I will also need more work down below, but that can wait another month or so.

These last few weeks have been some of the most difficult days of my life. Despite all the research I did, I was overwhelmed by the reality of GCS. It was much more painful than I expected, both physically and mentally. Knowing what I know now, would I still do it? Yes, without hesitation. Finally becoming who I was meant to be was worth any price, now MY life can begin.

Good to hear you are doing fine overall.  Dilating will continue to a new experience as you increase the dilator size.  You probably have a lot a swelling in your boobs still so you will be changing a lot in the next months and your bra size will be changing so don't buy very many new bras now. How bad is the hair in your cleavage? You want to be rid of it so you will have nice cleavage.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 03, 2019, 09:03:51 PM
First, I want to thank everyone for their support during my GCS experience. Your notes, no matter how brief, helped divert my attention from the near constant discomfort caused by surgery.

I did not sleep well last night. After dilating at around 11:00pm and taking a shower, I woke up at 2:30am and could not get back to sleep. At best I napped for another hour or so before getting out of bed at 5:30am. While I was subjecting myself to my first dilation of the day, Susan went to check on the breakfast offered by the hotel. Once I finished my session, I asked Susan about the breakfast:

Susan: They have scrambled eggs, bacon, and waffles. I picked up a banana.
Me: A banana? Is that a fruedian reference? Now you are just picking on me!
Susan (laughing): No I'm not!

The banana reference came up several more times during the drive. At one time I was laughing so hard I almost had to pull over! I had made a comment about Susan picking up random bananas at every hotel we visit...

Anyway, after breakfast and another dilation session, we departed the hotel around 9:30am. Even though the local temperature was 58 degrees I was wearing my parka -- I knew what was in front of us. Our first stop was in Las Vegas, NM for gas and some sandwiches. Although only about 120 miles north of Albuquerque, the temperature was now 17 degrees with light snow and heavy fog. By the time we hit the Colorado state line a few hours later it was 12 degrees, the highest temperature we saw in Colorado today. There was light snow most of the afternoon, but the roads were clear until about a half mile from home. Our friends had cleared the driveway of several inches of snow, and our furry kids were happy we were home.

Trying to keep on schedule, as soon as we got home I dilated while Susan unloaded the car -- she told me that she would take care of it. She is trying to make sure that everything we have gone through is not ruined by me trying to do something that my body is not yet ready for. To compensate, I cooked supper. I also mentioned something about grocery shopping tomorrow... we need to put bananas on the list!

You don't have to just use bananas. Hair brushes can be nice and subtle. Take a good look at the handles and you'll find interesting textures and some that can be ribbed for her pleasure.

Now that the teasing is done.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

I wish you a safe and speedy recovery. If you don't have one get one of the donut cushion things to sit on for a while. It will help take the pressure of the pelvic area.

@mm the hairy cleavage is unsightly. In the past I could easily keep it shaved, but now there is no way to maneuver an razor in there to keep it clean. Right now my options are weekly electrolysis and plucking. I bent the rules a bit this week and had my electrologist clean out the dark hairs (I'm not supposed to have electrolysis in that area until at least six weeks after surgery). It does look much better. Hopefully it will be in good shape by summer.

Thanks @NatalieRene ! I have been using a special cushion with a notch for that area, but I can't tell if it is doing any good. I used it on my drive back from Scottsdale and still lost quite a few stitches.