It has been 3 days since my Gender Confirmation Surgery and I couldn’t be much happier! Everything has gone so well!
I got to the hospital a little before the 0715 time I was supposed to arrive and checked in. Because of COVID19 the had an entrance for just for those for surgery that had gotten COVID19 testing done which was a requirement before surgery. And because of the virus I was there alone and my Gramma Mary was only able to drop me off and would pick me up after surgery and everything was done. It was a little overwhelming being there by myself. I had a rather unusual lady in the waiting area who wanted to know what surgery I was getting and just offered up that she was getting a hernia repaired and a hysterectomy done. I don’t know why strangers share those sorts of things with me. I think I have a friendly face sometimes, even with a mask on! It was entertaining and helped calm my anxiety down with the humor of being told that by a stranger! Hopefully everything went well for her.
I, along with the lady and one other patient were walked to the pre-op area to our individual “rooms" to get ready. I was never so eager to put on a hospital gown until that moment! I was still nervous but excited, it was happening! I didn’t even mind the silly, yellow hospital socks either! Then I met a handful of different nurses and the anesthesiologist and his assistant. They all told me who they were and what they were doing but I couldn’t tell you what. One nurse hooked up my IV. She used this super cool handheld device that uses near-infrared technology to show the veins on the skin. I found that super cool! I had a small, little patch for nausea put behind my ear. Then the surgeon actually came in to see me, asked if I had any last-minute questions and then marked up my chest for surgery. I tried looking down as she was marking me and managed to get marker on my chin that way! Shortly thereafter the nurses came to bring me to the operating room. I believe I was headed into there around 0845- 0900. I remember as they were rolling me to the operating room being asked if I was a coffee drinker and mentioning I liked ice coffee better. I just Then I remember a nice, cool room possibly being transferee to the operating table and getting all covered up and felt like a burrito!
My Gramma Mary got a call from the nurses that I was out of surgery around noon. Everything went well with it. No complications or anything. I was then headed to recovery. I remember trying to wake up and the view of hospital recovery area being all fuzzy. I kept trying to lift my head to wake up but was too tired. Slowly things started coming into focus. The pain really wasn’t too bad but of course pain medicine was on board. I remember the right side of my chest hurt more than the left. I remember some nurse asking me and letting me know I could have another dose of pain medicine but I didn’t want any. I definitely wanted water as my throat was so dry. Of course, I started with ice chips so I wouldn’t choke. The pain still wasn’t too bad but I did finally take a dose of the hydrocodone when I was transferred from recovery to where I would get ready to go home as the right side still bothered me some. I was there a bit more as my head cleared from the anesthesia and such even more. They gave me my discharge paperwork; they took off the comfy leg compression wraps which help prevent any blood clots during surgery. Those were actually super comfy and I remember telling the nurses that and almost disappointed with them coming off! I was finally clear headed enough to really see my chest, my male chest! Talk about being happy! I also saw the pressurized dressing and the little Prevena Pressurized Dressing machine I’d be carrying around, attached to me instead of drains. I got my handbook on that as well. I finally was able to get dressed and my Gramma Mary was called around 1400 to pick me up.
On Tuesday after getting out of the hospital, we stopped by the local grocery store so I could pick up my antibiotics and the pain medicine the surgeon prescribed. We also picked up a few things like graham crackers, soup, ginger ale and such. We got back to my Gramma Mary’s where I am staying for my recovery around 1600 or so. Through the afternoon and evening I updated everyone on how I was doing. I took some goofy photos but I couldn’t help it. I was so happy!
This is the 2nd day since my surgery and I am still so happy! I have never admired my chest so much! I have never so willing lifted up my shirt to show someone how I looked, not that anyone wants to see my chubby belly. There isn’t too much pain but more pressure than anything. I can’t bend so much, reach too far, obviously can’t lift things but I am just taking it easy. It feels weird to be the one needing help with things rather than the one helping. My neck hurts more than my manly chest! It hurts more around the chest than where the chest is. My throat is pretty sore too from the breathing tube during anesthesia. I’m just glad that overall, the pain isn’t too bad. I was also worried about migraines due to possible stress and anxiety but I’ve been lucky and other than a general headache the day of surgery and after I have been good. Physically all is going well!
I absolutely love the mentality involved surrounding my top surgery. To be here, today, with Gender Confirmation Top Surgery having been done is amazing. It felt so surreal going into the hospital, in the waiting area after checking in, before going into surgery and even after surgery. I remember being like- it is done, everything worked out and went well? I couldn’t believe it actually happened. Top surgery was successful! I am so happy for this to have happened. I got a small wave of uncomfortableness with how visible my chubby belly is without a female chest. Humorously, I had a short talk about how I went from apple shaped to pear shaped but that’s common for males. That made me feel a bit better. I can’t wait until I am cleared for exercise so I can work on the belly and a better physique for myself. I just love how right I feel though. I look at myself and love myself that much more just a few days after surgery. Maybe it is just temporary but my self-esteem feels pretty good right now, I love my chest for the first time and am so grateful that I was able to get my top surgery. Life feels pretty amazing.
In a week I go back to my surgeons office for the one week follow up for my surgery. I’ll probably get the Prevena Pressurized Dressing machine off and I’ll have to wear a chest binder for a number of weeks while my healing continues. The journey will continue then but the biggest part has been done and it was amazing. So thankful for life right now. I think about where I was a year ago and where I am today and it is just mind blowing! I can’t thank so many people for all the support through this journey too. Here’s to a bright future and continued journey.
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