In case you're wondering, yes, I did build myself a cane before the surgery!
And... We're back!
I'm about 11 days into my recovery from a couple of surgeries designed to alter my physical appearance as well as certain functions of my existing sexual characteristics. If you haven't already, please read the 'before' part of this story: Gender Confirmation Surgery and Me - Part One (before).
First and foremost - the surgery went well.
Or, that's what I'm told. Immediately after coming out of anesthesia, I was not awake enough to remember any discussion with the surgeon - but my wife, Elena, talked to her and later told me what she said.
Before I discuss waking up from the surgery, I want to mention what it was like just before the surgery.
The morning of surgery was scary. I knew it would be, but I had to try pretty hard to hold back tears (I was more-or-less successful). It didn't help that my check-in time was 6am on a cold winter morning (It was a dark drive over to the hospital). Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep the night before.
Checking in was easy and quick - and I was soon called back to start getting prepped. As I was being led away by a nurse - the last thing I said to Elena was, "Watch my stuff". I remember thinking that if I die on the operating table, those would be my last words to her. That made me tear up. Thankfully, they brought Elena back to sit with me for a few minutes before I was wheeled off to the operating room. I was very happy to see her - she helped me keep calm(ish) while they were putting IVs in me, writing on me with markers, and putting drug patches on my skin. She snapped a photo of me - scared but smiling:
Finally, it was time for me to go, so Elena went back to the waiting room - but not until I told her, "I love you, Elena... Oh, and watch my stuff."
Upon waking, the first thing I remember was being really, really cold and having a sore throat. Both side effects of the anesthesia. The sore throat, in particular, was due to the insertion of a tube which was then hooked up to a ventilator - because apparently you can't breath for yourself when you're under the effects of general anesthesia. That's just one of the scary medical-related facts that I did not know at the time because I made a point of not looking up too many details beforehand... Kind of an anxiety-avoidance tactic.
Besides the effects of the anesthesia, I could also feel the compression from the various bandages and dressings - although no pain, just a vague uncomfortableness.
Elena was brought back and sat with me for a few minutes while I warmed up a little. (They put a tube blowing hot air under my blankets - heaven!) She later said I looked pale but happy to see her (which I was).
Eventually, after warming up and drinking some water, I was allowed to get dressed (very carefully and with much help). I was wearing an elastic bandage around my head - holding gauze tightly under my chin - and when I removed the laughably huge hospital gown, I discovered I was wearing a couple of pairs of compression shorts over my groin dressings. After putting on my clothes, I sat in a wheelchair while Elena went to move the car around to the patient pickup door. They wheeled me out and got me in the car - where I directed Elena back home (the hospital was next door to the Lowes that I always go to - so I knew the way quite well). I was surprisingly lucid - and we took a couple of photos when we got home (such as the title image to this post - where I'm sporting my cool new head bandage and looking a little pale).
Once home, I used a hard maple walking stick that I had built a few days previously to help me hobble around. (Hey, this is still partly a woodworking blog, right?) Walking around slowly and carefully was encouraged to help prevent blood clots and otherwise recover from the effects of the anesthesia. I actually felt pretty decent at the time - although I now understand I was still under some pretty heavy pain management medications from the hospital - and I would soon start to feel very uncomfortable.
A couple of weeks before the surgery, and after a meeting with the surgeon, I had to pick up a number of medications (7 in all). I mention this here, because swallowing many pills at various times of the day became part of my recovery routine - also, because I have this cute photo of a stuffed bunny (named Fluffy), holding on to them for me:
(The table Fluffy is sitting on is called the 'Heptagon Table' because it has seven equal sides - a surprisingly annoying shape to build. See more photos on my studio page.)
The drugs weren't anything too uncommon for post-surgical care: antibiotics, anti-nausea, painkillers, etc. The most interesting was a narcotic; oxycontin, for pain relief. I'd never taken it before - but I was aware of all the oxy-related drug abuse taking place. I'm happy to say I didn't become addicted - I'm less happy to say it didn't really do anything for me. The 600 mg tablets of Ibuprofen worked much better for me and my pain management (also for swelling).
By now, 11 days later, I'm off of everything but my daily estrogen and the occasional Ibuprofen. This includes finally being able to stop taking a component of my hormone replacement therapy (HRT): spironolactone (an anti-androgen). I mentioned in my previous post how much I was looking forward to getting off of this particular medication. I'm happy to say the diuretic effects of the spironolactone have eased off somewhat - and I don't have to get up to pee six times a night. And it is JUST AS FANTASTIC AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE! (I'd do a little happy dance - but my stitches are too sore.) :)
Ok, back to the first days of my recovery...
I slept a fair amount that first day - which is pretty normal for someone recovering from the effects of anesthesia. Eventually the painkillers from the hospital started to wear off and I had to figure out my own pain management plan. Generally, the background pain wasn't too bad - but I was very sore and swollen and I had to be really careful how I moved around. I had to keep the head bandage on for the first week - and I have to wear the compression shorts for the next 5 weeks. The compression shorts are basically tight bike / sport shorts (I like the Nike ones) intended to keep pressure on the groin area and help with swelling / healing. So yes, I get to wear multiple pairs of sport shorts 24 hours a day 7 days a week for the next month and a half. I mostly feel sorry for my penis - it can't be too comfortable. Oh, and I have to ice my groin (and neck) at regular intervals (even now, 11 days later... ugh).
I had to change the dressings under my compression shorts a number of times a day - particularly in the early days of my recovery. The surgeon left a small rubber drain tube in my scrotum-area to assist with drainage. I had to wear a dressing and feminine pad to help absorb everything. It was weirdly like getting my first period... Also, seeing the rubber drain gave me something of an anxiety attack the first two times I changed my dressing. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy having this piece of material stitched into me - and I was relieved to have it removed at my post-op visit a week later. OK, I promise I won't talk about my 'drain-tube' anymore - but let's discuss my penis and urination!
I had to have an urinary catheter put in while I was under the effects of the anesthesia - and this made things very sore and made it somewhat difficult to pee for the first few days. Also, I didn't know that the penis could be so elaborately bruised - I'm still black and blue 11 days later - ouch.
Speaking of bruising and such - we can't forget to discuss my neck! It's tempting to focus on the bottom surgery (it's more 'interesting') - but the tracheal shave was just as important. I mentioned the head bandage that I had to wear for the first week - other than this, and being careful how I move my head, I didn't have to do much maintenance. The wound was covered in something like 'New-Skin' and even now is still protected by this liquid bandage.
When they perform a tracheal shave, they typically make the incision under the chin - then follow under the skin down to the trachea where they 'shave' off a certain amount. As you know, the trachea moves up and down when you swallow - so you can imagine how sore this area was (and still is). Most of the bruising and swelling is gone, now, though - although my voice still sounds a bit raspy.
From what I can tell so far - the appearance of my tracheal bump (or adam's apple) is substantially less. This makes me happy.
That brings me to my feelings about the surgeries. It was a huge undertaking a long time in the making - but I'm very glad I had the procedures done. I know I have a fair bit of healing to go - but I feel good about everything, and my overall experience (pain aside) has been pretty positive. Elena took good care of me for the first few days - and then helped me slowly get back to caring for myself - although she still has to move anything heavier than 5 pounds for me for the next 5 weeks (which really sucks for a woodworker - lumber is heavy).
Here's a photo I just took - I look a bit ragged, and I've been wearing PJs and a robe for the last 11 days (not the same pair) - but I do look happy:
And, in fact, I am very happy.
...But I'm also really glad it's over!
-Lia
Contact Me
My Writings (Transgender Woodworker content)
Artfully Functional (my studio)
LiaZero.com (all my online content)
My Writings (Transgender Woodworker content)
Artfully Functional (my studio)
LiaZero.com (all my online content)