Waiting and Eating, basically

11 July 

I was told today that Stage 2 would be 12 July and that I would need to stop eating at 2am tomorrow morning, so just watched a lot of golf on TV, listened to music, snoozed, had a shower and shaved before going to sleep around 10pm.

Not really much more to report for this day.

Still need to shave the grey hair

Stage 2 - Attempt 1

12 July

I had an IV inserted at 9am and was collected and taken to theatre at 9.50am.  There seemed to be a bit of waiting around and the ladies in the theatre were working on something on a table in the corner of the room.  I asked - "is that my scrotal skin?" - they all laughed and said yes.  

Once again a really relaxed atmosphere.  The last thing I recall is seeing the clock at 10.15am.

I woke in the recovery room at midday.  I reached down and couldn't feel any changes to my groin area and could tell that the surgery didn't proceed.  I was taken back to the ward and asked a nurse if she knew what was happening - she thought that they were going to wait up to 3 more days.

I took a look and there is iodine around my groin area and I feel a bit sore inside the vaginal canal. Really didn't do anything else, watched TV and Netflix and wandered up and down the ward.

This is the entrance to the operating theatre wing

Stage 2 - Take 2 preparation

13 July

Basically sitting around the entire day.  It's happening tomorrow, 14 July.

As I will be bed bound for 3 days after the second stage, and seeing as I have been finding it difficult to go to toilet I asked for a laxative, which I took at 2pm, which certainly helped clean me out.

Fran visited an Elephant Sanctuary and enjoyed it immensely.  

We booked the Elephant trip online

Dr Sanguan came and saw me and explained that he wasn't happy with how much I had healed and wanted to wait another day to ensure success.  I was happy with that and trusted his expertise.

I sat around, showered and went to sleep at 10pm

Today's the Day!

14 July

I was woken at 5.30am for a blood pressure test, all was normal.

Went to toilet, brushed teeth, had IV drip installed and was taken to theatre at 9.30am

All smiles as my IV is connected!

I was in theatre for 5.5 hours, had a fair bit of soreness in the groin area, felt like a burning feeling across my upper thighs, totally manageable as I was on a fentanyl drip.

I enjoyed drifting in and out of sleep after surgery.

Fentanyl kept pain at bay

I took this not long after coming too, you can see the marks on my face from the oxygen mask, not too much more to report about today, tomorrow I got the chance to inspect what things looked like...

The day after the main surgery

 15 July

I was able to take a look at my surgery site today.  

Bandages, basically.  At least I could tell that the skin graft went ahead, although I could feel that it had, the only pain I had was along the tops of my thighs. I had a gel cold pad in a material sleeve placed on my vulva.  This was used to reduce swelling throughout the rest of my stay.

I was moved to another room today, the outlook was a bit better,  the Big C shopping centre is alongside the hospital, and when I was allowed out of bed I would be able to see the carpark and road, along which Fran walked every morning after getting off the bus from Patong.

Sitting around, talking, on our phones, I was snoozing, and watching TV.

I discovered that using an app to ask questions was sometimes easier, this was a pressing question, I had been off my HRT for nearly 4 weeks at this stage!

The nurses will ask the doctor .... meanwhile I am hoping I won't detransition or start menopause!