Yes, we are home, and recovery is continuing, and will for at least 6 months to a year. I was told to only consider myself completely healed in about a year. There may well be some swelling until then. And yes Silver Lady, I had the whole procedure! It took Dr. Brassard 3 1/2 hours to put right a travesty from 1943 by another doctor operating (humm, pun unintended) literally under a different paradigm than what is gradually becoming the new standard in cases of intersexuality.
The operation was performed under a spinal block, with just enough happy juice to keep me comfortable and not anxious. I had periods of full awareness when I conversed with the anesthesist (sp?) or one or more nurses, to let them know I was OK and feeling no pain. I was aware of pulling and tugging (which caused some bruising) but the undeveloped female features of the post mullerian duct syndrome were removed as well. The tissue was normal, so I dodged the cancer bullet in spite of waiting so many years to have it removed. Healing is proceeding rather rapidly and I am capable of consideral degree of activity, in part due to the excercise program I started last January, and my own ability to heal. Not a bad thing entirely, but I do have a tendency to push myself.
I had sufficient donor material to provide a decent depth for the neovagina, and unlike others had no problem passing urine after removal of the catheter. It wasn't painless, but at this point less than two weeks after surgery, I feel mild to medium discomfort rather than pain. Occasionally a single Tylenol is all it takes to control even that. That's if you discount the little jolts of electrical shock as severed nerves reconnect!
Overall the experience was very good, and actually has been better than I anticipated. I thought I might have to stay with my friend Lois for a week, but was sufficently healed and capable to come home. I was ready to be here.
Drove the 80+ miles round trip to see my mother yesterday, and had a good three hours with her. We had Chinese, one of her favorites. Didn't get too pooped from that, so I decided to stay awake longer last night, so slept in this morning and have been running to catch up since. I did grocery shopping today, replacing all the items that I had trashed rather than let spoil in the 'fridge while I was gone. Expensive proposition, but set for most of the month now. Took awhile to carry in, as I am not to pick up more than 10 pounds for the rest of this month.
CJ, I also am sorry we couldn't get together again. Thanks for meeting with us and for your help to Lois. She thinks quite highly of you, you know.
When I returned home, I booted my confuser and was faced with the "blue screen of death" lock up. So I switched to an alternate, also reconditioned, and found it only recognizes a part of it's components. I did get on line, but such things as the DVD(R) are still not functional. Looking for solutions. It would not find the device so can't even search the internet for drivers, if I could set long enough. A friend may come to take it home early in the week to see what he can do with it.
I will, this week, take a trip to vital records and get my birth certificate changed, and then take care of my drivers license and social security/medicare notations. Then I think it will offcially be over.
Thanks to all of you for your good wishes. I have no doubt they contributed to the good outcome.
Just had a call from the nursing home. They are taking my Mom to the hospital after she complained of pain and was unable to pass urine, even with the aid of a catheter. Never rains but it pours. Please keep her in your thoughts.
Love, Carolynn
"It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,"
David Weber – In Fury Born
Cool.
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