I thought I'd do a little follow up piece now that I'm back home.
In the last few days before flying out to Thailand, I kept in communication with Dr. Pichet along the way, making sure that the transportation was all set to pick everyone up as needed. I was grateful for this service, which he provided at no additional charge, as it made planning things a lot easier. To that end, I asked him for a recommended hotel that he would travel to. He recommended the Atrium Boutique hotel, which was a very short couple of kilometers from his clinic.
The area was easy to get around on both foot and taxi. This was especially nice for K and I, as we both liked to do some walking to get things we needed. Of course, the walking was good for the rehabilitation, as well.
The hotel itself was very contemporary. We arrived at around 04:00 on that first day, and we were greeted with a warm smile. Our names had been passed along from the clinic, and we had a room ready to go. They even had two cold glasses of water waiting for us, free of charge. I thought that was a nice gesture. Arriving at our room, we found a single mounted A/C unit, a mini fridge stocked daily with free bottled waters, TV with a handful of English channels, two twin beds, and a comfortable bath.
The hotel had a buffet breakfast from 6 to 10 every day. Basic, but it was reliable without a lot of headache. The restaurant was also available 24/7, as was room service. We ate at that restaurant several times. It didn't take long to figure out which servers had a decent knowledge of English, and which ones were...well, scared shitless to take our table. But the food was good, and decently priced. They also had mixed drinks, smoothies, and beers. Kind of nice, actually. Until 20:00 came along...
Yes, at 20:00, the pianist would arrive. Now, I'm going to come off like a raging bitch saying this, but I didn't like this guy. He played with no sense of time. Seems like any time he tried to flourish, the time would always scatter -- HORRIBLY. He played various lounge and popular covers, and that's not a bad thing. Except that they were all sped up to the point of having no feeling whatsoever. Imagine "Yesterday" by the Beatles at twice the tempo, and occasionally just plain out of time. Now, imagine every song like that. By the end of the trip, we ended dinner by 20:00 regularly, in part because I couldn't take it! And in part because we figured out that SyFy played Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 7) in sequence. And K and I like our sci-fi.
For a few days after surgery, of course, my quarters were at the clinic. Very warm, with some traditional touches, but clearly contemporary in design. Yes, there was a lot of modern equipment; I have heard a lot of concern regarding the conditions in Thailand. I couldn't complain in the slightest, however. The building was at least 4 stories tall, I believe. The lobby contained desks for the paperwork and the kitchen, along with a small Buddhist shrine. The 2nd floor was the exam rooms and consultation room. The consultation room had a lot of papers and viewing materials for the procedures, along with a few aids like breast forms and dilators. The exam rooms were well equipped and clean, including privacy screens (while Mom saw a little more as she helped me, K elected to defer to my modesty). The 3rd floor was the operating floor; the OR and recovery rooms, as well as the inpatient rooms. Our room had an extra bed for Mom on top of everything else. We never saw the other floors, but as we understood it, the doctors and nursing staff lived up there so they could be summoned as needed. Which happened once or twice while I was there.
In Pattaya, we had a different hotel, as well. This one was clearly a little different; the style was closer to traditional. It still had a fridge, A/C, and TV, as well. I found the beds a little less comfortable, but they're doable. The wooden elephant-face carved lamps were a cute touch, though.
All in all, I enjoyed my stay there. The Atrium, as well, was very affordable; approximately $40 a night for a deluxe room for two. I would recommend that, if you're considering going to Bangkok for any cosmetic procedure including but not limited to GRS, to consider this for lodging. It helps to have something familiar, after all.
28 January, 2011
24 January, 2011
Back Home
Hey, everybody! Just letting you know that I'm back in LA. Needed a day away from the computer to unwind. What an experience!
I flew with China Eastern Airlines. I won't say they're a bad airline, but not exactly great either. I'm trying not to judge too harshly because of the language differences. I got out of Shanghai on my layover leg to LA about 2 hours late, with no explanation as to why. Also, while there, I learned that several major websites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger, were all blocked in China. Kinda sucked, since I used all 3 of them to keep in touch with everybody. Oh well, it wasn't too long, anyways.
Outside of that, it was a pretty uneventful setup, though the hotel we booked at for the night between flights (it was a 13 hour layover) ended up being really damn nice! It was a Howard Johnson just on the edge of Pudong. It was nice having a hot shower, too - my experience between the multiple hotel rooms and public bathrooms was that hot water wasn't particularly available or important (one of the two). Not sure what that was about, but it kinda sucked.
On the day I landed, my honey was there waiting for me. I was so happy to be back with her! I can't possibly express just how much I missed her. As I type this, she's by my side, doing a little online shopping with me. And soon, we'll be headed off to sleep, and all will be right with the world again.
I love you!
I flew with China Eastern Airlines. I won't say they're a bad airline, but not exactly great either. I'm trying not to judge too harshly because of the language differences. I got out of Shanghai on my layover leg to LA about 2 hours late, with no explanation as to why. Also, while there, I learned that several major websites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger, were all blocked in China. Kinda sucked, since I used all 3 of them to keep in touch with everybody. Oh well, it wasn't too long, anyways.
Outside of that, it was a pretty uneventful setup, though the hotel we booked at for the night between flights (it was a 13 hour layover) ended up being really damn nice! It was a Howard Johnson just on the edge of Pudong. It was nice having a hot shower, too - my experience between the multiple hotel rooms and public bathrooms was that hot water wasn't particularly available or important (one of the two). Not sure what that was about, but it kinda sucked.
On the day I landed, my honey was there waiting for me. I was so happy to be back with her! I can't possibly express just how much I missed her. As I type this, she's by my side, doing a little online shopping with me. And soon, we'll be headed off to sleep, and all will be right with the world again.
I love you!
20 January, 2011
Last day
Gods, only a couple more days. Can't wait!
Woke up early and headed to the clinic. I started with my typical examination and cleaning. Then the doctor explained what he wanted to do. Said that he wanted to do a minor reduction to my labia, since he had played it safe before. This would be the last touch up needed, as I would, of course, be headed home. We had a couple hours before the actual procedure. K got to chat with both Dr. Pichet, again, and the anesthesiologist, Dr. Mo. Then they brought me to the OR, put the mask on, and I was out.
Woke up a couple hours later. It really was a VERY small amount of tissue that got taken care of. He also took most of the stitches out at the same time, while using dissolvable stitches for the last of today's procedure. They should come out on their own in a week-ish. After which, I can swim again. Granted, back in LA, I will be less likely to go for that unless I can get access to a heated pool. At least until summer.
I spent much of the rest of the day kinda lazy. Unfortunately, the connection at the hotel was absolute shit for the rest of the day. I can only hope it comes back up in the morning before I leave.
The plan is as follows, just in case I can't get another connection. I fly out Friday at 16:40 from Bangkok to Shanghai-Pudong. We arrive around 22:00 locally, and are heading to a Howard Johnson hotel nearby. The next leg is at noon Saturday morning to LAX. It's 11 hours, but because of the date line cross, we will arrive around 09:00 Saturday morning. Finally, I will be home. By evening, I hope to be rested enough to hit up the Shine club again...but more importantly, I'll be back home in my love's arms.
Woke up early and headed to the clinic. I started with my typical examination and cleaning. Then the doctor explained what he wanted to do. Said that he wanted to do a minor reduction to my labia, since he had played it safe before. This would be the last touch up needed, as I would, of course, be headed home. We had a couple hours before the actual procedure. K got to chat with both Dr. Pichet, again, and the anesthesiologist, Dr. Mo. Then they brought me to the OR, put the mask on, and I was out.
Woke up a couple hours later. It really was a VERY small amount of tissue that got taken care of. He also took most of the stitches out at the same time, while using dissolvable stitches for the last of today's procedure. They should come out on their own in a week-ish. After which, I can swim again. Granted, back in LA, I will be less likely to go for that unless I can get access to a heated pool. At least until summer.
I spent much of the rest of the day kinda lazy. Unfortunately, the connection at the hotel was absolute shit for the rest of the day. I can only hope it comes back up in the morning before I leave.
The plan is as follows, just in case I can't get another connection. I fly out Friday at 16:40 from Bangkok to Shanghai-Pudong. We arrive around 22:00 locally, and are heading to a Howard Johnson hotel nearby. The next leg is at noon Saturday morning to LAX. It's 11 hours, but because of the date line cross, we will arrive around 09:00 Saturday morning. Finally, I will be home. By evening, I hope to be rested enough to hit up the Shine club again...but more importantly, I'll be back home in my love's arms.
Pattaya
Amazing couple of days I've had! Let me try and get a recap going.
On Tuesday morning, we got on a van for Pattaya at 06:30. Talk about early, at least compared to our normal days. Ah, well, I managed. Pattaya was a beach resort a couple hours from Bangkok, and in the past couple decades has sprawled to its own small city. The tourism made a huge part of it, so it had a lot of influences from around, including India, Turkey, Germany, Sweden, China, you name it. You could tell alot from the local pubs to the architecture, as well.
We arrived around 09:30, and checked into the hotel we had booked as part of the package. En route, the road got a little bumpy, and I was napping against an odd ridge in the window with a strip of velcro on it. So, you'll notice a small mark on my forehead in a few of the shots. We got ready to go by 10:00. We joined another group, primarily Indian, and got in a small pontoon boat. We were to hit up Coral Island, and on the way, we made two optional excursion stops.
First stop: Parasailing! We pulled the boat up to a floating barge with a large takeoff platform. They also had a small bar. All of this very open and taking full advantage of the warm air and ocean breeze. The parasailing was pretty simple and organized: A harness sewn into a life jacket, and attached to the cords of the parachute very quickly with buckles. The rest of it stayed attached to the motorboat, which made a quick circle of the barge. Participants were allowed a single, optional dunk in the brine right upon takeoff. They also took pictures for you. Mine came to me framed already, so this shot might look a little funny.
[Placeholder]
Upon landing, you were caught by workers and quickly detached. All you had to do was run in the beginning. But man, what a fuckin' ride!!
Next stop: Deep Sea Walk. I had to sit this one out. Doctor had ordered me to keep the surgical area dry for the next couple of weeks, and an underwater soak was pretty much out of the question. K went, though. They had O2 tanks, large old-school bubble helmets, all connected to a line. They also wore gloves, as they got a chance to feed some of the fish that were down there. Did I mention coral reef? Yeah. Damn, I wish I could have gone for that. As it was, I hung out on the barge.
Finally, we landed upon Coral Island itself. A large beach with several souvenir stands and carts. Also available were jetskis and towboats, and a lot of sun and sand. Not a whole lot more, but who needs more? Did I mention I think I was a mariner in another life? I could live on the water!
Lunch was included in the tour package. While walking along the carts towards the restaurant, I noticed one interesting technique that I would later find all over the place in Pattaya. The carts would have water pump systems and large bowls with several live fish in, including shrimp, lobster, crabs, and some small white fish. When one was ordered, they scooped them out with either tongs or grated baskets, and drop them straight into a steamer! The white fish would be gutted, scaled, breaded and deep fried whole. This restaurant did the same thing, and served with fried rice, corn, salad...and french fries. Apparently ya gotta have french fries. Good fries, actually, I can't complain. Our meal was two crabs, six shrimp, and two of the fish. Lot of food for just the two of us!
By 13:30, we were on a boat back to Pattaya. I took a nap while K got a look at our surroundings. We walked around and checked out some of the block. It was filled with a few malls, hotels, souvenir shops, small food carts, major restaurants, and several bars. On the way back, I got a quick "Hello" from a few girls from a katoey bar. I never made it back, but I kinda wish I had the time to step inside for a drink.
At 17:30, we got another ride. The final included part of the package was the Alcazar cabaret show! There was no photography allowed, however. It was certainly interesting, nothing I've ever seen before. The show and the songs were primarily Thai, but I saw a lot of outside influence. Indian quarter-tone scales, Korean and Chinese set and costume designs, even some American pop. Oh, and speaking of American, between the song selections like "I Will Survive" and "Poker Face" AND a shit ton of sequins and glitter, well, it was enough to make a WeHo boy cry.
The next day was spent leisurely in comparison. We slept in, and did some souvenir shopping after breakfast at The Coffee Club. This restaurant was a nice blend of American, European, and Thai dining, along with a coffee and pastry shop, all in one. They also had a full dinner menu with draft beers. I can see that kinda place taking off in the states quite well!
Afterwards, we had an hour on the beach before heading back to Bangkok. All in all, a great trip. It was also pretty good for distracting me from the constant reminders of how long this trip is taking, and how much longer before I get home to my honey. Tomorrow morning, one last touch up procedure, and I'll probably take it easy, just to play it safe.
On Tuesday morning, we got on a van for Pattaya at 06:30. Talk about early, at least compared to our normal days. Ah, well, I managed. Pattaya was a beach resort a couple hours from Bangkok, and in the past couple decades has sprawled to its own small city. The tourism made a huge part of it, so it had a lot of influences from around, including India, Turkey, Germany, Sweden, China, you name it. You could tell alot from the local pubs to the architecture, as well.
We arrived around 09:30, and checked into the hotel we had booked as part of the package. En route, the road got a little bumpy, and I was napping against an odd ridge in the window with a strip of velcro on it. So, you'll notice a small mark on my forehead in a few of the shots. We got ready to go by 10:00. We joined another group, primarily Indian, and got in a small pontoon boat. We were to hit up Coral Island, and on the way, we made two optional excursion stops.
First stop: Parasailing! We pulled the boat up to a floating barge with a large takeoff platform. They also had a small bar. All of this very open and taking full advantage of the warm air and ocean breeze. The parasailing was pretty simple and organized: A harness sewn into a life jacket, and attached to the cords of the parachute very quickly with buckles. The rest of it stayed attached to the motorboat, which made a quick circle of the barge. Participants were allowed a single, optional dunk in the brine right upon takeoff. They also took pictures for you. Mine came to me framed already, so this shot might look a little funny.
[Placeholder]
Upon landing, you were caught by workers and quickly detached. All you had to do was run in the beginning. But man, what a fuckin' ride!!
Next stop: Deep Sea Walk. I had to sit this one out. Doctor had ordered me to keep the surgical area dry for the next couple of weeks, and an underwater soak was pretty much out of the question. K went, though. They had O2 tanks, large old-school bubble helmets, all connected to a line. They also wore gloves, as they got a chance to feed some of the fish that were down there. Did I mention coral reef? Yeah. Damn, I wish I could have gone for that. As it was, I hung out on the barge.
Finally, we landed upon Coral Island itself. A large beach with several souvenir stands and carts. Also available were jetskis and towboats, and a lot of sun and sand. Not a whole lot more, but who needs more? Did I mention I think I was a mariner in another life? I could live on the water!
Lunch was included in the tour package. While walking along the carts towards the restaurant, I noticed one interesting technique that I would later find all over the place in Pattaya. The carts would have water pump systems and large bowls with several live fish in, including shrimp, lobster, crabs, and some small white fish. When one was ordered, they scooped them out with either tongs or grated baskets, and drop them straight into a steamer! The white fish would be gutted, scaled, breaded and deep fried whole. This restaurant did the same thing, and served with fried rice, corn, salad...and french fries. Apparently ya gotta have french fries. Good fries, actually, I can't complain. Our meal was two crabs, six shrimp, and two of the fish. Lot of food for just the two of us!
By 13:30, we were on a boat back to Pattaya. I took a nap while K got a look at our surroundings. We walked around and checked out some of the block. It was filled with a few malls, hotels, souvenir shops, small food carts, major restaurants, and several bars. On the way back, I got a quick "Hello" from a few girls from a katoey bar. I never made it back, but I kinda wish I had the time to step inside for a drink.
At 17:30, we got another ride. The final included part of the package was the Alcazar cabaret show! There was no photography allowed, however. It was certainly interesting, nothing I've ever seen before. The show and the songs were primarily Thai, but I saw a lot of outside influence. Indian quarter-tone scales, Korean and Chinese set and costume designs, even some American pop. Oh, and speaking of American, between the song selections like "I Will Survive" and "Poker Face" AND a shit ton of sequins and glitter, well, it was enough to make a WeHo boy cry.
The next day was spent leisurely in comparison. We slept in, and did some souvenir shopping after breakfast at The Coffee Club. This restaurant was a nice blend of American, European, and Thai dining, along with a coffee and pastry shop, all in one. They also had a full dinner menu with draft beers. I can see that kinda place taking off in the states quite well!
Afterwards, we had an hour on the beach before heading back to Bangkok. All in all, a great trip. It was also pretty good for distracting me from the constant reminders of how long this trip is taking, and how much longer before I get home to my honey. Tomorrow morning, one last touch up procedure, and I'll probably take it easy, just to play it safe.
17 January, 2011
A Day Narrative
Trying out something different. Let me know what you think! ~Sera
Hmm, I dunno what to think. Everything I read keeps telling me this could be dangerous. I'm in a foreign country. Can I even talk to the girls? I know it'd be cool to hang with the local tgirls...would it be worth it? Or would I just have to fend of skeezy guys all night? Gods, I miss Elizabeth. Wonder if she'd go with me, if she could.
I'm home. That's a long walk. Oh well, it's good for me. Wonder if Elizabeth is on? I hope so, I'll get to talk to her. Hope the new panties fit. I swear, I packed more. Oh well. Baby!!...
Shit, they don't fit. I guess I'll have to go back tomorrow. Hope I can figure out the exchange. Will it work? I gotta try. I love talkin' to my baby! I don't think I'm going anywhere tonight. I don't feel like it, anyway. Plus, I still don't know how I'd get back home. Oh well. I can go next week, anyways. Then I'll have my honey with me! And be back home where I have a way out, and at least a phone if something happens. Guess it's time for bed...
Okay, K's asleep. Gotta do my cleaning before I crash. Let's see, mirror. Wow, it's looking good. Better still, like it's been. I want to touch...gods, damnit, stop that! Can't fuck anything up down there. It is beautiful, though...fuck. Well, 'fuck' is kinda the problem, isn't it. I can do this. And I'll be home in a few days...
...Where am I? Why am I breathing so heavily? Why is it so hot? My pillow...it's not under my head anymore. No, it's between my legs. I'm grinding against it. Woah, that was a helluva dream. Shit...did I? No, I don't think I went that far. Probably shouldn't anyways...but if I went that far maybe I could...
DAMNIT!
Okay, show some control, girl. It's easy, just go back to sleep. I have an early appointment. Need sleep...
...On my way to the clinic. Hot shower felt good, breakfast was pretty good, too. Ann's at the door. She's the smart one on the nursing staff. Following her to the exam room. Ooh, the fun part. Wonder how many different ways they can poke me today. Doctor's here. He's great. My pants are off and my clam's in the air. Normally this could be a little degrading...unless Elizabeth were here. Then she could--damnit. Focus, here...
The doctor's explaining the dilating. I have to write this down, I'll never remember it. It's going in...woah, that's weird. Feels good, but a little strange, too. Well, I'm not really in the mood, right now. It'll be better then. Besides, I'm just holding it here. Not the same thing. Not nearly as much fun. Am I done yet? Okay, good. Now for another cleaning. The doctor wants me back on Thursday for one last touch up. Hm, I wonder how it'll look, now? It already looks damn good. Maybe he's mostly just taking out stitches? I'll find out. I trust him with my life. I kinda wonder if K wants to drop in the OR. Maybe? That'll probably be a little hard to do. But, the doctor still gets her the details. I have no idea what they're saying. It's cool, though.
I'm back at the hotel. My baby's on! Gods, I need this week to end. I need to be home, so I can hold her again. How many more days? Fly out in 4, it'll still feel like more. Honey...I love her so much...
Okay, time to fix the panty issue. I don't have enough for this trip to Pattaya tomorrow. And the sets from yesterday are too small. Grab them and head back to Robinson's. Cool, that was easy. I just paid the difference. K needs socks, so we head to menswear. Not that I'm surprised by that, by this point. It's actually kinda cool.
Lunch time. Mmm, curry. I start blabbing about restaurant work again. I kinda miss cooking. Anyways. We hit up the drugstore. There's a girl waiting by the door, she catches my eye. I'm not sure, why. Hmm, sunscreen. Do I even need it? As it is, I'm way paler than I should be. A couple days at a beach will be fun. Too bad I can't swim, yet. Hmm, what else do I need. Right, I don't want to run out of KY. Maybe I should make my way over to the lubes. That girl's right in front of that aisle. Wait a minute...the brow? The heavy makeup? I wonder...no, I shouldn't jump to conclusions. That wouldn't be nice.
Hmm, only 99 Baht for this one. No, wait, is that right? I can't tell, the fast-track is all fucked up and off centered. No, I think this is the "male desensitizer." Whoops, put that down, I don't need that. Another sales girl comes up to me. I think she's asking if I need help, but I don't speak Thai. No, wait, she pointed at me. The girl from before is laughing! She's laughing at me? Fuck, she read me. They both read me. Fuck, fuck fuck. Wait, if she read me, then was I right? Did I clock her? I dunno, I still don't speak Thai. Fuck it, I have enough for now. I'll be back later. What was I here for? Sunscreen? Wait, where's K? I do a full heelspin. She's checking out. That girl pointed again. Yeah, she read me. Fuck.
Heading home. I wonder how Elizabeth is doing? She might have cracked up at that scene. I think, I dunno. Gods I miss her...These are going to be some pretty hard days. I wanna go home. Just to be with her. I need her...
We're probably eating in tonight. Pizza Hut, for a change. Sounds good. Wonder if I can call Elizabeth again before she goes to bed. We're going to Pattaya very early tomorrow. If I miss her tonight, I may not get to her for a couple days. Maybe I can login in the morning. It'll be mid afternoon for her. Maybe she'll be home. I hope so. I miss her...
Hmm, I dunno what to think. Everything I read keeps telling me this could be dangerous. I'm in a foreign country. Can I even talk to the girls? I know it'd be cool to hang with the local tgirls...would it be worth it? Or would I just have to fend of skeezy guys all night? Gods, I miss Elizabeth. Wonder if she'd go with me, if she could.
I'm home. That's a long walk. Oh well, it's good for me. Wonder if Elizabeth is on? I hope so, I'll get to talk to her. Hope the new panties fit. I swear, I packed more. Oh well. Baby!!...
Shit, they don't fit. I guess I'll have to go back tomorrow. Hope I can figure out the exchange. Will it work? I gotta try. I love talkin' to my baby! I don't think I'm going anywhere tonight. I don't feel like it, anyway. Plus, I still don't know how I'd get back home. Oh well. I can go next week, anyways. Then I'll have my honey with me! And be back home where I have a way out, and at least a phone if something happens. Guess it's time for bed...
Okay, K's asleep. Gotta do my cleaning before I crash. Let's see, mirror. Wow, it's looking good. Better still, like it's been. I want to touch...gods, damnit, stop that! Can't fuck anything up down there. It is beautiful, though...fuck. Well, 'fuck' is kinda the problem, isn't it. I can do this. And I'll be home in a few days...
...Where am I? Why am I breathing so heavily? Why is it so hot? My pillow...it's not under my head anymore. No, it's between my legs. I'm grinding against it. Woah, that was a helluva dream. Shit...did I? No, I don't think I went that far. Probably shouldn't anyways...but if I went that far maybe I could...
DAMNIT!
Okay, show some control, girl. It's easy, just go back to sleep. I have an early appointment. Need sleep...
...On my way to the clinic. Hot shower felt good, breakfast was pretty good, too. Ann's at the door. She's the smart one on the nursing staff. Following her to the exam room. Ooh, the fun part. Wonder how many different ways they can poke me today. Doctor's here. He's great. My pants are off and my clam's in the air. Normally this could be a little degrading...unless Elizabeth were here. Then she could--damnit. Focus, here...
The doctor's explaining the dilating. I have to write this down, I'll never remember it. It's going in...woah, that's weird. Feels good, but a little strange, too. Well, I'm not really in the mood, right now. It'll be better then. Besides, I'm just holding it here. Not the same thing. Not nearly as much fun. Am I done yet? Okay, good. Now for another cleaning. The doctor wants me back on Thursday for one last touch up. Hm, I wonder how it'll look, now? It already looks damn good. Maybe he's mostly just taking out stitches? I'll find out. I trust him with my life. I kinda wonder if K wants to drop in the OR. Maybe? That'll probably be a little hard to do. But, the doctor still gets her the details. I have no idea what they're saying. It's cool, though.
I'm back at the hotel. My baby's on! Gods, I need this week to end. I need to be home, so I can hold her again. How many more days? Fly out in 4, it'll still feel like more. Honey...I love her so much...
Okay, time to fix the panty issue. I don't have enough for this trip to Pattaya tomorrow. And the sets from yesterday are too small. Grab them and head back to Robinson's. Cool, that was easy. I just paid the difference. K needs socks, so we head to menswear. Not that I'm surprised by that, by this point. It's actually kinda cool.
Lunch time. Mmm, curry. I start blabbing about restaurant work again. I kinda miss cooking. Anyways. We hit up the drugstore. There's a girl waiting by the door, she catches my eye. I'm not sure, why. Hmm, sunscreen. Do I even need it? As it is, I'm way paler than I should be. A couple days at a beach will be fun. Too bad I can't swim, yet. Hmm, what else do I need. Right, I don't want to run out of KY. Maybe I should make my way over to the lubes. That girl's right in front of that aisle. Wait a minute...the brow? The heavy makeup? I wonder...no, I shouldn't jump to conclusions. That wouldn't be nice.
Hmm, only 99 Baht for this one. No, wait, is that right? I can't tell, the fast-track is all fucked up and off centered. No, I think this is the "male desensitizer." Whoops, put that down, I don't need that. Another sales girl comes up to me. I think she's asking if I need help, but I don't speak Thai. No, wait, she pointed at me. The girl from before is laughing! She's laughing at me? Fuck, she read me. They both read me. Fuck, fuck fuck. Wait, if she read me, then was I right? Did I clock her? I dunno, I still don't speak Thai. Fuck it, I have enough for now. I'll be back later. What was I here for? Sunscreen? Wait, where's K? I do a full heelspin. She's checking out. That girl pointed again. Yeah, she read me. Fuck.
Heading home. I wonder how Elizabeth is doing? She might have cracked up at that scene. I think, I dunno. Gods I miss her...These are going to be some pretty hard days. I wanna go home. Just to be with her. I need her...
We're probably eating in tonight. Pizza Hut, for a change. Sounds good. Wonder if I can call Elizabeth again before she goes to bed. We're going to Pattaya very early tomorrow. If I miss her tonight, I may not get to her for a couple days. Maybe I can login in the morning. It'll be mid afternoon for her. Maybe she'll be home. I hope so. I miss her...
15 January, 2011
On love and absence
I want to start this out by saying that I've been wanting this for a long time, and that I'm so VERY happy I've made it. I also want to say that I'm recovering quite well; I catch myself staring at myself in the bathroom, admiring even how well this has gone for me. At first, when the bandages came off last Friday, I wasn't sure. It looked hideous, a pale and strange attempt and forming genitalia. I had to take a minute of studying myself to see even what was supposed to be what. And some of it had to be explained by the nurse. I had to remind myself that many surgeries don't resemble their final product at first, and the complex nature of this particular surgery. Now, with each passing day my labia and clitoris shrink as the swelling fade. I can see the finished product much better, though it may be several more weeks before I am healed completely. And I am so very happy.
That all said, this has been so incredibly hard. I fell in love - HARD - with the woman of my dreams right before my trip. We had grown so incredibly close to each other in that short amount of time, that I knew our separation would be a trying moment. We both stood there at the airport, crying for as many minutes as security would let her park the car in a loading zone, before we finally stepped out. "I love you," was the last thing we said to each other.
I'm grateful for technology. It's let me write this blog. It's also let me call and e-mail her whenever i can. Yet it has its limits. We still cannot touch each other...we cannot hold each other like we want to, to fall asleep in each others' arms. It has given us so much, and yet it's becoming very clear that these weeks are the longest weeks of our lives. And we still have one more.
I love you, Elizabeth. I love you more than I can put into words. Just a little more, baby. We're almost there. I'm almost home. And absence makes the heart grow fonder. Stay strong, my sweet.
That all said, this has been so incredibly hard. I fell in love - HARD - with the woman of my dreams right before my trip. We had grown so incredibly close to each other in that short amount of time, that I knew our separation would be a trying moment. We both stood there at the airport, crying for as many minutes as security would let her park the car in a loading zone, before we finally stepped out. "I love you," was the last thing we said to each other.
I'm grateful for technology. It's let me write this blog. It's also let me call and e-mail her whenever i can. Yet it has its limits. We still cannot touch each other...we cannot hold each other like we want to, to fall asleep in each others' arms. It has given us so much, and yet it's becoming very clear that these weeks are the longest weeks of our lives. And we still have one more.
I love you, Elizabeth. I love you more than I can put into words. Just a little more, baby. We're almost there. I'm almost home. And absence makes the heart grow fonder. Stay strong, my sweet.
13 January, 2011
On recovery
Today wasn't a whole lot of anything interesting, but I did have another follow up checkup in the morning.
First thing was, like before, Dr. Pichet came in for a full examination. He told me everything is looking good, but I can't begin dilating today. He said that in some patients, the graft of skin (formerly my scrotum) takes longer to set in the vaginal canal itself. While everything else seems to be healing well, he wants to wait a little longer before I begin dilating. It shouldn't be an issue; he'd rather wait than risk tearing it, and a couple more days won't hurt me any. I stand behind his professional opinion on the matter.
That said, I made a couple of strides today, all the same. For one, my blood drainage minimized to nearly nothing. I'll have to see in the morning if I can do a full night without any stains. Here's hoping! I'm also not "spraying" when I pee nearly as badly. Most of the time I have a solid stream. VERY good progress; that's one of those totally weird feelings, especially knowing that my urethra is no longer mobile. Finally, I was given the okay to begin taking my hormones again. That felt wonderful; I made it out of what felt like an eternity without! Granted, I had almost no T going around without my testes, so that helped a bit, but I missed my estrogen.
After I got back, we took a small walk around the block. We decided to get lunch at a roadside cart; BBQ chicken! Pretty good, too. As for how safe? Meh, I feel like being adventurous while I'm here.
We got back in the afternoon, and I logged on for awhile. I got to video chat with my darling again. I love technology some days, because I get to keep in touch with everybody back home. Even my readers here, which is great, via this blog. Seeing her beautiful, smiling face instantly brightens my day. She is my world. My everything. And I can't wait to be back home, so I can fall asleep in my love's dear arms again. I love her completely, with all of my being.
First thing was, like before, Dr. Pichet came in for a full examination. He told me everything is looking good, but I can't begin dilating today. He said that in some patients, the graft of skin (formerly my scrotum) takes longer to set in the vaginal canal itself. While everything else seems to be healing well, he wants to wait a little longer before I begin dilating. It shouldn't be an issue; he'd rather wait than risk tearing it, and a couple more days won't hurt me any. I stand behind his professional opinion on the matter.
That said, I made a couple of strides today, all the same. For one, my blood drainage minimized to nearly nothing. I'll have to see in the morning if I can do a full night without any stains. Here's hoping! I'm also not "spraying" when I pee nearly as badly. Most of the time I have a solid stream. VERY good progress; that's one of those totally weird feelings, especially knowing that my urethra is no longer mobile. Finally, I was given the okay to begin taking my hormones again. That felt wonderful; I made it out of what felt like an eternity without! Granted, I had almost no T going around without my testes, so that helped a bit, but I missed my estrogen.
After I got back, we took a small walk around the block. We decided to get lunch at a roadside cart; BBQ chicken! Pretty good, too. As for how safe? Meh, I feel like being adventurous while I'm here.
We got back in the afternoon, and I logged on for awhile. I got to video chat with my darling again. I love technology some days, because I get to keep in touch with everybody back home. Even my readers here, which is great, via this blog. Seeing her beautiful, smiling face instantly brightens my day. She is my world. My everything. And I can't wait to be back home, so I can fall asleep in my love's dear arms again. I love her completely, with all of my being.
12 January, 2011
Day 10
First off, I'd like to apologize. I was hoping to get some pictures from today's events, but I, in all-too-typical fashion, forgot to charge the battery in my camera. Sorry about that. The only pictures taken were on K's disposable camera, so I may edit this post later if I can scan them in.
We had decided to take one of the hotel's offered partner sightseeing tours today. Originally, we thought it was going to be a charter bus like we had seen, but it wasn't until arriving in the lobby that we found out it was a private tour with a single English speaking tour guide and a driver. In the end, it worked out in our favor that way! Our guide was very sweet, if a little hyper at times.
En route to the first stop, we passed several interesting attractions, including the Parliament building, the UN building, and several other government offices like the Ministry of Defense. All very ornately done by our standards. Nearby, we saw several gold-painted shrine-like portraits of the King, much like we have so far seen throughout the city. I detect a strong, sincere reverence for the King here, and far be it from me to show disdain for a working government, however that may be. I'll leave the politics out of it. Let's just say that unlike many Americans, I wouldn't object to a monarchy if it were done right.
Also, our tour guide had asked us several basic questions, including what brought us to Thailand to begin with. I explained that I had originally come for plastic surgery. She told us she got her nose done (which I would not have been able to tell, it looked perfect already), and asked me what I had done. I told her, "sex change." She didn't seem to really pause at that, but she did ask about how long ago it was done. She had clearly seen the donut, and throughout the day, she would hold my hand if it appeared that I was slowing down, or just around stairs, etc. It was very nice of her; even if I really didn't need the help by that point, I still appreciated it.
Anyways, our destination for the day was the Grand Palace. Interestingly enough, there was a pretty strict dress code; both K and I were wearing shorts, and that was not up to par, so we were issued traditional wrap-style skirts. Now, I have no objection to skirts, even though I don't wear them very often...but I couldn't tell you the last time K had worn one (like many gender-nonconforming women, for that matter.) So it was a rather curious affair. Luckily, they issued me a purple one, which matched the trim on my shirt.
The temple grounds were incredibly beautiful. We stepped into the main building early on, which was the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The smell of incense, the sounds of shuffled bare feet and a quiet reverence were all that pierced the air inside. We bowed for several minutes before stepping back outside.
Several other areas among the grounds were incredibly interesting, including the smaller chapels, the bellfry, and the walls engraved with pictoral tales of Buddhist myths and Thai legends. After a small restroom break, it was on to the palace itself.
The palace's main chamber housed a golden cradle and throne, with large, vaulted, and highly detailed ceilings. Again the rooms were hushed to a quiet murmur. And then there was the armory.
That was my geek out moment. I've believed, and often spoken, that you can see much of a culture by their weaponry. Polearms seemed to be the dominant choice; lances, pikes, tridents, and poleaxes were a large feature. They were often long enough to fight with on the backs of elephants; so we were told, elephants were a royal and revered creature. Their swords and daggers were not missing, either. Their main sword style seemed to be an interesting blend of Chinese, Japanese, and European (mostly French) styles. I even found a pair of spiked maces, which totally made my day.
We hopped back in the car real quick before dropping off again at Wat Po. The architecture here was more influenced by Chinese neighbors throughout the time, especially during the building of these structures under the reign of King Rama IV. The main temple housed the famous Reclining Buddha statue. HUGE! I think I saw it was at least 30-35 metres in length, all painted in gold. I participated in a little luck ritual in the temple. You start with a handful of 50 cent pieces. Along the (northern?) wall, are a long row of bowls. You walk along the wall, dropping one coin in each bowl until you reach the front of the temple again.
Wat Po was notably quieter than our previous stop. Probably why there were kittens everywhere, many of which were clearly of a Manx decent. K got a huge kick out of that, including stopping to give some of her water to one of them that was relaxing in the shade. Such a cute scene.
We made our way back. Our tour guide was fantastic all day. At this point, as the conversation went along, we were talking about several of Thailand's draws as a country, and Bangkok as a city. I mentioned, truthfully, that many girls like me go there for this procedure, and that it's rather famously considered by many. At this, she asked me a question about the process. From what she told me, it appeared that she thought I was a girl all along, and that when I told her, "sex change," she thought that meant I was becoming a boy! Whoops! I guess that says something about my passing. I clarified for her. She was kind of embarrassed, but she was hardly hung up on the idea. So she asked if I had a boyfriend. I told her, "No, I have a girlfriend." That actually was a bit more confusing, but after a minute she told me she understood. And I believed her. She handled the entire thing with the utmost of professionalism.
All in all, it was a lot of fun. Tomorrow I have a clinic appointment first thing, and after that, I just don't know what'll happen. Still, you'll know when I do.
We had decided to take one of the hotel's offered partner sightseeing tours today. Originally, we thought it was going to be a charter bus like we had seen, but it wasn't until arriving in the lobby that we found out it was a private tour with a single English speaking tour guide and a driver. In the end, it worked out in our favor that way! Our guide was very sweet, if a little hyper at times.
En route to the first stop, we passed several interesting attractions, including the Parliament building, the UN building, and several other government offices like the Ministry of Defense. All very ornately done by our standards. Nearby, we saw several gold-painted shrine-like portraits of the King, much like we have so far seen throughout the city. I detect a strong, sincere reverence for the King here, and far be it from me to show disdain for a working government, however that may be. I'll leave the politics out of it. Let's just say that unlike many Americans, I wouldn't object to a monarchy if it were done right.
Also, our tour guide had asked us several basic questions, including what brought us to Thailand to begin with. I explained that I had originally come for plastic surgery. She told us she got her nose done (which I would not have been able to tell, it looked perfect already), and asked me what I had done. I told her, "sex change." She didn't seem to really pause at that, but she did ask about how long ago it was done. She had clearly seen the donut, and throughout the day, she would hold my hand if it appeared that I was slowing down, or just around stairs, etc. It was very nice of her; even if I really didn't need the help by that point, I still appreciated it.
Anyways, our destination for the day was the Grand Palace. Interestingly enough, there was a pretty strict dress code; both K and I were wearing shorts, and that was not up to par, so we were issued traditional wrap-style skirts. Now, I have no objection to skirts, even though I don't wear them very often...but I couldn't tell you the last time K had worn one (like many gender-nonconforming women, for that matter.) So it was a rather curious affair. Luckily, they issued me a purple one, which matched the trim on my shirt.
The temple grounds were incredibly beautiful. We stepped into the main building early on, which was the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The smell of incense, the sounds of shuffled bare feet and a quiet reverence were all that pierced the air inside. We bowed for several minutes before stepping back outside.
Several other areas among the grounds were incredibly interesting, including the smaller chapels, the bellfry, and the walls engraved with pictoral tales of Buddhist myths and Thai legends. After a small restroom break, it was on to the palace itself.
The palace's main chamber housed a golden cradle and throne, with large, vaulted, and highly detailed ceilings. Again the rooms were hushed to a quiet murmur. And then there was the armory.
That was my geek out moment. I've believed, and often spoken, that you can see much of a culture by their weaponry. Polearms seemed to be the dominant choice; lances, pikes, tridents, and poleaxes were a large feature. They were often long enough to fight with on the backs of elephants; so we were told, elephants were a royal and revered creature. Their swords and daggers were not missing, either. Their main sword style seemed to be an interesting blend of Chinese, Japanese, and European (mostly French) styles. I even found a pair of spiked maces, which totally made my day.
We hopped back in the car real quick before dropping off again at Wat Po. The architecture here was more influenced by Chinese neighbors throughout the time, especially during the building of these structures under the reign of King Rama IV. The main temple housed the famous Reclining Buddha statue. HUGE! I think I saw it was at least 30-35 metres in length, all painted in gold. I participated in a little luck ritual in the temple. You start with a handful of 50 cent pieces. Along the (northern?) wall, are a long row of bowls. You walk along the wall, dropping one coin in each bowl until you reach the front of the temple again.
Wat Po was notably quieter than our previous stop. Probably why there were kittens everywhere, many of which were clearly of a Manx decent. K got a huge kick out of that, including stopping to give some of her water to one of them that was relaxing in the shade. Such a cute scene.
We made our way back. Our tour guide was fantastic all day. At this point, as the conversation went along, we were talking about several of Thailand's draws as a country, and Bangkok as a city. I mentioned, truthfully, that many girls like me go there for this procedure, and that it's rather famously considered by many. At this, she asked me a question about the process. From what she told me, it appeared that she thought I was a girl all along, and that when I told her, "sex change," she thought that meant I was becoming a boy! Whoops! I guess that says something about my passing. I clarified for her. She was kind of embarrassed, but she was hardly hung up on the idea. So she asked if I had a boyfriend. I told her, "No, I have a girlfriend." That actually was a bit more confusing, but after a minute she told me she understood. And I believed her. She handled the entire thing with the utmost of professionalism.
All in all, it was a lot of fun. Tomorrow I have a clinic appointment first thing, and after that, I just don't know what'll happen. Still, you'll know when I do.
11 January, 2011
Day 9
Today was fun! Let's start from the top.
As the morning started, we debated as to what to actually do on our other days. Eventually we decided to take a guided tour of sorts tomorrow, and spend today wandering about the city - within walking distance, at least.
We ended up checking out whatever random stuff we could find. I like these little shrines that you find on various residential and business lots:
We eventually made our way towards this little mall. First off we grabbed an iced mocha from a little corner cart. Good stuff! We've actually had some difficulties finding decent coffee around here, and being a hot day, it hit the spot.
As we wandered around, I started to get a bit self conscious again. I had gone out without a bra. See, in the weeks before I had left, after stopping my hormones before surgery, I had put on a little weight. My bras didn't fit worth a damn, and I hadn't the time to grab anything but a pack of cheap sport bras. Granted, that made me look flat, too. I don't exactly have a lot to work with, though I suppose I'm not too bad for being all natural hormone-induced growth. There was a bra fitter in the lingerie department, so I asked for help, not knowing what kind of sizes we were working with. Eventually I managed to settle on a cute little 90 B number in baby blue with a bit of push-up and lace.
For lunch, we hit the food court. It was a very elaborate setup, with about whatever you could imagine. Even though they were all owned by the same company, they had varying flavors, including vegetarian, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. I had the Roasted Duck and Basil Fried Rice. Got a plate full of this with a bowl of soup for 45 Baht (about $1.71 - great deal!). Great flavor, good size, and had a nice chili garlic kick, too. I'm a big fan of spicy food, by the way. (Side not: I ate some of it before I snapped the shot, it was a full plate)
Moving along, we took the road back up a ways. Passed a few private schools...
We had walked a good ways, and were on our way back by this point. We hit a little convenience store once we realized we were back on our street again, and only a block or so away. For one, we wanted drinks. Two, I needed more pads. Yeah, not afraid to say it, either. While we were shopping...
Those would be Lay's Stax in Nori Seaweed flavor, and Pringles in Grilled Shrimp. Yeah, you read that right. Believe it or not, they're actually really good:
Yeah, I'm sweaty. Turns out we had pulled a good 6 miles or so round trip. Works for me! My legs are kinda sore at the moment, but I'll be good. Besides, I could use it. Check in tomorrow for the Temple City tour!
As the morning started, we debated as to what to actually do on our other days. Eventually we decided to take a guided tour of sorts tomorrow, and spend today wandering about the city - within walking distance, at least.
We ended up checking out whatever random stuff we could find. I like these little shrines that you find on various residential and business lots:
We eventually made our way towards this little mall. First off we grabbed an iced mocha from a little corner cart. Good stuff! We've actually had some difficulties finding decent coffee around here, and being a hot day, it hit the spot.
As we wandered around, I started to get a bit self conscious again. I had gone out without a bra. See, in the weeks before I had left, after stopping my hormones before surgery, I had put on a little weight. My bras didn't fit worth a damn, and I hadn't the time to grab anything but a pack of cheap sport bras. Granted, that made me look flat, too. I don't exactly have a lot to work with, though I suppose I'm not too bad for being all natural hormone-induced growth. There was a bra fitter in the lingerie department, so I asked for help, not knowing what kind of sizes we were working with. Eventually I managed to settle on a cute little 90 B number in baby blue with a bit of push-up and lace.
For lunch, we hit the food court. It was a very elaborate setup, with about whatever you could imagine. Even though they were all owned by the same company, they had varying flavors, including vegetarian, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. I had the Roasted Duck and Basil Fried Rice. Got a plate full of this with a bowl of soup for 45 Baht (about $1.71 - great deal!). Great flavor, good size, and had a nice chili garlic kick, too. I'm a big fan of spicy food, by the way. (Side not: I ate some of it before I snapped the shot, it was a full plate)
Moving along, we took the road back up a ways. Passed a few private schools...
We had walked a good ways, and were on our way back by this point. We hit a little convenience store once we realized we were back on our street again, and only a block or so away. For one, we wanted drinks. Two, I needed more pads. Yeah, not afraid to say it, either. While we were shopping...
Those would be Lay's Stax in Nori Seaweed flavor, and Pringles in Grilled Shrimp. Yeah, you read that right. Believe it or not, they're actually really good:
Yeah, I'm sweaty. Turns out we had pulled a good 6 miles or so round trip. Works for me! My legs are kinda sore at the moment, but I'll be good. Besides, I could use it. Check in tomorrow for the Temple City tour!
10 January, 2011
Day 8
Dropped Mom off at the airport today. I think she does, but I really hope she knows just how much it meant to have her there with me, for emotional support, and the physical assistance I've required, as well. And, in the end, I think one of the best things, besides catching up on how things have been in the half a crazy year since last we saw each other, how much progress we have made towards acceptance. Ultimately, that's the goal for us all. Coming from the religious upbringings that I've had, it's been difficult to see whether or not that would ever happen until very recently. I'm proud of my Mom, in that way.
In the afternoon, my Aunt, Dr. K, escorted me to the clinic for my first of a few follow up visits. Dr. Pichet gave me a "full" examination, proving how, even already I have some very notable feeling and sensation in my lady bits. Though it was a bit uncomfortable at the time, it was an enlightening experience. He told me we would hold off dilating until later, and scheduled me to return on Thursday.
At this point, I got a thorough cleanup from one of the nurses as Dr. K asked Dr. Pichet for a few more details on the procedure, as she, being an anesthesiologist and a woman, rather curious as to the finer details. Seemed like they were enjoying their little chat as colleagues, too. For now, I've retired to the hotel for the night. We'll see how the next couple days goes. My next clinic visit is on Thursday, and I may not update until then if there's nothing major going on. See you then!
In the afternoon, my Aunt, Dr. K, escorted me to the clinic for my first of a few follow up visits. Dr. Pichet gave me a "full" examination, proving how, even already I have some very notable feeling and sensation in my lady bits. Though it was a bit uncomfortable at the time, it was an enlightening experience. He told me we would hold off dilating until later, and scheduled me to return on Thursday.
At this point, I got a thorough cleanup from one of the nurses as Dr. K asked Dr. Pichet for a few more details on the procedure, as she, being an anesthesiologist and a woman, rather curious as to the finer details. Seemed like they were enjoying their little chat as colleagues, too. For now, I've retired to the hotel for the night. We'll see how the next couple days goes. My next clinic visit is on Thursday, and I may not update until then if there's nothing major going on. See you then!
09 January, 2011
Days 6-7
Hope you didn't think I forgot about you. Just wasn't as much to talk about at first. After being discharged, we decided to spend the first day back taking it easy. Walking was easier than before, but still a bit cumbersome - I was more waddling than walking. Still, for that first day, I needed the rest.
Early the next morning, my Aunt arrived at the hotel. We decided to head out for the day, since it would be the only day with all 3 of us. We headed down to the Crocodile Farm and Zoo. There was a bit of walking involved, but by that point, that wasn't so bad. The cab rides down were a bit tight, though, with that donut I was sitting on.
Fun day all around :) I'll catch ya later!
Early the next morning, my Aunt arrived at the hotel. We decided to head out for the day, since it would be the only day with all 3 of us. We headed down to the Crocodile Farm and Zoo. There was a bit of walking involved, but by that point, that wasn't so bad. The cab rides down were a bit tight, though, with that donut I was sitting on.
Fun day all around :) I'll catch ya later!
07 January, 2011
Day 5
Wow, feels like today was a long one. Best start from the top, then...
Eventually I managed to get a sleeping pill that put me out pretty good, though it was at lest 03:30 by then. I was out pretty damn good, though, as I was still groggy when they woke me up and walked me to the OR at 08:00 sharp. At that point, the anesthesiologist greeted me with a "Good Morning" and a mask, and I was back on my ass. I woke up a good 3 hours after my 30 minute touch up. My packing and catheters were finally out and my leg mobility greatly improved. There was a minor issue with my IV coming dislodged, and I noticed it very quickly when I needed another round of painkillers. They removed the first one and put a new one in the other hand. Got a lot better after that.
They showed me my after-care regimen. It seems like a lot of steps until the swelling goes down, but I want the best result, so I'll keep it up. I can walk pretty well now, no dizziness, no walker, nothing like that. Actually the only thing I have to wear is a good old fashioned sanitary napkin as the area drains. And by old fashioned I mean the kind that hook to an inner belt. I also am sitting on a hemorrhoid donut to keep pressure off.
All in all, it feels GREAT to have both the packing bulge and the "natural" bulge from before out of the picture. I go back to the clinic for a follow up visit on Monday. I have enough supplies until then. We'll see how the weekend goes :)
Eventually I managed to get a sleeping pill that put me out pretty good, though it was at lest 03:30 by then. I was out pretty damn good, though, as I was still groggy when they woke me up and walked me to the OR at 08:00 sharp. At that point, the anesthesiologist greeted me with a "Good Morning" and a mask, and I was back on my ass. I woke up a good 3 hours after my 30 minute touch up. My packing and catheters were finally out and my leg mobility greatly improved. There was a minor issue with my IV coming dislodged, and I noticed it very quickly when I needed another round of painkillers. They removed the first one and put a new one in the other hand. Got a lot better after that.
They showed me my after-care regimen. It seems like a lot of steps until the swelling goes down, but I want the best result, so I'll keep it up. I can walk pretty well now, no dizziness, no walker, nothing like that. Actually the only thing I have to wear is a good old fashioned sanitary napkin as the area drains. And by old fashioned I mean the kind that hook to an inner belt. I also am sitting on a hemorrhoid donut to keep pressure off.
All in all, it feels GREAT to have both the packing bulge and the "natural" bulge from before out of the picture. I go back to the clinic for a follow up visit on Monday. I have enough supplies until then. We'll see how the weekend goes :)
06 January, 2011
Day 4
I'm sitting here at 00:30 in the morning completely unable to sleep. Don't know why, I mean, I really shouldn't be. But I'm hyper, and there are two reasons.
Reason #1, and it comes with a question. Is it wrong to have your own band's songs stuck in your head so bad you have to listen to an entire unreleased album of it? That's not too narcissistic, is it? I hope not. But really, I love my band. If you don't know who I'm talking about, I guess I need to start talking about God's Weapon a bit more. Later, when I get back home.
Reason #2 comes from probably I shouldn't have had that diet pepsi a couple hours ago. I haven't had much in the way of caffeine since I left, so I think it hit me a little harder than normal.
So, as for today's events. For the most part same as yesterday, though I did more walking around. It was a lot easier. I also got my hair washed. That was very MUCH needed. I hate having dirty, greasy hair, and one of the nurses was kind enough to take care of me as I leaned into a shower over my walker. I'm pathetic, I suppose, but I really wouldn't need the walker if I didn't have so much packing shoved up my...yeah, you get the idea.
Anyways, later on Dr. Pichet came in to tell me what was next. Friday is going to be a big day, it seems. I start by getting knocked out for a quick labia touch up. He prefers waiting a couple days for this so as to get a more accurate visage after the swelling goes down. I can't complain, y'know. As long as it looks decent and feels good. And quite frankly, having my testes out of my already feels a helluva lot better.
This is apparently an outpatient procedure normally, since by the end of it all my packing and catheter will be out for good and I'll be discharged to the hospital by evening. I'll be back a few times for follow up checks as things heal, and that's when I'll start dialating. All I need after that will be my documents certifying all of this and the doctor's note for when I can return to work. Glad I have a job where I don't have much heavy lifting. Well, not counting the band - bass cabs are fuckin' HUGE!
The only final thing I can say about how I feel so far is that I'm not sore anymore, just tired of the cumbersome nature of the packing. I will say, without specificity, that I can tell I have "good sensation" so far based on what I can feel so far. I'll leave the gory details out of it.
Until next time, everybody!
Reason #1, and it comes with a question. Is it wrong to have your own band's songs stuck in your head so bad you have to listen to an entire unreleased album of it? That's not too narcissistic, is it? I hope not. But really, I love my band. If you don't know who I'm talking about, I guess I need to start talking about God's Weapon a bit more. Later, when I get back home.
Reason #2 comes from probably I shouldn't have had that diet pepsi a couple hours ago. I haven't had much in the way of caffeine since I left, so I think it hit me a little harder than normal.
So, as for today's events. For the most part same as yesterday, though I did more walking around. It was a lot easier. I also got my hair washed. That was very MUCH needed. I hate having dirty, greasy hair, and one of the nurses was kind enough to take care of me as I leaned into a shower over my walker. I'm pathetic, I suppose, but I really wouldn't need the walker if I didn't have so much packing shoved up my...yeah, you get the idea.
Anyways, later on Dr. Pichet came in to tell me what was next. Friday is going to be a big day, it seems. I start by getting knocked out for a quick labia touch up. He prefers waiting a couple days for this so as to get a more accurate visage after the swelling goes down. I can't complain, y'know. As long as it looks decent and feels good. And quite frankly, having my testes out of my already feels a helluva lot better.
This is apparently an outpatient procedure normally, since by the end of it all my packing and catheter will be out for good and I'll be discharged to the hospital by evening. I'll be back a few times for follow up checks as things heal, and that's when I'll start dialating. All I need after that will be my documents certifying all of this and the doctor's note for when I can return to work. Glad I have a job where I don't have much heavy lifting. Well, not counting the band - bass cabs are fuckin' HUGE!
The only final thing I can say about how I feel so far is that I'm not sore anymore, just tired of the cumbersome nature of the packing. I will say, without specificity, that I can tell I have "good sensation" so far based on what I can feel so far. I'll leave the gory details out of it.
Until next time, everybody!
05 January, 2011
Day 3
Not quite as much excitement today. Sleep was pretty hellish as painkillers came and went throughout the night. Got kinda nauseous around mealtime a couple times today. They hit me with some kind of injection and made it easier to eat. The anti-biotics and anti swelling medicines are working fine, as most of the soreness dissipated throughout the day. All in all, much better, though I stayed in bed almost the whole time, of course.
I got to talk to my baby a couple of times. I love talking to her. She makes my world in every way. As much as I love my Mom physically being here and supporting me, helping me with little things, I know she is here in spirit, and the soreness just goes away. I love you, baby :)
In the evening, they brought a walker for me. I got a chance to walk around the hospital floor, and got a quick washdown while I was up. Felt a lot better, though such a small walk was surprisingly exhausting. I got kinda dizzy and very hot. After a rest, though, I managed to do fine. My legs are very restless anyways, so I needed it.
Hoping tomorrow I should be able to get the packing out and cleaned up, and if so, a shower and a shave! Afterwards I'll probably be starting my dialating regimen. As always, I'll keep you posted.
Love you all, and thank you for the support!
I got to talk to my baby a couple of times. I love talking to her. She makes my world in every way. As much as I love my Mom physically being here and supporting me, helping me with little things, I know she is here in spirit, and the soreness just goes away. I love you, baby :)
In the evening, they brought a walker for me. I got a chance to walk around the hospital floor, and got a quick washdown while I was up. Felt a lot better, though such a small walk was surprisingly exhausting. I got kinda dizzy and very hot. After a rest, though, I managed to do fine. My legs are very restless anyways, so I needed it.
Hoping tomorrow I should be able to get the packing out and cleaned up, and if so, a shower and a shave! Afterwards I'll probably be starting my dialating regimen. As always, I'll keep you posted.
Love you all, and thank you for the support!
04 January, 2011
Day 2
Don't suppose anyone got the license plate number on that truck, eh? No? Oh well. At least that's how I feel right about now, along with wondering why I was chosen to test drive the world's largest tampon.
The day of the big surgery. I woke up and took a shower, then chatted a bit with my mom while she ate breakfast at the hotel. The plan was to check out of the hotel and stay at the clinic for up to 4 days until I could stand on my own, then back to the hotel. We got picked up at 8am sharp.
Shortly after arriving, I had to take care of the fun stuff, like blood work, urine sample, and a colon wash. That was fun. I'm not gonna lie, I like anal sex, so I'm no stranger to things being back there, but that was still a weird feeling. We then moved out things into the room we'll be staying for a couple days, my Mom and I. I got her set up on the wi-fi before they came in and told me it was time.
I met the anesthesiologist, who told me what he'd be hitting me with as he laid me down on the table. They put on the heart monitors, the blood pressure cuff, and the IV. They set my legs up on the other end. I had a good size team of nurses running around. I got numbed from the middle of my back on down, and then they partially knocked me out. Partially, apparently, though they put the blanket propped up in front of my face. I felt like I was in there for about 45 minutes, though I was in a bit of a haze most of that time. Turns out it was really 3 hours. All I heard was commands in Thai, so it was hard to focus on what was being said around me, as I don't speak any Thai.
When I ended up back in my room, they got me some more morphine. I felt at peace, though I wouldn't feel my legs for a couple more hours. Once I was cleared to lay up, I tried video chatting with Elizabeth - that failed miserably, as I was too doped up, and a sudden drop in blood pressure made me nearly faint. I had to let her go quickly, but I asked Mom to e-mail her later with what happened. I didn't want my baby to worry.
I had my dinner of roast duck and rice. Best hospital food EVER. As the night wore on, I ended up fighting with the painkillers and the catheter bag. Neither one lasted very long, but I kinda pieced together a night's sleep. I'm still propped up with "packing" right now, which feels like a lot of cloth stuffed in there to clean it up and hold it in place. Which is why I made the crack about the large tampon earlier. I think it's appropriate.
More info as it happens. Love you all!
The day of the big surgery. I woke up and took a shower, then chatted a bit with my mom while she ate breakfast at the hotel. The plan was to check out of the hotel and stay at the clinic for up to 4 days until I could stand on my own, then back to the hotel. We got picked up at 8am sharp.
Shortly after arriving, I had to take care of the fun stuff, like blood work, urine sample, and a colon wash. That was fun. I'm not gonna lie, I like anal sex, so I'm no stranger to things being back there, but that was still a weird feeling. We then moved out things into the room we'll be staying for a couple days, my Mom and I. I got her set up on the wi-fi before they came in and told me it was time.
I met the anesthesiologist, who told me what he'd be hitting me with as he laid me down on the table. They put on the heart monitors, the blood pressure cuff, and the IV. They set my legs up on the other end. I had a good size team of nurses running around. I got numbed from the middle of my back on down, and then they partially knocked me out. Partially, apparently, though they put the blanket propped up in front of my face. I felt like I was in there for about 45 minutes, though I was in a bit of a haze most of that time. Turns out it was really 3 hours. All I heard was commands in Thai, so it was hard to focus on what was being said around me, as I don't speak any Thai.
When I ended up back in my room, they got me some more morphine. I felt at peace, though I wouldn't feel my legs for a couple more hours. Once I was cleared to lay up, I tried video chatting with Elizabeth - that failed miserably, as I was too doped up, and a sudden drop in blood pressure made me nearly faint. I had to let her go quickly, but I asked Mom to e-mail her later with what happened. I didn't want my baby to worry.
I had my dinner of roast duck and rice. Best hospital food EVER. As the night wore on, I ended up fighting with the painkillers and the catheter bag. Neither one lasted very long, but I kinda pieced together a night's sleep. I'm still propped up with "packing" right now, which feels like a lot of cloth stuffed in there to clean it up and hold it in place. Which is why I made the crack about the large tampon earlier. I think it's appropriate.
More info as it happens. Love you all!
03 January, 2011
On the big day
Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand! These past few days have been incredibly exciting. I'm growing rather fond of the place, even though the language eludes me.
Because of how soon I was to go in for surgery after arriving, and I had instructions to be on a liquid diet for 48 hours, I brought some Slim-Fast cans with me on the flight. Even though there was nothing against it on the TSA's website, it flagged me and I had to get a pat down. I asked for a private screen. They took forever to find a second female officer. This second one was a bit ignorant, grunt level S/O. She sauntered towards me and said, "That don't look like no female. You sure that's a female?" Granted, I had a flat sport bra on and no face makeup, so maybe that was why, but damn that seemed rude. Especially since she asked her superior in a not-so-subordinate tone - the first woman that initially told me I was flagged was a Lead Officer (L/O).
Before the second S/O arrived, I told the L/O that I was trans, and that if she examined my genitals in the new standard fashion she would find them, well, "out of the ordinary." She confirmed whether or not I wanted a male or female examiner - I told her female as that is my true comfort level. She had no issue with that. The actual pat down was not as bad as I was expecting, actually. Which was good, as I was a bit sore from hormone withdrawal by that point. Still am, actually.
Well, no more issues on that leg. Shanghai was fun -we had clear customs twice in order to transfer to another flight, even in the same terminal :P I guess that's how it goes over there. We made it to Bangkok late - 130am by local time. And, of course, the immigration window was short staffed. We cleared customs 2 hours later! But my ride was still there and waiting, which was wonderful. They took us to the hotel, and we checked in without any issues.
Today, we went to the Bangkok Plastic Surgery clinic, where we met the surgeon, Dr. Pichet Rodchareon and his staff. Wonderful people! I felt instantly comfortable inside. I signed all the papers, and the doctor explained everything, with photos, that he was going to do. I had seen all that before in my research; Mom, on the other hand, was not as thrilled about it :P But we got it all done. It's now 20:02 local time (about 05:02 Pacific US) on 3 January. In the morning, we'll be checking out of the hotel for a couple days, then getting shuttled to the clinic at 08:00. After a bit of prep, I'll be in surgery. Less than 24 hours now! Think I should say some kinda weird eulogy for "them?" :P I'll keep you guys posted with more details as they go.
Because of how soon I was to go in for surgery after arriving, and I had instructions to be on a liquid diet for 48 hours, I brought some Slim-Fast cans with me on the flight. Even though there was nothing against it on the TSA's website, it flagged me and I had to get a pat down. I asked for a private screen. They took forever to find a second female officer. This second one was a bit ignorant, grunt level S/O. She sauntered towards me and said, "That don't look like no female. You sure that's a female?" Granted, I had a flat sport bra on and no face makeup, so maybe that was why, but damn that seemed rude. Especially since she asked her superior in a not-so-subordinate tone - the first woman that initially told me I was flagged was a Lead Officer (L/O).
Before the second S/O arrived, I told the L/O that I was trans, and that if she examined my genitals in the new standard fashion she would find them, well, "out of the ordinary." She confirmed whether or not I wanted a male or female examiner - I told her female as that is my true comfort level. She had no issue with that. The actual pat down was not as bad as I was expecting, actually. Which was good, as I was a bit sore from hormone withdrawal by that point. Still am, actually.
Well, no more issues on that leg. Shanghai was fun -we had clear customs twice in order to transfer to another flight, even in the same terminal :P I guess that's how it goes over there. We made it to Bangkok late - 130am by local time. And, of course, the immigration window was short staffed. We cleared customs 2 hours later! But my ride was still there and waiting, which was wonderful. They took us to the hotel, and we checked in without any issues.
Today, we went to the Bangkok Plastic Surgery clinic, where we met the surgeon, Dr. Pichet Rodchareon and his staff. Wonderful people! I felt instantly comfortable inside. I signed all the papers, and the doctor explained everything, with photos, that he was going to do. I had seen all that before in my research; Mom, on the other hand, was not as thrilled about it :P But we got it all done. It's now 20:02 local time (about 05:02 Pacific US) on 3 January. In the morning, we'll be checking out of the hotel for a couple days, then getting shuttled to the clinic at 08:00. After a bit of prep, I'll be in surgery. Less than 24 hours now! Think I should say some kinda weird eulogy for "them?" :P I'll keep you guys posted with more details as they go.
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