ChinchillaMajor

Sorry if this is rude, but are you on t

I’m fine with questions, don’t worry! :3

I’ve unfortunately never been on T, nor do I plan on starting anytime soon. This is more a mental problem than a physical one; I’ve been told folks diagnosed with severe depression can have symptoms worsen when on testosterone, and since I’ve found a medication combo that has settled said issues into not being a problem anymore, I can’t in good conscience put my loved ones through the possibility of *more* episodes again.

There’s not much of a chance I’d go off the deep end if I kept to small doses of T, mind you, but the risk wouldn’t personally outweigh the benefits, to me.

Day 51.

To the Anon who wanted more front hole update pics: I came up against an unexpected obstacle while getting photos– that is, I’ve grown a whole bush of pubic fuzz in the month and a half I’ve been healing up. The basic shape of the hole is still a Y, but you can’t really tell from all the hair on top.

Still, hopefully these should hold you through until I get out my shaver. I made sure to try spreading what’s there, and was surprised at how much fun it seemed to be having that night. It’s still plenty active fluid-wise, even as my dong’s still waiting on erotic response. If anything, trying to wake up my dick seems to be getting more results with my hole than my phallus!

Day 50.

Time for another hand therapy appointment! Today they’re bringing out the big guns, in terms of trying to get the lymph to flow down from my swollen hand to the rest of my arm– they even placed what’re called “chip bags,” small bags filled with chips of foam, on either side of my palm, in hopes that any amount of fluid might drain down and away from my giant palm and fingers.

I can actually inch my wrist a little ways to either side, and my swelling’s gone down by 3cm since I started doing my 4-to-6-times-daily hand exercises. Tiny steps towards progress, always. (If phalloplasty has taught me anything, I now have the patience of a monk.)

PS. Anon, I’ll try to get to your photo request tonight! Wasn’t able to get to it last night, but I’ll do my best, ‘cause that’s a great request. :3

Day 48.

I think I have enough stitch scars to qualify my dick region as “totally metal.” What do you think?

Check out the tiny line on the bottom of the third pic. That’s where my catheter used to come out! All healed up, as of today. One less problem to worry about.

Speaking of problems, the fourth pic is a closeup of the inguinal incision where my serous fluid leak is still going. It’s so, so much weaker than it was when it started on Day 5, but it still decides to ooze sometimes at random. One day, I’ll be rid of you, serous fluid leak. ONE DAY… [shakes fist]

Your pictures and posts give me hope. Your healing aside from the arm issues is excellent, but I have to ask if you are okay with sharing. How old are you/were you when you got the surgery? I’m looking into phalloplasty as well but I’m terrified of waiting for too long. I don’t want to be getting the surgery when I’m 40.

Aaaa, thanks so much! And no trouble at all– I’m 34 right now, 35 this late October. Which is Tumblr ancient, I’m aware. But not too old to step up for phalloplasty!

I’ve seen folks in their 60s on various online phalloplasty patient forums, so anyone who tells you you’re too old likely hasn’t looked around for very long. [nod nod]

Day 45.

The fistulas haven’t healed yet, and I’ve been incontinent on and off. Had to start sitting down to use the toilet a couple days ago rather than soak my clothes every time I had to piss, which really brought me down, ‘cause… that is directly the opposite of why I got the surgery in the first place. Exactly what I did all this to NOT do.

Still, I got my first-ever blowjob tonight. (I was right to save it for my partner. Wouldn’t have traded it for anyone in San Francisco.) And I even had something *happen,* during– the very first little blip of funtimes sensation waking up on my dong. Just one. And it was gone. But it was finally, finally THERE. Meaning there’ll only be more where that came from.

Man. No matter how much I might try to complain, this journey just keeps throwing me curveballs.

Day 42.

Hand therapy appointment #2! This time, they’re trying ultrasound treatment to break up some of the heavier scar tissue on my donor site. It doesn’t hurt at all, though I noticed I don’t have heat or cold sensation on the site anymore after the therapist’s warning of “This’ll be cold!” felt like… nothing different. Huh.

Do you expect the scar beneath the glands to (not quite sure how to say this but) shrink? To create a more visable difference in the glands and shaft?

That, I wish I had a clearer answer for besides “a definite maybe.” You can be sure I’ll document it in photos if it happens, but as to when, I’m afraid your guess is as good as mine.

Then again, Spot’s already surprised me plenty as it is. I wouldn’t have figured the giant dead spot on the head would already heal over in just the first month, so as far as a month from *now,* I’m careful not to say “that’ll never happen” about anything! [nod nod]

I had surgery with Crane a month after you. Congrats man, you’re looking awesome and seem really really happy! I actually totally saw you in his office the day before surgery at my pre-op. I’m soo sooo happy with the results and I’m loving my new dick! Keep being you, because that’s super special and cool and certainly admirable. Stay smiley~

Woohoo! High five for somebody else who’s been there and back again! In’nit a trip like nothing else? (Going back and waving to you in the past from there in the office, haha! I woulda been there for a post-op meeting, so I probably had a goofy smile on my face the whole time.)

I do hope you’re healing up well! I got my energy back around the third week post-op, so I hope the same or better happens to you soon, too. Thanks for the kind words! :3

Hey there, if you don’t mind my asking, about how much did your surgery cost? I’m looking to get something similar done eventually and having a rough number to play around with could help me get an idea of when exactly eventually will be. Thanks!

Sure thing! The whole procedure, before insurance, costed exactly $50,000 even.

Insurance that covers bottom surgery can help with this, of course, but be prepared for them to fight you every step of the way, and know that you might have to pay out of pocket before they’ll get around to paying anything.

I’m actually waiting on a check back for the amount my insurance covered, as I type this. My insurance was still fighting me against counting my phalloplasty as in-network up until a week before the surgery date itself. I could’ve waited until insurance would pay $30-40K of that, but unless I paid Crane’s office in full ahead of time, I would’ve had to wait however long it would take for Crane to have another schedule opening– possibly well over a year!

It takes up to 60 days to get an insurance payment claim processed, and that 50K was literally all the money I have to my name, so. My partner’s been helping me cover rent this month. cough.