Top surgery appointment
Apparently updating this has fallen to the wayside, oh well! There really hasn't been anything too significant to report, and I've put out little bits via Facebook anyway. I figured I would update this proper because I have a significant update! Yesterday I had a consultation appointment with the plastic surgeon who's going to be doing my top surgery revision.
I'm seeing Dr. Jennifer Murphy, who does general plastic and reconstructive surgery. While she's not one of the big names in top surgeons, she has worked with transgender people before on their chest reconstruction and has good reviews. I was pleased when I talked with her yesterday. My silly self forgot to ask her about her experience, but I was able to easily find that online once I got home. Both she and her assistant were good in terms of trans stuff, like pronouns and body image. They both asked me what pronouns I preferred (and lamented the fact that there wasn't a spot on the intake form for that) and were respectful of my chest. The nurse asked me to take my shirt off before she left the room, and she asked me if I wanted a gown. I grinned and said no, and she replied, "I didn't think so, but I wanted to make sure!" Then Dr. Murphy told me what she was going to do and asked if that was okay by me before she touched me.
Given what I told her about my previous surgery and the current condition of my chest, she's going to try the periareolar (keyhole incision) method this time. (My official paperwork says "bilateral chest contouring with periareolar approach".) Still minimal scarring, and much more likely to get me the desired results in my opinion. The only thing I have left to do before getting surgery is to call and schedule it! Part of the reason why there was a longer delay than there needed to be on this is because they need a "negative nicotine study" before surgery. I have been smoking cigarettes on and off for over 15 years, with various prior attempts to quit but none fully successful. I think I've finally reached that point, where I am done with cigarette smoking. Yay me. I'm sure the rest of my body will appreciate that. My paperwork says, "Results can be positive within one month of smoking one cigarette or if around smokers" so I have to watch for secondhand smoke too.
I'm pretty excited. Even though I didn't have much of a chest before (barely an A cup), and the one surgery made me look like I just had tiny man boobs so I went around shirtless anyway, I want a flat chest. I don't want to have that little worry in the back of my head, What if someone thinks those are more than "man boobs"? What if someone decides to be an asshole? It's a good feeling.
Note: I'll post pictures of my chest once I have something worth posting, you pervs. ;)
I'm seeing Dr. Jennifer Murphy, who does general plastic and reconstructive surgery. While she's not one of the big names in top surgeons, she has worked with transgender people before on their chest reconstruction and has good reviews. I was pleased when I talked with her yesterday. My silly self forgot to ask her about her experience, but I was able to easily find that online once I got home. Both she and her assistant were good in terms of trans stuff, like pronouns and body image. They both asked me what pronouns I preferred (and lamented the fact that there wasn't a spot on the intake form for that) and were respectful of my chest. The nurse asked me to take my shirt off before she left the room, and she asked me if I wanted a gown. I grinned and said no, and she replied, "I didn't think so, but I wanted to make sure!" Then Dr. Murphy told me what she was going to do and asked if that was okay by me before she touched me.
Given what I told her about my previous surgery and the current condition of my chest, she's going to try the periareolar (keyhole incision) method this time. (My official paperwork says "bilateral chest contouring with periareolar approach".) Still minimal scarring, and much more likely to get me the desired results in my opinion. The only thing I have left to do before getting surgery is to call and schedule it! Part of the reason why there was a longer delay than there needed to be on this is because they need a "negative nicotine study" before surgery. I have been smoking cigarettes on and off for over 15 years, with various prior attempts to quit but none fully successful. I think I've finally reached that point, where I am done with cigarette smoking. Yay me. I'm sure the rest of my body will appreciate that. My paperwork says, "Results can be positive within one month of smoking one cigarette or if around smokers" so I have to watch for secondhand smoke too.
I'm pretty excited. Even though I didn't have much of a chest before (barely an A cup), and the one surgery made me look like I just had tiny man boobs so I went around shirtless anyway, I want a flat chest. I don't want to have that little worry in the back of my head, What if someone thinks those are more than "man boobs"? What if someone decides to be an asshole? It's a good feeling.
Note: I'll post pictures of my chest once I have something worth posting, you pervs. ;)