My Surgery
Dr. Suporn, November 21st 2002
By Lesley Carter
My friend Sherri picked me up on a snowy Sunday afternoon. All I needed to do was zip up my suitcases and leave, but I felt paralyzed to do that. I guess I was quite excited -or was it panic stricken? The snow was falling and about 4 inches on the ground, but I was on my way Terminal 3 which had a Swiss Chalet restaurant and Sherri paid for my supper and primed me with 2 glasses of wine. It was a kind thought, but I don't think it helped much. I made my decision and was going through with it, but that didn't mean I had to be ecstatic about every step of the way! I just wished it was over a month before, but time just marched on in its measured way. I was determined to enjoy the trip and did, with a few minor exceptions.
The trip here was not bad really. Boring is a good description. The LCD screens of the "Entertainment System" showed exactly where the aircraft was at every moment, plus air speed, temperature and estimated arrival time and more. Arrival at Heathrow was on time and then the problem was how to kill 11 hours. I must have walked the entire length of Terminal 4 at least 6 times! The sign at the entry point said 20 minutes to the right hand extremity and 10 the other way, so I certainly got my exercise!
The second leg of the journey was even longer, about 12 hours. However, the scenery was exactly the same as in mid-Atlantic. Knowing this I had opted for an aisle seat in the centre section, on the theory that only one person would have to step over me to get out to the washroom. Even in daylight, clouds look monotonously the same! Still, I enjoyed knowing that I was close to Moscow, pity we couldn't have stopped to visit that famous subway system. I was glad to see we detoured around over Iraq and Afghanistan. The prospect of hitting a stray missile wasn't really a good thought.
Kie, whom I had met when she visited my home town two months before, met me at Bangkok Airport. She was a little late because I was half an hour early. It was a relief to see her! I dozed as often as possible, but I was travel weary after 18 hours in the air and about 30 hours from the start of my pilgrimage. Meals were about what I'd come to expect: small portions and quite tasty. All were served hot, and on a reasonable schedule. Cabin staff were unfailingly polite and attentive. I was glad to fly on British Airways, "the world's favourite airline" because their captains always sound so reassuring! You just know nothing can go wrong.
The first night was at the Mercure Hotel in Chon Buri, room 425. The next morning I had my call at 8 am and breakfasted well at the buffet. Then out for a walk and to locate the Clinic, only a couple of blocks to the left. I haven't the faintest idea of the points of the compass here. The place is very modern and the staff friendly. They set me up on their computer a nice machine with an LCD monitor, but only a dial-up connection to the internet. It was not a good ISP and it took much longer than it should have to bring up almost every site. I only wanted to check my e-mail and send a few replies. Nurse Wannee found me on the Internet at about 11:00 am and told me we should check me out of the Hotel and into the hospital. I had not expected it so soon, but finished my e-mail and left with her.
Wednesday November 20, 2002, 11:30 pm, Room 802 in Aichol Hospital, Chon Buri.
It's been a whirlwind of activity so far. Events seem to take on a life of their own and I am carried onward, feeling powerless, but never more aware that when one wills the end, one must also will the means to the end. Since my last (and only other) surgery was a tonsillectomy at age 3 I really didn’t know what to expect.
I was walked through the expected battery of blood tests, x-rays etc. and was apparently ok. Then up to room 802. It was a huge room, bigger than my living room, designed for 2 patients but held only one bed, a small round table, a fridge, TV and a small balcony. They certainly give Dr. Suporn's patients the luxury treatment! I was told another Canadian girl, Kaitlin, was in the next room, so I went to spend a bit of time with her. She was operated on about 5 days previously and so still was catheterized and in bed, although allowed to get out and shower. She offered to show me her surgery, but I declined as graciously as I could. I knew I'd spend enough time staring at my own soon enough. When they brought her dinner I realized mine must have arrived too and went back to eat in my own room. I can't remember what it was, but it was edible if a bit bland. In Thailand, bland is good, as "hot and spicy" is the hallmark of Thai cooking, and for the rest of my stay I didn't have any appetite for culinary adventures.
I suppose my rather jaundiced statement above comes in part from the 8, or was it 9, enemas I have just endured! Nurse Rae did a thorough job, as she had to. I should be thanking her for persevering when I would cheerfully have given up after the first few fillings! I think she was looking for zero fecal matter in the toilet, and didn't care how long she had to keep it up. Finally she was satisfied, and I certainly was although the alternative, unsafe surgery, was not one I wanted. I guess it would have been a problem if I had to poop prematurely, before they wanted to disturb that part of my anatomy. The plan was no Bowel Movements for 5 days, which was not a problem for sluggish bowel me. The rectum is very close to the area where the surgery will take place and stitches need time to do their good work lest something let go before healed.
To give credit where it is due, her technique in shaving me "down there" was very good. No razor pull and not a trace of a cut. I didn’t even feel embarrassed. Many surgeons require you to shave yourself, but I was glad to have the services of an expert.
I've just finished my last drink of water, at 11:54 pm, just 6 minutes from the last permissible hour for anything by mouth. It won't be a big sacrifice as I will only be awake for about an hour before being taken to the OR and sent off to dreamland, and I gather nobody really wants to eat while coming out of anaesthetic. Hey, I may lose that elusive 5 or 10 excess pounds! I feel strangely like an observer at an event that hardly involves me at all. That is not the case, I definitely know, but still I don't have much control over what happens and when. I just want to get it over and done with! That sounds rather negative, and I'm sorry about that. I very much want the surgery, but when it isn't going to save your life or remove a severe pain it's a little harder to be really enthusiastic. I feel rather resentful that I have to go to all this trouble and expense just to make my body right. However, it will have a far reaching positive effect on my life from now on. Just how far reaching will be the next set of discoveries!
It's just on midnight now and I'll get off to bed. I fell asleep earlier in the evening due to jet lag. I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, and woke up after maybe half an hour's snooze when Rae came in to "prep" me. I think I'll sleep tonight. The effects of sleep deprivation are still with me and extra sleep the next few days will only be welcome.
I refused the offer of a sleeping pill. I told the nurse I'd never taken on my life and didn't want to start now. It was no problem for them, although I slept poorly. Jet lag and excitement would account for that. I don't think I got over it for 3 weeks, but sleeping in fits and starts isn't a problem when you have no responsibilities.
Goodnight!
Thursday November 21, 2002.
The nurses came in at 6:30, half an hour before I'd expected them, and told me to have my shower and use Hibiscrub where Nurse Rae had shaved me. I did, put on the hospital gown for the first time and tried to relax. Hah, some chance of that happening! I was wishing they would give me a "happy injection", but no such luck.
I was wheeled down to the OR about 7:30 am, feeling very out of place and scared, but completely helpless to do more than watch the ceilings roll by and listen to the chatter in Thai of the nurses. One very kindly told me that another nurse had said I was very pretty! I told her I did not feel pretty at all -- an understatement. Light coloured skin is highly prized by Thai people as a sign of beauty.
I was asked to hoist myself over onto the operating table, which was not hard, and my arms were spread-eagled out on cross pieces while IV and sensors were attached.. There were 2 huge round lights suspended from the ceiling staring down at me. It was certainly very clean, modern and efficient. It seemed to take forever for the doctor to arrive. I thanked him for being my surgeon and told him I trusted him -- like what choice did I have at that point!
Nan, the anesthetist, arrived with a great confidence boosting smile and reassured me that all would be fine. I think I told her that I just wanted to go to sleep -- it was certainly the only feeling I had left. After a few minutes, with none of the "count backwards from 100" nonsense, I woke up in my hospital bed at 3 pm, not feeling half bad. I was told I had been in the recovery room for an hour, so my surgery had finished about 2 pm. The whole operation had taken 6 hours. I actually ate a normal supper that evening.
It was certainly true that there was no significant discomfort, except that anyone would have from being immobilized for days on end in bed. Gas pain was my only problem, starting the night of November the 21st. As the doctor does not want a bowel movement to interfere with the healing process a drug is given "Lomotril" (?) to slow down the bowels. Great idea, except mine have always been slow already and with that in me I couldn't even pass gas, which accumulated in my gut and caused discomfort, then pain. When I complained and explained Dr. Suporn immediately changed that med for something to ease the gas situation and within half a day I passed wind and was much more comfortable.
One could hardly call it perfect comfort however! The incision and wound itself was not bad, it was just that there was no really comfortable position. Having an IV, surgical drain and catheter plugged into me left me able only to move from one side to the other, always finding none very comfortable. I had not asked for morphine and did not find the discomfort unbearable although why anyone would choose this was beyond me! I told my friends later that if I'd know it was going to be this much fun I would have had it done years ago. Hah! Those who have had SRS always laugh and understand, but for those who haven't, I was being sarcastic. If there were any other way to get that elusive "F" on one's documentation and anatomy corrected it would be preferable. Then came the dilations and that became even more true!
Monday November 25, 2002
One might have wondered why it took so long to resume this account! Very simple for a touch typist to have to press the keys from a horizontal position, using only one hand, is an agony! My days were spent watching TV and dosing, with the boredom relieved by visits from Dr. Suporn every morning and the teams of nurses many times a day, with the usual routine of temperature, blood pressure, IV checking, catheter bag emptying. They were always very kind and smiling.
Tuesday November 26, 2002
Big step forward today, the external bandages and IV were removed, which allowed me to get up and shower. Writing this a week later I really can't even recall if I did. Every day was a mixture of boringly repetitious BBC World Service News and eating tasteless meals. I slept whenever I felt like it, never long or well, but often.
At some point I had 3 phone calls: Rachel from Kent, England, Florence from Texas and another I can't recall, from the USA.. I was deeply touched that these fine folks I'd never ever met in person, cared enough to telephone. It is wonderful to have this kind of friends and if I needed no further confirmation of my essential femininity it was that I seemed to attract, inspire and be loved by all kinds of people. As an apparent male I had no friends.
Thursday November 28, 2002
One week after my surgery Dr. Suporn removed the neo-vaginal packing and catheter. I spent the earlier part of the morning hobbling around packing up. Dr. Suporn did my very first dilation and pronounced all was healing nicely. He told me I had 7 or 7.5 inch depth. I was thrilled. I'd have been happy with much less. This is typical of the superb care I received. Many surgeons don’t give this their personal attention and leave it to the nurses.
Before my lunch arrived I was whisked away to the Mercure Hotel, where I had spent my first night and installed in the room next door, 424 in place of 425. Here is where the problems started! Not that bad in retrospect, but it was pretty scary while it happened.
I was told to do a lot of thing: dilate twice a day for 2 hours each time; clean my wound with an internal "douche" of water and finally 10% Betadine solution; wipe full strength Betadine on the stitches and around the clitoris and labia. Also, drink lots of water so I could get my urethra working and be able to pee adequately. I had to eat, but after the check-in at the hotel and all the busyness I was so exhausted that I decided to skip lunch. I wasn’t sure how room service worked anyway. I'd seldom stayed in hotels before but never ever ordered from room service. In my somewhat less than totally with it state that was just too much to tackle at that time. Then there was a big bag of medications to dole out for myself after each meal and at bedtime. Frankly I was overwhelmed
Nurse Wannee kept asking me if I could pee and I kept saying, no, I don't need to I don't have the discomfort of a full bladder. I think I was just so numb, tired and hungry that I just couldn't function properly. After about 5 hours, she was clearly worried and phoned the doctor to get permission to re-cathaterize me. She did it well and there was no great discomfort inserting it, but I had a little companion on the floor beside me that I had to carry around and no nice nurse to empty it for me. It wasn't that bad, really, and was kind of nice never having to get up in the middle of the night to urinate for 5 more days.
The new meds included a stool softener and it worked marvellously well. No strain or fuss, it just oozed out when ever given the opportunity. Usually that was when I was seated on the toilet, but on one memorable night I was all set to dilate when I realized that the "gas" I had just passed sounded too liquid. Sure enough a nice little poo on the clean bed sheet protector. I wiped myself, put down a new protector and it happened again, only a little more enthusiastically! I asked for, and received permission to discontinue the "Prolex" after that. One more little mishap that same night: the dilator wasn't going in very easily and when I checked, sure enough, I was trying to insert it in my anus by mistake. Sigh, take off condom, put on new one, re-apply the lube and finally, on the third try, the job was begun. That only happened once…
After 4 days I told some of the other girls "I've only been dilating 4 days and already I hate all men!" It's not so much painful as just a bloody nuisance! It takes almost 1/3 of one's waking hours to do it. After 3 months it will be possible to reduce the frequency and/or length of these necessary maintenance operations. Nature really does "abhor a vacuum" and since this is not a natural part of my body specifications it will try enthusiastically to "heal the breach", unless discouraged by adequate dilations. This also means that the "hole" is always a tight fit and gets harder to insert the dilator after the first week.
After about 4 days of dilations the blood flow stopped. It was really only streaks and never excessive. By the second week I developed a pretty good routine and understanding of how far, how fast and at what angle to insert it. Everything in my healing process was normal if not terribly comfortable.
Tuesday December 3, 2002
Today was my first post-op examination by Dr. Suporn at the Clinic. I asked Wannee to drive me there, as I didn’t like the idea of carrying a urine bag in public, but I walked back as it's only two blocks. He skillfully removed the catheter and said all was "very clean" and healing normally. He removed most of the external stitches.
Once back in my room I had to learn to pee all over again. I drank a few glasses of water and, seated myself on the toilet, picked up my "Thai Ways" book and read to relax myself. Half way down the first page I heard that re-assuring tinkle of urine hitting the water. It hit my bum on the way down, which was a new experience, but at least my waterworks was in business. I felt greatly relieved to have passed that milestone. Pooping and peeing are not exactly dinner table small talk, but absolutely essential to getting back to normal.
Thursday December 5, 20
Wow! Where has the time gone? Well, I'll tell you the big hidden secret of this kind of surgery is that the biggest cost is not the dollars or Baht, but the long period of recovery, with its attendant discomforts. Don't mistake me; there is no excruciating pain however it seems to take forever before one feels as comfortable and strong as prior to the surgery. "Forever" I was told could mean up to 3 months, although for half the SRS patients it was closer to a month. Every girl I talked to admitted that she had underestimated the time it would take to be back to normal.
I enjoyed going down for breakfast, which was included in the price of the room. It but only 50 Baht if you ordered it up as room service, which is pretty cheap, but I needed something to get me out of the room for an hour and socialize. It was only a few steps from the elevator and I took along little plastic bags to bring back a sandwich, cakes and yogurt for the rest of the day. I'd tried the room service food and was sorry every time. It wasn't bad food, just different and I really had no appetite for anything but plain food. Aey got me some crackers and I ate well enough. Unlike some, I did not lose any weight though!
Saturday December 7, 2002
Another checkup with Dr. Suporn. Again all is well. With the major antibiotics we get I'm sure I could have lived in a pigsty and not got an infection! He took out some of the tiny self dissolving stitches which had done their work and were only an irritant now. I felt proud of my progress, but still tired very easily.
I walked across the road and ate lunch in McDonald's. Crossing the road is a major event on these busy streets. There is an overhead pedestrian walkway, but climbing up and down so many steps was more scary than dodging traffic. I'm pleased to report that McDonald’s food tastes the same as back home, so they use the same high quality sawdust here as in Canada! Then I bought some Clorets at the pharmacy next door, some chewing gum at the 7-11 a block further down the street and a large bottle of Pepsi alas not diet, but still good and a reminder of home. I got home safely and collapsed on the bed, definitely in need of a rest.
Thursday December 12, 2002
My Dutch friend and fellow patient Saskia left today for Pattaya. We had become friends by e-mail prior to leaving home, and dilated together several times. I copied a number of movies she brought and we enjoyed watching several together. I wasn't even tempted to go to Pattaya, as the prospect of packing and unpacking again was just too much. In spite of the glowing promises of Dr. Suporn's website most girls opted to stay in dull old Chon Buri, rather than pack up and visit the tourist resort at Pattaya. Besides, while it would be nice to say I went to a world-class tourist resort I knew I wouldn't be doing any more there than I did here, which is basically just lounge around, watch TV and movies on my laptop, and wait for the healing to take place. Job one for me was to get myself in good enough shape to get back home without problems. I shouldn’t have worried as every girl was able to go home on schedule.
Because of the craftsmanship which creates a realistic looking major and minor labia there are many, many tiny little stitches in place. Since every movement stretches the groin area the less one walks the better. The penalty for too much movement is a "burning" sensation as tiny wounds are re-opened. It doesn't bleed and isn't dangerous but it is very uncomfortable. So, being a devout hater of pain I opted to do as little as possible so I can be completely healed before I step on the plane on December the 16th. At least, I want to be healed enough that I can negotiate the planes and air terminals without too much discomfort. I think I'll do it. Weakened I will be for certain, but that can be taken care of at home.
Dramatic moment! I'm only still up typing because there was a flood in my bathroom! Water leaked from directly above the bathtub about 10 pm, when I was ready to settle down. It made a lot of noise, but didn't do any harm, except to the ceiling tile. I felt it was my civic duty to report it to reception and the engineering department phoned back 10 minutes later to say they were sending someone to take a look. Two Thai workers in green work clothes looked at the ceiling and removed the tile to inspect the damage. They agreed it certainly was a problem and said it would be fixed quickly. By this time the water had diminished to a few drips and stopped. The hot water had been shut off by 9 am for days, making showering impossible. It was never more than slightly warm at best anyway, but they assured me new pipes had been installed and there would be no more problems.[Two years later when I returned with my partner for her SRS the hot water was really hot!] It could have happened anywhere. I told them I had no problem with the water leak but didn't want it to destroy their fine hotel.
So now we are up to date and I'm off to bed!
Friday December 13, 2002
In the afternoon I was at the Clinic for my final check up, when there was a phone call for me. I was surprised! It was Kie, whom I had met in Toronto. She and Fiona (Dr. Kim) wanted to take me out for dinner and she would call for me at the hotel at 6:30. I was very pleased to have the chance to meet Fiona at last, and found her a very pleasant woman. I was taken to an open air restaurant which they told me was Dr. Suporn's favourite, to which he took his family very regularly. I enjoyed several sea-food dishes and rice, topped off with a local beer. My tummy just tolerated it however, as the heavy antibiotics and other meds had made my stomach queasy. I wasn't sick, but could have enjoyed the meal more under more favourable circumstances. I fell into bed very tired that night and only dilated for an hour.
Sunday December 15, 2002
Wannee was ready to take me with her to Pattaya to see the resort and perhaps do some shopping. I could have forced myself and probably been ok, but I begged off and just took it easy. Instead she came at 5 pm and drove me to an interesting area about half an hour away where I took some photos of a Chinese Buddhist Temple -- very ornate and beautiful and a popular beach where I got a few sunset pictures and a self-timer one of Wannee and myself. She treated me to my requested "western food", which turned out to be KFC and tasted very good!
Monday December 16, 2002
I dilated early so I could get another one in at mid-afternoon before Wannee picked me up for the trip to the Don Muang airport in Bangkok, a journey of about 90 minutes. I only took my usual Paracetamol pain meds and it seemed to be enough to keep me comfortable. My BA flight left at the very civilized hour of 11:45 pm, and I had no problem negotiating the check-in, departure tax, customs and immigration and security checks.
I found the airport had the usual long, long walk to the departure gate, but was heartened to see three moving walkways on the way. Unfortunately the first two weren't moving, but the last one was until I got up to it and found it stopped. Sure that it had been transporting a man only seconds before I tentatively stepped on it and it started up! I'm sure the first two were the same system. That’s a word to the wise when anyone else passes out of this airport.
I enplaned without incident and enjoyed better than average meals, while trying to get up and move around as much as possible to avoid any possible thrombosis. It had never been a problem for me and it wasn't on this trip either, but I didn't want to take any chances. It was an uneventful flight and I chatted with a Swiss woman beside me who had been in Indonesia teaching for a couple of years.
After my first meal and feeling stomach uneasiness I decided that the antibiotics must have done all the good they could in 3 ½ weeks, so I took myself off them. I still had 12 days of Ciprosun if I found something going wrong, but it never did. I didn't take any of the 5 Valium tablets the Clinic supplied and the medicine for swelling was all gone, so I was down to just pain meds.
Tuesday December 17, 2002
Heathrow looks pretty bleak at 5:30 am, but at least I'd be leaving in 6 hours. I went to the "Quiet Rest" area. It wasn't dark and it wasn't quiet, but at least there were lounge chairs that it was possible to doze in. I bought some Cadbury's "Flake" chocolate bars in the airport for gifts to my children and others.
The only "incident" on the whole trip was at the final security check before boarding the plane for Toronto. I handed the attendant my passport and tickets, boarding pass etc. and she passed my passport over to a male official. I was asked to take a seat and I saw him look at my passport through a special device that shone a yellow light onto it. I'm sure it was to detect signs of tampering. He asked me to step over, "where it's more private" and pointed to the "M" sex marker, explaining that the woman at the check-in had noticed that. Being tired and sleep deprived I said yes, that was the situation and I'd gone to Thailand to have surgery to change it. He accepted that explanation instantly and I was on my way. At least I had a passport with my correct name and picture on it. Some of the girls had neither and apparently they had no problems.
Onto the 747-400 for the last leg of my trip, "only" 7 hours more and I'd be home. I was ready for my own little bed.
The seat beside me was occupied by a 20 year old American girl from Minneapolis who was studying in Belgium and was returning home for Christmas. She was very friendly and accepting. How did I know? I was "read" because she noticed my beard, and asked. I told her the whole story and showed her "the letter" Dr. Suporn had given me. She was quite ok with it all. I had been intending to use my rechargeable shaver in the washroom to clean up my facial hair, but somehow the switch had been pushed "on" and the battery was dead. So, it hadn't been my voice that had given me away as I'd thought, but the facial hair. I'll be back for more laser hair removal soon and hopefully it will solve that problem forever.
I arrived and walked forever through Toronto Airport, passed customs easily and claimed my bags. Janice was waiting for me as planned and it was certainly good to see her and have some help with my bags. Home in 20 minutes and after chatting with her and Abidel, with a brief picture show, I got out my dilator for the first time in about 33 hours. It was a little harder to get to full depth, but during the second session I managed it. If I seem to be preoccupied with dilations I can only plead guilty. You will soon enough find out the joys of having a hard, pink plastic "boyfriend" visit twice a day!
If this story seems a bit negative it's on purpose. It's four operations in one and the recovery has to be one of the most lengthy of any kind of surgery. Was it worth it? Of course! I have absolutely no regrets. I wish there was an easier way, but since there isn't, I'd certainly recommend Dr. Suporn's Clinic as a very good way to get what I wanted done. They are uniformly caring and efficient, and I'm sure nobody has a better surgical technique. My results are very good, with no complications. In a few months I'll have forgotten all the discomforts completely.
Nobody has asked me for it, but I'm going to give my advice anyway If you are a woman from birth, like me, with a genital malformation such as I had, then don't postpone your surgery. Only have an orchiectomy if that's all you can finance, but it’s better to keep saving and have the full SRS. A prior orchid makes the results of SRS less satisfactory. There is nothing like the secure feeling of knowing that you are anatomically what you say you are, and nobody can contest your claim to be a female in the fullest possible sense. Just get it done and you'll be glad you did. Of course, first you must be sure what you are, and that is a decision that only you can make. Don't let any friend, psychiatrist etc. ever tell you what you are. It's your life; you decide and then go for it with all your heart -- transition, hormones, and surgery -- whatever it takes for you to start to really live.
Lesley Carter
Update, October 2005
My life was a very good once the first few months had passed and they were far from intolerable. It was great never to have to worry that someone would see in me something other than a woman. If they did it was their problem as I was recognized as female by my province and country, something which any doctor would quickly verify.
It did take up a lot of time every day doing the dilation routine and carrying my donut cushion everywhere I went was a nuisance. I needed it, and daily acetaminophen, for about two months after my return home.. My local doctor told me (but only after I returned!) at my post-op checkup that it usually takes about 6 months to feel completely normal and resume all activities. I think I did it in five months – which I thought was pretty good for a woman in her 60’s!
I followed my surgeon’s instructions and dilated daily for a year. After 3 months I found I could get to full depth easily enough with just one dilation a day. By 6 months I found I could cut the time down to much less than 2 hours each time. After one year I dilated every second day, then every third and by the two year mark it was every 5th day. It’s entirely a matter of trial and error. If it becomes really hard and slow to get to full depth then you have to back track and do it more often. Now after almost 3 years I dilate every two weeks. I’ve always erred on the conservative side and probably could have tapered off much more quickly.
New post-ops may find it hard to believe but I miss those first months of twice a day dilating! It was a great excuse to watch my favourite TV shows (VIP, and yearn to look as good as “Val Irons”) or videos. However dilating really makes it very hard to carry on all normal activities and I was glad I was retired and didn’t have to get back to work. It was winter but I did make sure I went out every couple of days to do some mall walking.
After almost three years I still have happy memories of my first Thailand visit, but I haven’t forgotten the discomforts either. My life as a legally and anatomically correct female has been better than I dared hope. I belong to many local community (not trans community) organizations and I am completely accepted and appreciated for what I am – just another women.
I was able to refresh my memories of Thailand by a return visit with my partner for her SRS in November 2004. I celebrated the second anniversary of my SRS at her bedside just two days after her own surgery. The staff greeted me with “Welcome home Lesley!” and it was a homecoming in which the Thai people demonstrated once again that their country really is “the land of smiles”.
It was on November 19th, 2004 that my partner had her SRS with Dr. Suporn. We opted for the cheapest flight this time, but with 2 stops to change airplanes it was much more tiring. Traveling the eastern direction was a little shorter and no matter which way one travels there always seems to be one stop when there is a long, long 11 hour layover.
Tiff’s surgery went well, but she seemed more sleepy than I can remember being on her return to the room. Maybe my memory was faulty. She was just a few doors up the hall from my old room no. 806. Dr. Suporn has the entire floor and usually there are about 8 patients, while the staff of nurses is 4. You won’t find such a good patient—nurse ratio anywhere in North America! You ring and they are there in seconds. I stayed in a second bed in her room at no charge, and my meals were so cheap I still think they made a mistake!
After her first few days she seemed to recover faster than I did and she was well enough to go on two minivan day trips in the last week of our stay. She is as happy with her results as I was with mine and also walked unaided through the airports on the way home. She didn’t go back to work for 4 months, but hers was a very physical job driving a tractor trailer long haul truck. She has since switched to driving a city bus and finds it more to her liking, with more reasonable hours.
I’ve heard from many girls contemplating SRS with Dr. Suporn and would be glad to talk to any serious inquirer about this surgery.
Lesley Carter
