Lower Surgery Referral :D

[Ryan]

Woooo hooooo.

Ahem, sorry about that, lol. Well, it's been just over three weeks since I had my chest surgery, n guess what? About two weeks ago I had a letter from Mr Ralphs lot in London asking me to go for an appointment on this Monday coming (15th June) as Dr Barrett has referred me for the lower surgery, of which I asked him to of course!

Now, after I have been they will apply to my ever so nice (yea right) PCT and ask for funding. Now I'm waiting on what they say because I'm going to try n get them to let me go to Belgium for the surgery to be honest, but I dont know what they will say about this yet, let alone going elsewhere.

The positive thing either way is that since I fought the PCT regarding my chest op, they have changed thier policy for transmen. Back before I fought them they didn't consider any surgery of any kind for a transman as a 'core need'...Now however, they list lots for us, including phalloplasty and the other surgical stages needed to reproduce male genitalia

I'm glad I fought so long and hard, and feel quite proud of myself for helping those guys who come through this after me, as at least they can get surgery now.

The lower surgery stuff still has to go to a complex case meeting though, n they look at everything n make sure you aint gonna change your mind or owt...though, I dont know how they can decide that just by looking at papers, so I still get the heebeejeebee's that they might deny funding either way given how they gave me hell before over my chest :(

I'm ready to fight though, n very happy and excited about Monday. I'll get to know more of the ins n outs and well, I dunno, I just want it all over n done with now. I'm still scared to death the PCT will say no as I just said, but until it goes to their meeting I wont know owt.

It all seems to good to be true, but fingers crossed anyway :)

[Sharon]

My fingers are crossed for you as well, Ryan! :hugs:

[MJ]

all the best ryan :hugs:

[Staciej]

fingers crossed hope goes well for you sweety..

[Ryan]

Thank you ladies :)

[GypsyKaren]

Ryan, there are no words that show how happy I am for you, and I'll sure be hoping it all works out for you. :hugs:

Karen :wheelchair:

[Nicki B]

Will you keep the noise down over there? ;)


Some of us are tryin' to get some sleep..

xx

[Veronica_Jean]

Congratulations Ryan!

I wish you well on your fight and I konw there will be many more very thankful of everything you have done so far.

Veronica

[pamela_a]

Congratulations Ryan, I hope the end of your long fight finally comes to and end and everything proceeds well with your surgery.

:thumbsup:

-Pam-

[Ryan]

Thankyou ladies :) I'm starting to get a bit nervous now and cant wait to get down to London in a bit :)

[Jan W]

Good for you Ryan.

You are a leader among men.

Love,


Jan

[Kaitlyn Michele]

Hi Ryan....way to go dude!!! I bet you are nervous but that's totally normal..

I hope everything goes wonderfully for you

[Melissa A.]

Good fer you, Ryan. I'm proud of the way you've persevered, as well as your thoughts for those coming after you. I hope everything goes well.

hugs,

Melissa:)

[Ryan]

Hey thanks all :)

Yay, it went well I can have the surgery I want if the PCT will pay. I have to lose about two and a half more stones though, as one of his phallo's he did died as the person was very, very overweight and he wont operate on anyone who is overweight at all now!

I can the radial phalloplasty, where the artery and flesh etc are taken from my arm and if I have it done that way, then I will only need three main ops in total. I could have it done from my stomach but then it means six operations, and I'd rather not have six.

He drew on my arm n explained what parts would end up where, and had a look at the skin my tummy area to see if it was ok for skin to be taken for a graft onto my arm afterwards too. He also tested to see if the hand would be ok with one artery in my arm, as they take the one out to use on the phallus.

I had a look at the erm...pump, and the implants, and he asked if I would like to go for something just for sexual purposes, to urinate out of or to look good, I said all three really, which was ok.

He explained that the first op, the phalloplasty was 8 hours long and was the biggest one, unless I wanted a complete vaginectomy which can cause people to need blood tranfusions and other complications. So now they just close it up but leave a lil hole to let any normal discharge drain out etc etc.

He also told me what could go wrong and the percentages of anything happening bad were, which were not that bad. He said out of all the phallo's he's done only three went wrong, and one was because one of the patients was a heavy smoker, one was because one was very, very overweight, and the other one he said was bad luck which isn't bad considering.

The details were much better than what I expected to hear since the UK team get quite alot of stick. I was expecting quite alot worse than what I heard.

While I was in the waiting room a guy moved out the way of two women who came in n sat next to me. I had spotted him when I walked in.....He looked good, really good, but me knowing where to look knew he was trans, but only by his hands n feet.

He turned to me n asked who I was seeing n that the surgeon was running late, which I already knew as the receptionist told me. Then out the blue he said 'are you just starting out then?' and we got chatting about the surgery and that he had, had his first stage, the phallo 8 weeks ago.

We all had a natter and a laugh about some of the things he said and then he was called in. I didn't get his name which was a shame, would have been good to keep in touch since I only know one person who has had the phallo over here, and he has only just had it and is in hosp right now, lol.

I am to go back down in Sept so he can bug me about my weight if I havent lost any, and to just go over and assess things while we wait for the PCT to decide what to do. He said they could take up to a year or more, but they bloody well better not now I've come this far!

So yup...all in all a very good appointment, Zena came with me and came in, and he spoke to Zena too not just me which was good of him aswel The relevant paperwork will be sent to the PCT now so it's another waiting game I'm afraid...grrr. But keeping my hopes up right now, and oh yea....I'm officially dieting now! Lol

[Staciej]

rember the reward is worth all the pain of it all. =) Keep in touch ill keep praying all goes great for you.

[pamela_a]

That's really great news Ryan. I'm confident with the goal in sight you won't have any trouble shedding those pounds. I'm so very happy for you and that your perseverance is finally going to pay off. Be sure to keep us posted.



-Pam-