Three Weeks Out

[Laura B.]

I had my MTF GRS almost three weeks ago. I am healing well and I am very pleased with the results. I didn't think one of the hardest things to do after surgery was to pee. I had difficulty sitting on the toilet to pee after I had my catheter taken out 6 days after surgery. At first it was rather uncomfortable to sit on the toilet for any amount of time and the initial swelling made peeing even harder. I know it may sound gross, but the only place for the first week after catheter removal I could reliably pee was in the shower. I could pee on the toilet only a very little at a time and it never drained my bladder completely. After coming home the peeing problem gradually began to disappear and now it's not an issue. Oh, and thank God for stool softeners.
Dilating continues three times a day. I was given three stints in the hospital to dilate with, small, medium, and really big (just kidding). I have just started to dilate with the largest stint yesterday. It's the stint my vagina was fashioned around. I was actually surprised it would fit in me but it does. Dilating with it gets a tiny bit easier each time. I still have to dilate 3 times a day for 2 more months. I'm not sure how I am going to handle the 3 times a day when I go back to work, but that is still a couple of weeks away.
I took six weeks off from work total but I am thinking I may return before that. I may start working half days after being off for 4 weeks. Just can't stay away from work and sitting around the house gets boring.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

That sounds great Laura

I hope you continue to heal and that you are very happy.

I hear you on the dilation! Just do as much as you can and it will be fine

[Frances]

When I got to down to three "exercises" per day, I went back to work, but worked from home so that I could do one in the morning, one during my lunch break and one after work.

[Steph.TS]

Congrats Laura, I'm so glad everything is working out for you, I heard one girl that had a different problem with peeing but that too went away with time and healing. I guess these things are to be expected it is a major surgery in that area. Please get well soon.

[Longing2be-Trisha]

Hi Laura!

Glad to here things are going well. Don't overdue it allow your body to heal.

Hugs

[Katesback]

Yes your supposed to dialate three times a day. Needless to say that lasted about three weeks for me. What I found worked for me was to stuff that damm thing in before bed and then go to sleep with the damm thing in there. Pretty much guaranteed I got at least two hours of time.

[tori-e]

Hi Laura, Where did you go? A lot of what you say reminds me of my experience in Montreal. For work, I found that I was physically able to work by about five weeks, but it was really hard to keep up all the post-op exercises so I ended up taking another month off. Nine weeks in total. I know a lot of people can't do that but if you can it makes to process a lot easier.

Tori-e

[AllieSF]

Congratulations Laura. I am glad you are starting to recuperate. I have had a couple of operations, not the GRS kind, but down "there" all the same. I agree that the stool softeners are saved the day. I hated it when I would cough, or when my brother would make me laugh on purpose. Anyway, take it easy, you do not want any complications. Your surgery, as you well know, is very complicated and what you now have needs to rest and heal properly with no unnecessary strains. Good luck and please keep us informed. Thanks for sharing everything, including the TMI.

[Laura B.]

Hi Tori-e, I went to San Mateo to have Dr. Bowers do the surgery. I took a total of 6 weeks off from work for the surgery and the recuperation. I was thinking of going back half days early which would allow me do keep up with the post-op exercises.

[tori-e]

Hi Laura, I went to Dr. Brassard in Oct 2008. I met Marci Bowers in Port Angeles several years ago. Seems like she knows what she's doing. All the best with the dilating and healing. It does get easier.