Anecdotes from the Hospital

First off, I notice that according to the documents given to me when I left I am now "POST-OP."  YAY!

Unfortunately it doesn't mean what I wish it would.

So I got my ID bracelet with my whole name and F on it yesterday when I went in for the pre-registration.

I knew that since my doctor insisted on a temporary pacemaker while the top was surgicalized to change the location from a skin pocket to an under muscle location that he said he would be going in through the groin area (to access the vein system to my heart for the wires) {YES I AM BORG - I HAVE BEEN ASSIMILATED - WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THING IS INSIDE MY CHEST, NOT TO MENTION MY EYE IMPLANTS TOO.}, I knew that both my boobs and wrong parts would be exposed.

I wore my panties after changing into the hospital gown. They wheeled me into the operating room and the nurse told me it would be cold but she would give me a warmed blanket. I asked her why they kept it so cold and she said that it was because bacteria didn't grow as fast in cold temperatures, so it was for infection prevention. Nice to know!

So the surgery team came in and positioned themselves; one on my right near my shoulder, and someone on the left near my hip. I couldn't see anyone since I was lying on my back. So someone said we have to remove your robe since we like our patients naked. I said: "Naked is OK"

They took off my robe then someone said: "Now we have to take off your panties."  I said: "Fine"  She said: "Lift your butt so I can pull them down." I said OK and did it. Then I said: "Do you know what's in there?"  She said: "No, what?"

I said: "a penis." She said: "How many? two?" I said: "No, only one".  Then I could feel them painting me and then someone said: "I am going to shave you." I said: "Please don't shave all my (pubic) hair." She said: "I am only going  to shave one side." They used an electric razor and I said: "That tickles."

Then I said (or maybe earlier in there) "It really distresses me when people in the medical profession call me HE or HIM. I am legally female and expect to be treated as such."  Someone said: "Is it shem?" I said: "No, we should be called she and her."  If there was a response I don't remember it..

Later, after I awoke back in my room. I had a conversation with my nurse, Sunny. I told her that it really upsets me and other transexual women when we are called he or him.  She then said her half-brother had just had sex-change surgery, and started out with he-she; I corrected her and said she should call her She and Her. She apologized profusely to me, saying she would never want to offend anybody. Then said so I say now he is my half-sister? I told her yes. I should have told her how much we appreciate hearing her say that and female pronouns.  Then we talked about how hard it was to remember when someone had just changed, and I told her that my sister still sometimes slipped up.

Then I told her that of my two other sisters, I was the prettiest. I forgot to tell her that I think one of them is really a transman, and sometimes agrees with me.

She asked me how to pronounce my names. I told the Alynne was pronounced Uh-Lin, but was the female spelling of Alan, among a multitude of other spellings for it. She asked what my old name, and I told her Alan.

In speaking of her half-sister, she said she had breast implants too. I told her, (which she had seen) that my breasts were 36C and I had no desire to have implants since these were my own.  I told her how expense the SRS was and that I would likely not be able to have it; also if I did, I would be the oldest one on record.

We had further conversation and she is one of the nicest nurses I ever had. She told me somewhat of her life story too.

She also said before I left if I ever wanted to talk to her, just call her.

So I was in pretty excruciating pain on my left shoulder when I left but had none in the groin. She had checked that site a number of times to make sure there was no bleeding or swelling and told me to be sure to check it frequently. Of course I had no panties on then.  She left the room for me to get dressed but said if I needed any help to call her.

I had to have her help with my flip flops and front zipper on the gown I wore to the hospital, because of the pain in my left shoulder and when moving my left arm.

So I survived, even though I had my doubts last week. I finally decided, OK, the doctor has done many of these, and knows what he is doing. That helped but I still clenched my jaws all the night before even though I tried not to do so.