Top Surgery

I had top surgery yesterday. It was basically a day surgery, checked in at 7 am and was finished by noon

Pain level was/is mild, I could control it with acetaminophen. I'll be getting the bandaging removed on 8 October at 9:30 am.

Getting infusion #1 of 2 on Thursday...

I'm getting closer to top surgery. I'll be getting this infusion, then the next one in 2 weeks. After infusion #2, I have to wait 4 weeks before I have surgery to minimize the risk of post surgical infection. Infusion #2 is scheduled for 11 July, so beginning of August is the approximate time frame for my top surgery. So a little more than 6 weeks from now

I'm about as giddy as a kid during the holidays. Complete with an ear to ear grin every time I think about it.

~ Drew

Another hurdle successfully managed...

I saw Dr Fine, the Neuro-Psychiatrist Dr Repovic referred me to so I could see a specialist who could answer the questions my insurance wanted answered before they would approve my top surgery on 6 June 2019. Now it comes down to when I get my Rituxin Infusions which are scheduled for June 27 and July 11. As per what Dr Repovic commented about my MS medications and surgery, waiting 4 weeks after my infusion would reduce the risk of post surgical infection. This sounds like I will be cleared for surgery in August. Specifics not currently determined yet. I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl.

Surgery update..,

Dr Repovic referred me to a neuro-psychiatrist,that appointment is on June 6... When will I get surgery???

More hurry up and wait. *le sigh*

I do have an appointment with someone to manage my HRT (Testosterone)
Ok, it's Dr T at Planned Parenthood in Bellingham. He used to handle my Truvada rx when Tom was still alive.

24 May 2019-

Edited to add that I can have surgery 4 weeks after my June Rituxin infusion. I'm waiting to hear back from the Infusion Center for my appointment date.

Update #2... 24 June 2019

I have 2 infusions scheduled, the first one on 27 June 2019 and the second one on 11 July 2019. My surgery can happen 4 weeks after the second one, as per the surgeon's schedule.

Update #3 15 August 2019
I recently got another letter from my insurance... They have questions for John Swain, my counsellor. These answers must be submitted by 5 Sept 2019. Luckily I have an appointment with him on 22 Aug 2019 at 2pm, hopefully he'll be able to fax that info to Rebecca at Dr Chang's office.

I really need to get some sleep now, it's after midnight.

Until later...
~Drew

Letter to Insurance from Dr Repovic

Today I talked to Dr Repovic about the letter my insurance wants for my gender confirmation surgery. Hopefully it won't be too long before I get a scheduled surgery date...w/in 6 weeks I hope.

That would be near my birthday. If it works out that way, gender confirmation surgery for my 50th b-day.

Wendrew, aka Drew.

Top Surgery, waiting for another letter, this time from the MS Specialist.

I need to fax over the letter from my insurance to Dr Repovic, so he can answer their questions and fax that to the surgeon's office.

So many hoops to jump through...

I'm so ready for a surgery date to put into my calendar. I've only wanted to take this step for about 45 years.

As the wait drags on...

5 Jan 2019

Top surgery is inching forward, as if it is at full stop.

I was supposed to get my paperwork in by 28 Dec 2018, which I did, but I still got a denial letter in the mail on 31 Dec2018 that was dated 28 Dec 2018.

The surgeon's office didn't get the same denial letter, so I'm in a hurry up and wait pattern at the moment. I hope they got that letter and are now trying to work on getting approval for it because they were the ones who faxed my letters in on 28 Dec 2018.

Top surgery (original post date 12.9.18)

I was wrong about how long it will take to get top surgery. I don't have a surgery date yet, but now I know what hoops need to be jumped through.

I need letters from my counselor and endocrinologist to be sent to WA HCA, then they will try to decide if they will authorize the surgery.

I'm tired of wearing binders.

3 Oct 2019
EDITED TO ADD: I had to wait nearly 10 months.

~ Drew

10 days on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).

My voice is getting deeper and it's noticeable to me. I am pitchy at times, but I know that's normal.

My follow-up appointment with the Endo is supposed to happen in January. I'm supposed to get a blood draw for fasting blood work a week before I go in.

I hope to hear about scheduling top surgery by early November. I'm just so ready to get it done.

I know, impatient me. I've only been wanting to get this done since I realized that being trans gender is a real thing in 2009, though I didn't have insurance to do anything until 2015.

I got a total hysterectomy in November of 2015. I also started to find information regarding other parts of transitioning, but didn't find anything until June of 2016.

Things got derailed when Tom was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August 2016, then he was told it was terminal 2 weeks later. He passed away in March of 2017, 7 months after diagnosis.

I tried to continue looking for information, looking for a gender therapist, but no luck. I decided to devote most of my energy to spending time with Tom, who passed away on 11 March 2017.

After a year of mourning, I slipped and fell in my kitchen and hit my head on something, giving me a concussion.

Before the fall I had made an appointment with my PCP to get the ball rolling for my medical transition. I'd already been wearing men's casual clothes for many years, including a chest binder since 2015.

Consult w/Plastic Surgeon

I had a consult appt with a plastic surgeon about top surgery on 20 Sept 2018. He told me that at that time he's booked out 4 weeks and it could take 2 weeks to get approved for surgery, so I wait until I hear back.

Edited to add I finally had top surgery on 2 October 2019

Psychiatrist

I finally have an appointment with a psychiatrist on 1 August 2018. Next stop is getting an appointment with an endocrinologist so I can get started on HRT. I'm about to start the road to becoming the true me.

Edited on 31 July 2018...

My appointment with the psychiatrist is tomorrow, the appointment with the Endocrinologist is on 6 August 2018. I also have an appointment with my psychologist on 20 August 2018.

Yay, things are moving forward at a brisk pace for now.

Hopefully I'll be starting hormones soon. I'll also be wanting info about changing my gender marker and updating whatever needs to be updated... I also want to know about top surgery. I had the hysterectomy in 2015.

I'm nervous and giddy at the same time. I better write stuff down in my little note pad so I won't forget them while talking with the doctor.