I am fortunate enough to have obtained partial medical insurance coverage for my top surgery with Dr. Medalie, which is scheduled for tomorrow (November 24th) at 7am at the Metrohealth Outpatient Surgery Center in Cleveland, OH.
Medalie has been my first choice since I began researching top surgery procedures. The results I’ve seen are fantastic, especially on patients with similar body types to mine. I like the position and results of the nipple grafts, and I like the contour of his incision lines.
Mentor, OH : pre-op
Once I get back, I’ve been approved for 6 weeks of paid disability leave. While money will be tight, this will give me the opportunity to travel during K’s semester break, spending part of the holiday season with his family, and part with my family (who live several hundred miles away, making our visits rare). I’ll be returning to work on January 5th, if everything goes according to plan.
Dr. Medalie’s secretary Valerie was fantastic about answering emails promptly, answering all of my questions, and helping me navigate things with my insurance company. During our phone consultation, Dr. Medalie was really helpful–and I had a lot of questions. Here are some of the highlights:
- When the nipples are removed, they’re set off to the side on a saline pad while the rest of the procedure is performed. Then, I’ll be sat up (while still unconscious!) and the nipples will be grafted back onto their respective pecs (so, my old left nipple will be my new left nipple).
- Vicodin will be prescribed for pain management.
- The drains will run the entire length of my incisions. They’ll most likely be pulled out at my follow-up appointment with the nurse on December 1st. If not, then I can have them removed by my local doctor, or even by a friend (no way!).
- I can expect to drive 10-14 days post-op.
- I’ll wear the post-surgical vest for around 14 days.
- The most effective scar treatment is massage and moisturization; vitamin E has been shown in studies to have no effect whatsoever on healing.
My best friend E will be taking care of me for the time I will be here in Ohio. Our hotel is small and simple, with two full-sized beds, a TV, a table and chairs, and a kitchenette. It’s warm, though, thankfully; it’s freezing here.
Surgery is only a few hours away. I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep. It occurred to me that I’m going to bind tomorrow morning for the drive to the surgery center… where they’ll 1) know that I’ve got boobs, and 2) be cutting them off. Body dysphoria is weird.
Only recently have I been worrying about the results. It’s the first time I’ve wished that I could come out of this with a “flawless” male chest. It’s hard knowing my chest won’t be perfect. I’m chubby and will probably have dogears because of that fact. I may never feel parts of my chest again. If it was just the scars, I could probably handle it a lot better–I’ll be furry enough soon that nobody will ever know anyway. My nipples will probably never respond to touch or hot and cold. It’s sad that I have to trade nipples I am self-conscious about for nipples that I will probably still be self-conscious about.
