At the moment this is posted I should be entering surgery.
What sort of surgery you may ask? Well it is called top surgery in my community.
The removal of mammary tissue from my chest so I will be physiologically congruent.
Also I miss being able to go swimming and since they ban t-shirts in the pool I could not go. So I'm getting this done.
I'm using the blood money from the several years I had of back payments (not as many years as I actually experienced though) waiting for Social Security to approve me. It really isn't enough to get my own home or anything permanent so I may as well make myself happy. Hell I nearly died several times waiting for this money I might as well enjoy it.
Now I do have state insurance but AFAIK no Transgender care is covered on any insurance coverage. So I get to pay for this 6k surgery myself too. Did I mention that the average annual income for a Transgender person is little more than $11,000 a year?
Why won't they cover our procedures? Because they call our treatment "cosmetic" never mind the suicide rate amongst Transgender people is extraordinary. Or that people that do not fit rigid gender stereotypes will not find employment.
So we are treated like we only do this for our vanity. Instead of our sanity.
In my case there is another pressing reason to get this dead weight off my chest. I have a spinal disorder. The weight is contributing to my loss of mobility and increasing pain. But since I'm Transgender no medically valid reason will be accepted for me to get a mastectomy. I have even heard of FTM's with breast cancer being denied the same.
Here is a fairly complete account of many aspects of the procedure.
Double incision/Bilateral mastectomy
The double incision technique is effective for individuals with a medium to large amount of breast tissue (cup size C and above, often also recommended for cup size B). In this method, large incisions are made horizontally across each breast, usually below the nipple. The skin is then peeled back so that the mammary glands and fatty tissue can be removed with a scalpel. The muscles of the chest are not touched. Certain areas of harder-to-reach fatty tissue may also be removed via liposuction (such as areas near the armpits). Once the breast tissue has been removed, the excess chest skin is trimmed and the incisions closed, leaving two seams/scars just below the line of the pectoral muscles.
The techniques for treatment and placement of the nipples with the double incision method vary among different surgeons. Usually, the original nipples are completely removed, trimmed to a smaller size, and are then grafted onto the chest in a higher, more aesthetically-male location. Some surgeons use a "pedicle" technique, wherein the nipples are left partially attached to the body via a stalk of tissue. They are then repositioned in a more aesthetically-male location, while their connection to the body via the pedicle stalk remains intact. They may or may not be trimmed to a smaller size. The pedicle option is sometimes chosen in an attempt to maintain sensation in the nipples.
Occasionally, some surgeons may choose not to preserve or graft the nipples in any way, but this is a far less common option. If, for some reason, the nipples cannot be retained during the procedure, or if the nipple grafts are lost because of tissue death, there is an option of tattooing "nipples" onto the chest at a later date, which can have an aesthetically satisfactory outcome. Be sure to discuss clearly with your surgeon the methods he or she will be using for nipple placement/grafting.
Before the incisions are sealed, two "drains" consisting of long, thin tubing are placed along the length of each incision. The drain tubing exits the body through a small incision hole under each armpit, and is attached to a small plastic bulb on either side. The tubing/bulbs are to help drain off and collect excess blood/fluid so that it will not build up under the skin. They are left in place for several days to a week, depending on how much fluid continues to drain. Drains need to be periodically emptied of fluid by the patient (you may need a friend to help with this).
The surgery itself takes about 3 to 4 hours, and is done under general anesthesia. It is most often done on an outpatient basis, where the surgery is performed in the morning and the patient is sent home by mid-afternoon. Some surgeons may require an overnight stay. There are usually at least two post-surgical follow-up visits to remove drains and sutures (usually within the first week or so), and to check the overall healing progress of the chest. If there are complications, more follow-up visits may be necessary. A binder is usually worn for one to three weeks to aid in healing.
Each surgeon will provide specific instructions about follow-up care and healing time. In general, if you have a desk job, you'll probably need at least a couple of weeks off from work to allow for the body to heal. If your job requires moderate or heavy lifting, or frequent raising of the arms above the head, you'll probably need at least a month or two away from those heavy-lifting tasks. Speak to your surgeon about specific tasks and concerns. Do not try to go back to tasks before your body has had a chance to heal properly; the risk of scarring and complications is greatly increased if adequate healing time is not allowed.
The final result of the surgery usually provides for a well-contoured male chest, but it leaves two significant horizontal or U-shaped scars below the pectoral area. Examples of double incision surgery can be viewed at www.transbucket.com.
Potential pros for the double incision method:
For guys with big chests, this is the method that provides the best results for a male-contoured chest.
Scars, while large, are placed under the lower border of the pectoral muscles, so that muscle development in that area can make them slightly less noticeable. Chest hair growth with testosterone therapy may also cover the appearance of scars.
This method provides for easier access to and removal of all mammary tissue, as compared to the keyhole procedure.
Proper repositioning and resizing of nipples makes for a more male-looking chest.
Potential cons for the double incision method:
Prominent scars on the chest (some may also experience raised or reddened scars)
Partial or complete loss of nipple sensation
Potential loss of nipple grafts due to tissue death
Nipple placement may be uneven or not aesthetically pleasing
Nipple size/appearance might not be pleasing
The appearance of "dog ears" under the armpits (excess, protruding skin at the end of the incision)
Appearance of puckering along the scars
Areas of numbness in the armpits due to liposuction in that area
May require revision
The usual risks of any surgery, including bleeding, infection, problems from anesthesia, blood clots, or death (rare).
Keep in mind that many surgeons will include future revisions with the cost of their fee, so that imperfections such as dog ears, areas of bad scarring, or nipple problems can be addressed. Be sure to ask any surgeon if revisions are included in his or her fee. Additional costs of the surgical facilities and/or anesthesia, however, is usually not covered for revisions, so the patient may still need to pay at least some money for revisions.
Hopefully I won't frighten as many people when this is done.
3:28 PM PT: I'm home!
5:08 PM PT: Thank you all for your well wishes. And thank you Llbear for getting me home in good order.
6:58 PM PT: I'm still awake and doubt I will sleep tonight. Pain is annoying but the discomfort of the compression vest is going to drive me batty. I'm having the strange experience of being hungry but lack an appetite.