Like waiting for a bus

You wait ages for a blog then 3 come along at once…

I emailed the Suporn clinic on Monday to enquire about available dates for my SRS and tracheal shave, still waiting for a reply but I understand it normally takes a few days. I kind of thought that if I started making enquiries in Thailand I might actually hear from Charing Cross about the trach shave consultation I had there a couple of months ago. Always seems to be the way with me, just like waiting for a bus…

Sure enough this morning I got a date for the operation, in July. First I would have to go down for a "pre-admission assessment" in June. This is to check that I am medically fit for an anaesthetic and so on, presumably by being asked lots of questions and maybe having my blood pressure taken. If I didn’t have the option of doing the trach shave at the same time as my SRS I wouldn’t even be thinking about it; I would be cancelling gigs and booking trains and hotels right now. But I’m really unsure if having the trach shave on the NHS is such a good idea. I’ve been unable to find any reports or feedback from previous patients of the surgeon in question – Mr Sandhu. I’ve asked on my support groups and only had one reply from a "friend of a friend of a former patient" who thinks he’s not a particularly good surgeon and his results are often unsatisfactory. Not enough information on which to base my decision, but not a promising start. I shall do some more searching, but the more I think of it, the less inclined I am to put myself in the hands of an NHS surgeon, especially one who is seemingly so anonymous. It’s easy to find opinions on Dr Suporn, everyone thinks he’s wonderful. I’ve met in person at least 3 girls who’ve had SRS with him, and countless others on the internet, and seen one of his trach shaves too. No-one has a bad word to say about him. I don’t know about you but I personally, need that level of assurance if I’m getting to let someone take a scalpel to me! Anyone here ever heard of Mr Sandhu?

He seemed nice enough when I met him, kind of reminded me of Art Malik in, um, Casualty/Holby City/ER… I dunno they’re all the same to me, I don’t do hospital drama. I did used to watch "Angels" when I was younger, but mainly because Gilly wrote some of the scripts (she’s a brilliant writer, her Eastenders episodes were the best ever). Anyway I digress, the surgeon being nice is not enough is it, or looking like a famous actor for that matter.

So I may end up cancelling two NHS appointments, which a year or two ago would have seemed so precious to me. Plus, if I do get to Thailand when I want to I will have to cancel my next gender clinic appointment, which is not until October (for a second opinion on SRS, ironically). They’re probably not going to be very pleased with me, but then again will they actually notice, and am I even bovered? I’ve got my prescription now, and I’m only a couple of months and a couple of letters and a certain amount of red tape away from being legally female. I’ll try and keep them sweet until then.

I don’t feel my legal status is pressingly urgent. I can’t imagine I’m going to be stressing about it whilst lying on my back dilating for 4 hours a day

Oh the joys of contemplating surgery!

xx