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EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:24 am The time is drawing very near now. One short week from right now...I will be post op! It's almost hard for me to believe that after waiting all this time my dream is about to come true.

Hi Erica Ann,

Now it's just three more days until your plane ride to Colorado and five until GRS. What an exciting time this is for you. You've come a very long way.

Hope you had lots of fun partying this weekend.

Danya (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:49 am You will be in my thoughts and prayers

Friday. I'll be wishing you a speedy recovery.

Hugs,

Danya

Well this is it. It's Wednesday morning and in about two hours the taxi will be picking us up to go to the airport. My time has finally arrived! It's not measured in months or weeks or days any longer...we're down to hours now.

I'd like to say thank you to everyone that has contacted me recently to wish me well. People like Kristoff and Danya and everyone else.

I'll try to post again tomorrow, between bathroom trips.

As you say, your time has arrived. I wish you all the best. --FLO--

Thanks Uncle Flo. I do appreciate your support as well as everyone's.

We have arrived in Trinidad Colorado, a.k.a. the Sex Change Capitol of the World.

Due to the beautiful weather our flight was very smooth and we even arrived 20 minutes ahead of schedule. The drive from Colorado Springs to Trinidad is beautiful with all of the mountains.

I meet with Dr. Bower's on Thursday morning at 9 AM for my pre-surgery conference at which time I'll find out if I have morning or afternoon surgery. I sure hope it will be first thing in the morning, because I'm sure not going to get much sleep on Thursday night.

I had my last meal for a few days at a great little Italian restaurant tonight. A place called Rino's. What fun! They even have singing waiters.

I'm real excited about meeting Dr. Bowers tomorrow. Have a good night everyone and I'll let you know how I'm doing tomorrow.

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:52 pm I'll try to post again tomorrow, between bathroom trips.

Hi Erica Ann,

When I first read 'between bathroom trips' I was confused! What could you possibly mean?

Sometimes I can be a little dense, but I quickly realized what you you meant. Each trip to th

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:35 am e bathroom will get you closer to the good part, GRS.

The drive from Colorado Spr

ings to Trinidad is beautiful with all of the mountains..

I have been on this drive several times and have vivid memories of the mountains there. I'm happy yo

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:35 am u enjoyed the drive on the way to your big day on Friday.

I'm real excited about meeting Dr. Bowers tomorrow. Have a good night e

veryone and I'll let you know how I'm doing tomorrow.

I can't wait to get home from work tomorrow to see if you got the morning surgery time.

Hugs,

Danya

Danya (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:06 pm Hi Erica Ann,

When I first read 'between bathroom trips' I was confused! What could you possibly mean?

Sometimes I can be a little dense, but I quickly realized what you you meant. Each trip to th

e bathroom will get you closer to the good part, GRS.

Hugs,

Danya

Hi Danya,

In preparation for the surgery, I'll be on a clear liquid diet only tomorrow and in order to totally flush me out, I will have to ingest a medication known as bowel prep.

After swallowing down this wonderful concoction, I'm not going to able to stray too far from the bathroom until everything is out of me.

I'm back from my pre-surgery conference with Marci. What a great person she is. I just love her personality. She has a great wit.

My surgery

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:35 am will be first thing in the morning

on Friday which means I have to be back at the hospital at 5 AM. They will move me into my room so that I can get settled in, change my clothes into the standard issue hospital gown and give me that all important anemia. They will then get a IV going. I should be in the operating room around 7 AM, which means I should be done by 11 AM. I was told I should be coming back into consciences before Noon.

No jewelery and no cosmetics tomorrow morning.

I have already consumed the first of two bottles of bowel prep that I received when I pre-registered at the hospital this morning. All I can say is that it is having it's intended effects, that's for sure!

I also gave blood for testing purposes when I registered.

I'm already to go. Just have to try to get some sleep tonight and be back at the hospital tomorrow morning.

If anyone wants to contact me, I have placed my name on a list with the hospital's directory. So just call the number that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts and ask for me. They will connect you to my room.

I'll try to post again on Saturday to let you know how I did. Wish me luck and say a prayer for me.

Hi Erica Ann,

I'm glad you got the morning surgery time. I've had experience with castor oil, among other things, for 'bowel prep'. It isn't a fun experience by any means but soon all that unpleasantness will be a thing of the past. Later on, you'll have the terrific memory of coming back to conciousness, after surgery, knowing you have achieved your life-long dream.

You'll definitely be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow morning. I will call you but will wait until Saturday, at least, to give you some time to recover.

Hugs,

Danya

Hi Erica Ann,

It is now Friday evening and I suspect you are feeling out of it from pain killers after a very successful surgery. I just want to let you know that all morning, during you scheduled surgery time, I was thinking about you and wishing you well.

Hugs,

Danya

I am proud of both Danya and Erica Ann. Anyone who can stand tall and live out what their heart is saying is AWESOME.

OneBallBoi (imported) wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:23 am I am proud of both Danya and Erica Ann. Anyone who can stand tall and live out what their heart is saying is AWESOME.

Erica Ann would probably agree, although I cannot speak for her of course , that OneBallBoi is a sweetheart!

I know that a number of people on the Archive are wishing Erica Ann well as we wait to hear how her surgery went.

Hugs,

Danya

Here's hoping you're doing ok, Erica Ann, and things went well. I know we're all thinking of you.

Hi Everyone,

It's both a happy and sad day. Things did not go according to plan. There was a complication with my urinary track. It was so small that they could not pass even a pediatric catheter though it. They had to insert a catheter through my stomach and into my bladder.

I now have to see a urologist as soon as I get back home. They are going to have to try to thread a wire though from my bladder and into my urinary track to order to insert a Foley catheter into me while urinary track heals. I will then have to back in about four weeks after that to have the Foley catheter removed.

This whole complication is probably going to lay me up until Thanksgiving at the earliest.

I'm really pretty down in the dumps right now. Can't remember the last time I was this depressed.

Other than that, the rest of the procedure went just fine. It's now a girl!

Dear Erica Ann,

I am really sorry to hear about the complication. No wonder you are feeling so depressed, girl. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

I am glad the rest of the surgery went well. Congratulations are still in order for the new you. Yes indeed, it's a girl!

Hugs,

Danya

Let's hope they did a navel incision, otherwise there goes the bikini at the beach. I should think this would be something that could be enlarged - don;t know but that is what I am hoping. Both my ureters have been stented, and I hardly know the difference. Perhaps they can do something like that in the urethra. I'm the wrong kind of doctor to know anything about that, so I'll stop.

I'm sure the complication is disheartening, but the upside is you are now the girl you were always meant to be. The upside far out weighs any downside here. They have found and can deal with what could have been a big problem in the future. That is good. I'm sure I am being a bit of a PollyAnna, but it doesn't pay to dwell on the bumps - we all get past them! Keep the chin up, smile, and hope the urologist is cute! (Mine is ). I'll call next week.when you get home and can rest a bit. And I promise no jokes til the stitches are out.

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:04 am Hi Everyone,

It's both a happy and sad day. Things did not go according to plan. There was a complication with my urinary track. It was so small that they could not pass even a pediatric catheter though it. They had to insert a catheter through my stomach and into my bladder.

I now have to see a urologist as soon as I get back home. They are going to have to try to thread a wire though from my bladder and into my urinary track to order to insert a Foley catheter into me while urinary track heals. I will then have to back in about four weeks after that to have the Foley catheter removed.

This whole complication is probably going to lay me up until Thanksgiving at the earliest.

I'm really pretty down in the dumps right now. Can't remember the last time I was this depressed.

Other than that, the rest of the procedure went just fine. It's now a girl!

Ugh drinking the contents of those green bottles and then bathroom-o-ramma you bring back bad memories...

Congrats congrats congrats! Its been a long road but your whole and healthy and right at last! Hope your enjoying the hospital food! I wish I was able to sneak in a Scalia Beef sandwich or authentic Chicago dog to you....

Yikes! I'm sorry about the bad news. I didn't know what a Catheter was until I had my Orchiectomy. After the IV went in and I had struggled to put on the compression stocking (Much to the laughter of the nurse) and was waiting for the lady with the hard core drugs to flip the switch nerves etc I suppose but.... I had to "go" and started to tell the nurse that I needed to and she said "Oh, I KNOW what your going to say. You ALL say it when its too late! Anyway, don't worry we put in a catheter so you don't have to ask to be unhooked to use the bathroom." I'm sorry yours needs to go a different route! Anyway...

Platonics Hugs! - Mr T

Erica Ann know one thing the glass is haft full and this is you new berther day. I've been falling you with interust and now I want to wish all the best in ever way.Sail on gril.___Ernie of Maine______[/

EricaAnn I am sorry you needed a suprapubic catheter but once removed should heal nicely. I know a good urologist should be able to dialate your urethra and get you on the road to the new you. I am so happy for you that your dreams are coming true. The rebirth of a beautiful woman. I look forward to seeing you again at a MoM. Cheers to you and your success on this path. I missed you in August but like many you were on my mind and we were wishing you well. Hugs

Despite this small setback, I'm very glad to hear your dream as finally come true. Congratulations.

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:04 am Hi Everyone,

It's both a happy and sad day. Things did not go according to plan. There was a complication with my urinary track. It was so small that they could not pass even a pediatric catheter though it. They had to insert a catheter through my stomach and into my bladder.

I now have to see a urologist as soon as I get back home. They are going to have to try to thread a wire though from my bladder and into my urinary track to order to insert a Foley catheter into me while urinary track heals. I will then have to back in about four weeks after that to have the Foley catheter removed.

This whole complication is probably going to lay me up until Thanksgiving at the earliest.

I'm really pretty down in the dumps right now. Can't remember the last time I was this depressed.

Other than that, the rest of the procedure went just fine. It's now a girl!

Girlfriend, I'm so sorry to hear this.

But knowing you, you'll bounce right back from it!

Of that I have no doubt.

Will be thinking of you!:)

Congratulations on this major accomplishment in your journey. I'm sorry to hear about the catheter, but considering all you have accomplished it should be no bother for you.

Big Huggggs and Happy FIrst-Second Birthday!



Jema

It's now a girl? NO, you are now a girl on the outside as well as on the inside. Catheter, eh? I knew you would find a way to stay away from work for another couple of weeks. Seriously, you have gone through a lot and I am very happy that you have made it to this point. A drawback, yes, but think of how close you are now and how gratifying the result will be. All the best, --FLO--

Dear Erica, "Welcome Home Miss Erica Ann"!!! I'm so happy for you sweetie. (tears as usual) I know Christina is looking down and smiling from ear to ear knowing you finished your true identity. (Sorry i'm late, I haven't check the date in a few days.) I'm sure things will go well for the cath thing. You just have a wonderful rest time and get well as your there, and let us know how things go. See you next year at the MOM's I hope.

love and big hugs, Lilac

Congratulations Erica Ann. It always great news when one of our members can reach their goals in life. I remember meeting you at the first MOM when your were still making the transition and dressing as you have always wanted to. You were so happy all weekend living your dream. Little over 2 years later you have competed you physical make over so you body matches what was always the real self.

I wish you the VERY best and a fast speedy recovery.

Go girl Go.

Hi Everyone,

Well I'm doing a little bit better today. I spoke with Marci this morning and being much more coherent today, I was able to get some more accurate information regarding my urinary track. The long and short of it is that we are going to clamp off the catheter on Thursday and allow my bladder to fill at which time we will see if I can pee on my own. If I can we will then cut the bag and tube off of it just leaving a small section of the tube extending from me so that we can keep a clamp on it. This short section of tube will allow the urologists to access to my bladder in order to insert a balloon into my urinary track and stretch it a bit.

I already have a call into the urologist that I was refereed to back home and hope to hear back from him on Monday. I want to set up an appointment as soon as I get home.

I actually got to eat real food today and I was pleasantly surprised, the food is pretty good here. Been keeping the pain meds coming as well as the ice packs between my legs. I had a little leakage from my catheter last night which caused the nurses to change my gown and bed linens. I was a bit concerned about having to roll in bed for them, but surprisingly I was able to do it without much pain or discomfort.

By the way, if anyone would like to contact me in the hospital, I'm Room No. 115, Bed #1.

I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress.