Update on My Transmasculine Top Surgery

I just got back from the initial consultation at the University of Washington’s Northwest Hospital for my transmasculine top surgery.

 

I agreed to the recommended procedure for a human with my size boobs and will be getting a mammogram soon to get a baseline for my breast health. This is required because with chest masculinization surgery not all the breast tissue is removed, so they want to be sure it’s healthy tissue.

 

They want to contour my chest using some underlying tissue to make it look natural and not concave. (With a radical mastectomy, all breast tissue is taken because usually RM’s are done to remove cancerous breasts and the result is a concave look unless breast reconstruction is added.)

 

Dr Goldsberry-Long showed me one “after” set of images from a recent patient (the only ones she still has on her phone), and I was impressed. She hasn’t done a lot of CM surgeries but she has done plenty of breast reconstruction surgeries and says CM procedures are similar (and usually easier).

 

She says the surgery takes from three to four hours and I’ll probably be allowed one visitor.

 

I will be in the facility overnight for monitoring to be sure my baseline needs are under control before she sends me home. (Pain management, drainage,etc.)

 

When I showed her my other “malady”–more than 14 pounds of excess hanging skin (my “sharpeis”)  from having lost so much weight–she asked if the hanging skin causes physical discomfort (redness and/or chafing), and I said, “Oh, God, yes!” She said, “Then insurance should cover that procedure, too.”

 

I said, “Really?! If it does, sign me up!”

 

I was super jazzed to learn that a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) can be covered by Medicare and supplemental insurance when deemed medically necessary by an attending physician. I already knew it wasn’t covered for purely aesthetic reasons.

 

She asked, “Which procedure do you want to do first?”

 

“My chest! Otherwise, they’ll be even more obvious  than they are right now and I sure don’t want that!!”

 

She said I’d need to wait about three months after the chest masculinization surgery to get the tummy/abdomen procedure because my body needs sufficient time to recover. I said, “That’s fine!”

 

She took photos of what my chest looks like now. I gave her permission to use before and after images as long as my face doesn’t show and my identity isn’t revealed.

 

She said she’ll take photos of my abdominal excess during the chest surgery so she can document the need for the additional procedure.

 

I really like her. She’s going to see if she can get pre-authorization for the chest masculinization surgery by presenting all my documentation for it (my gender dysphoria diagnosis from a counselor and doctor, and my book Womb Man) so we don’t have to stress over whether or not Medicare and United Health Care will cover it. (I told her I’d lose my mind if they don’t and I have to pay for it–and I would, for sure!)

 

The recommended procedure for a human with my size boobs involves making incisions underneath my boobs, contouring enough breast tissue to create a manly-looking chest,and resizing and grafting the nipples to where they are on guys. The extra skin that covered the original boobs gets cast aside.

 

You can see some before-and-after images of other anonymous people here: http://www.thetransgendercenter.com/index.php/surgical-procedures/chest-masculinization.html

 

I will get a call about the proposed surgical date sometime next week. In the meantime, I need to get a mammogram and send them those results asap.  I’m on it! I put a call in to my PCP to get a referral (in case I need one).

 

Yippy skippy!  I’m rearing to go!