Trust me when I say this, I never intended to turn this into a series but with complications comes these updates and thus the unintended series.
NB: It is encouraged that you read my three (3) previous articles here on how my facial feminization surgery (FFS) went to get a better scope of everything in this article, but not necessary as I’ll try to touch on things so far for those who don’t keep up with my journey.
So back in Part 3, I alluded to another procedure and of course I promised you all an update and it’s not the best of news. But let me get to the actual procedure as it was kind of a doozy.
I went up there to the usual clinic/hospital where I have all my post-ops. My appointment time was 9am and I could tell I was prioritized as I didn’t wait even five (5) minutes in the waiting room before being called back. Then my vitals were taken by the nurse and then almost no time at all after that my PA came in.
We chit chatted and she asked me a few questions and then she started to get things ready for the surgeon. She was getting all the gauze and the scalpel and all the other materials ready for the procedure. At one point I asked “You’re not doing the actual procedure right?” She jokingly laughed me off and said no, the surgeon would be in shortly to do it. Then I had to sign some waivers for doing the procedure on the spot and she co-signed and then another short wait, no biggie as I needed the procedure.
The doctor came in with another doctor I never met before, he was nice enough. I assume he was there to shadow and learn from my surgeon which my surgeon and PA know, I am all about paying it forward so if the new doctor can learn by seeing me, I’m all for it…no consent needed from me on this.
My surgeon comes in, looks at the overgrowth and then the other doctor got the needle ready with anesthetic to numb my mouth up. He then plunges the needle in over and over again in my mouth to numb up virtually my entire mouth. You would think it was painful but having had electrolysis on my genital area and sixteen (16) galvanic needles shoved into my scrotum in preparation for my vaginoplasty next year, this was like a walk in the park. The doctor then says we’ll give it about twenty (20) minutes to let the anesthetic to set in and they’ll be back.
So about a half hour goes by and both my surgeon and the other doctor came back in. My surgeon was like “Ready?” I’m like “Umm…should I close my eyes or what should I do?” My surgeon recommended I close my eyes as it would be awkward to have them open while he’s doing his thing. It was almost like I was at the dentist but instead with my surgeon as I was tilted back in the chair with a bright light shining over top of me.
So I close my eyes and then the first incision is made with no warning and he goes “Did that hurt?” I’m like “Nope, not at all.” My surgeon then just replies in the affirmative and starts goin at it. When I say he went to town on my mouth, it felt like he was sawing through a steak cutting the fat away. He was literally hacking and sawing away like a skilled butcher at a meat market. I couldn’t feel any pain but I could tell where he was pulling and tugging all over the place.
About fifteen (15) minutes go by and he’s about done and he says it looks great and the other doctor was going to sew me up. So he’s like I’ll see you in about a month. The other doctor takes about another fifteen (15) minutes to sew me up so all told the entire procedure was probably like almost an hour. I had some questions about hygiene and whatnot and the doctor said just take it easy like no eating anything like potato chips or anything that could exacerbate the mouth and not to brush my teeth for at least a few days, mouthwash was ok.
I walked out of the clinic seemingly with gauze in my mouth to stop the bleeding and everyone was staring at me like “Damn did she just have major surgery done here?” I get to the parking garage attendant and he’s like “Are you a patient so you can get the patient rate?” So I pull the bloody gauze out of my mouth and say “What do you think?” lol,
So I paid and literally drove home as I took the day off. I think I felt a little woozy later on my walk with my pup but was back to work the next day. It really was a rather simple procedure with the only pain being the small pinches of the needle to administer the anesthetic. I was honestly fine by dinner time the next day so all in all the procedure wasn’t bad. So now time to play the waiting game.
Fast forward to yesterday at my postop and the doctor who sewed me up came in first as my surgeon was busy with another patient. He then opens up my mouth and he was like “I see a new growth of tissue like a small flap at the bottom of your mouth. I’ll have to talk with Dr. XXXXX and see what he thinks.” I’m thinkin to myself, oh great more needles to numb up my mouth so he can cut it out. Ughhh…
My surgeon then comes in, has the same assessment as the other doctor and looks me dead in the eyes and says “Amber…I’m at a loss for words…I’ve never seen this happen before.” He then explains that the good news is the pathology report back from when he cut everything out back in November which was benign. So he’s not worried about any type of cancer (so that’s honestly a huge relief).
But he said the next non-invasive course of action is to inject some steroids together with some anesthetic and then give it about six (6) weeks. The steroids should atrophy the overgrowth and prevent anymore from growing but I need to massage the mouth area where the flap is to stimulate blood flow there. Now here’s the bad news if that doesn’t work…
I would have to schedule another surgery and go under anesthesia whereby my surgeon would go in and really do a thorough deep clean and cut of anything and everything with more steroids afterwards. All this should do the trick but listen, my doctor already confirmed that this is all not normal. But with surgery comes risk and reward and here I am lol.
So fingers crossed the steroids work. The one other bit of good news is that where the main overgrowth was on literally the back side of my front lip that he cut out did not grow back at all. I definitely noticed the overgrowth when looking in the mirror as my gums looked enlarged taking away from the effects of the facial feminization surgery and the lasering of my jaw and chin. I honestly had these gums that looked like Bubba from Forrest Gump.
The other positive I am taking away is that it was only a small flap of skin that grew back, no other noticeable growth from what the surgeon said. It’s not cancerous which is tremendous. It’s literally this stubborn granulated tissue that just keeps coming back which my surgeon said is normal for the mouth, but not like mine.
But rest assured I will keep you all updated. My follow up is in February which is my birthday month. So in the interim send good vibes and hopefully my birthday present from the universe will be no new growths and some atrophying granulated tissue to avoid another surgery…just what a girl always wants for her birthday!
All the Best!
- Amber
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