Day trip to Pattaya and home is on the horizon

This week I went out on a day trip to Pattaya, and on the agenda was a visit to a gemstone and jewellery shop, where you also get a guided tour and shown the process of original handcraft techniques used in the stone polishing, fittings and the final product and also a nice shop with helpful assistants, who were very good as we all bought something there!

I loved looking at the original quartz crystals and other stones in the museum part.

The young man, who was helping me, was kind enough to let me try on some diamond rings, even though I assured him they were out of my price range.

I have been looking for a amber ring for the little finger of my left hand for a little time now and when I did look at the amber rings, the first one I tried on was a perfect fit, I did try on some other rings, but this was always going to be my choice and I also bought it for a good price 1500 baht (£36) which for all the work on it is a fantastic bargain and also something to remind of a special trip to a beautiful country.

We were a small group of 9 people and most of us have been together before our SRS, so there was so much laughter and once again we were out again in the “stealth” van.

The next stage was a visit to park, which had some beautiful gardens, and also some shows, one is of traditional Thailand culture and dance, (which I really enjoyed) I do love watching theatrical content from different cultures) and a mix of Thai kick boxing, and sword fighting.

The second show I had mixed feelings about, it was a show with elephants in and they were very clever, it was a mix of them dancing, playing football, and even painting, ,my mixed feelings were for the elephants as I prefer that animals are out in their natural habitat.

In between we had a nice buffet style lunch and Jipp showed me how to serve up ice cream in traditional Thailand style and very nice it was!

We had set of at 9:30 in the morning and did not get back to 7pm so it was a long day and I was glad to have a shower and rest, although I had to make up for my missed afternoon dilation and have 2 evening ones.

I was also glad I packed plenty of pads in my bag as I went through all of them as did the other girls, men don’t know how lucky they are!

Interesting views from around the world

As I have been talking over the last few weeks, the views of girls from around the world and from different experiences has been interesting, from a Australian girl who was intersexed and had her SRS at 18 to the older women like me, and all our different paths to Thailand.

This brought up the question about “would we tell any future partner” about our gender history, and also for a younger lady like Jordan it would be if a future husband wanted children, then how would she answer the reason why she cannot have children, it gave a different perspective to the older woman who had previous marriages and have children.

Also from a interesting note if it helps any, I have noted that the couples who have stayed together after SRS in some way don’t function, it is a friendship, I had a chat with a couple and the genetic woman had admitted she was not a lesbian but was scared of change, perhaps even if it hurts it is best for people to move onto to new life’s.

The one thing we all shared and agreed on was how the “transgender” has become too much of an umbrella term for what was originally transsexual men and women.

The main thing had been rejection from families, the subject of people who had been married and women who had meet new partners during transition, so a whole mix of experiences.

A hint back at my calling?

During the my stay over here, people have at times asked if they could confide in me, I was even asked to mediate in a dispute between 2 sisters and dealt with everything ok, even one of the women from the clinic asked if they could talk to me, as she said she felt better after talking to me and I had a peaceful and calming nature, which with my counselling skills, got me thinking is this a calling back?

Last Appointment with Dr Suporn (or so I thought!)

Today is Friday 18^th February and it is my last appointment with Dr Suporn before I fly back home on Monday.

My healing has gone so well. A lot better than I expected, so I think my pre routine of yoga, aerobics and healthy eating really paid off and the girls tease me as they know I am ok with dilating, saying I even get off on it lol (as if!)

I had thought the most important thing was get here, get the surgery done and heal well and get home, anything else is a bonus.

I went into the examination room and Dr Suporn went through everything and said that there was a tiny tear on the lower outside labia; to be honest it is not as bad as it sounds, Dr Suporn is a perfectionist about his work, I just had to wait for a little while as he saw the rest of his patients and some stitches were applied, nothing painful at all, not even the injection for the local anasetic, I been poked and prodded so much over the last 2 years, so it’s nothing new to me.

It was funny as during the stitching process I jumped a bit and Jip who was holding my hand for comfort said “you in pain Lucy” I said no Clitoris very sensitive!

He is happy with everything else and I am not complaining with the swelling going down a lot I can already see my clitoral hood forming, I am a happy girl.

I will have a quick check-up on Monday by him to ensure that everything is ok.

I got my letters (I will try to take a photo to put up, if not I will scan when I get home)

But I can now get my GRC and finally get my birth certificate changed. (When you read Dr Suporns letter I don’t think the GRC panel can turn me down)

I also took up the offer for Dr Suporn to go through the photos from my surgery, and it is a surreal experience as I sat down and he went through step by step photos of my genitalia being reshaped and I get the DVD to take home, I must make a copy to send to my father.

I got my farewell pack, lots of the magic “green and yellow” pain killer tablets, cleaning stuff and other bits and pieces.

Also I have been given some sleeping tablets and these are very good, I am using one for the return flight to Heathrow airport, it will help pass the 10 hours away.

I will be picked up at 5pm to be taken to the airport on Monday, with a letter requesting wheelchair access and a seat with as much leg room as possible.

The next wave of “newbie’s” come flying in.

Well it seems like a long time ago that I arrived in Thailand 3 days before my surgery, a bit nervous, thinking I may be spending a lot of time alone in a hotel room recovering and maybe not getting out much, this was my previous blogs have mentioned showed this was not what my experience was at all.

I saw a new group of people waiting in the clinic and getting the little wreath of flowers and their box containing the four boyfriends! And amongst the group I recognised an English accent with a hint of Devon in it.

It was a lady from Cornwall and I invited her to our little group meal and drink later that evening, (it was a joint leaving event for me, Jordan and Alexandra, as we leave on Saturday, Sunday & Monday respectively)

I also invited her to sit with us at breakfast and gave the advise about the 7/11 shop to help save money being spent in the hotel, how to order cheap bottled water from the clinic and so on, I won’t be able to visit her in hospital as she is admitted on Monday for a Tuesday Surgery, but I was able to put her mind at rest that she was in good hands and the post operative care is first class and answered her questions, the top one “Dilation”! I was able to assure her was not as bad or painful as she will think and we would exchange email details as I would email her and ask how things are.

Also she shared a interesting story with me, a friend of hers had her SRS by Mr Thomas (who would have done mine on the NHS) and although she was happy with the appearance of her vagina, she had no sensation at all as his technique cant do that, and not a lot of depth, so I am so glad that fate gave me a chance to be able to have my SRS with Dr Suporn.

So we were passing on the torch to the new group.

Last night there were a lot of tears and hugs as we have shared a journey, not so much a physical one, but one of putting a part our soul at rest and feeling ready for a new life as it starts again.

Finally some last lovely words to me

I have thought at one stage of a bit of Facial Feminisation Surgery (FFS) some doubts had crept in as I saw some results over the last few weeks (not patients of Dr Suporn I must stress)

And had thought I like my face and I am good with makeup and also am totally comfortable going out without it, some girls thought I had had surgery as they said my face was feminine, and my voice was complimented as being feminine and I said I had not had surgery just done my voice exercises over the last 18 months.

I did ask Dr Suporn and he said your face is a nice shape and you are very femanine in your appearance, deportation and your essence is female, that was nice to hear.

So I will be writing away in my private blogs before I fly away and also on my flight home (before the magic sleeping tablet kicks in!

My next post here will from back in sunny England and with Smudge back at my side.

Thank you to Caroline for the lovely chats while I have been over here and also to the lovely Joanne for the same reason and the detailed Eastenders and Corrie Street updates J