| At Home In Schubert I was extremely happy to be back at the residence settling into to my new room. I was given a room upstairs next to the bathroom. The fact that I had to navigate the stairs for the rest of my stay there was offset by the convenience of having the bathroom only steps away from my room. There was also a small lounge area upstairs with a phone that would come in very handy for the parade of calls that I would eventually receive. I also had the room to myself, ostensibly my penance with Eva had paid dividends. This was a blessing for me because I so value my privacy and solitude, which are indeed a sanctuary for me. All of the rooms are named after famous composers, mine was Schubert. I had dinner with a whole new crew of folks that night, who like me felt the same need to transform their bodies in some way, shape, or form. When you witness firsthand the steady flow of people through the residence you realize the magnitude of transsexuality, and this is just one place in the world that specializes in SRS. I must admit it did give me a wonderful sense of comfort and security being around so many other people who were like me. Transsexuals are by far the most fascinating, and at the same time, confounding people I've ever met. There were plenty of characters present while I was there. The only thing that outnumbered them was the myriad of opinions that preceded, surrounded, and followed them wherever they went. Mealtime was always a lively event, full of spicy discourse and plenty of posturing. For the next two nights I was too tired to engage anyone beyond the usual pleasantries. I looked forward to just lying back and resting my weary body. There were two necessities that consumed me once I got back to the residence: a nice hot bath and the first post-op dreaded bowel movement. The bath would have to wait until Friday after Dr. M�nard would remove the gauze stitched over my new womanhood. The bowel movement would be a welcome relief, the sooner the better. My bedside contained the ubiquitous antibiotics and stool softeners. I went through the whole SRS experience without taking any antibiotics, but the stool softeners were a dire necessity for me. I had heard the petrifying stories from girls who were in my position, it's something I dreaded having to do. I don't profess to know the pain of child birth, but some compared the first bowel movement after the surgery to it. I never considered the negative effects of the pain killers concerning the constipation factor, I should have known better. The only thing more I will say about this subject is that when it finally did happen for the first time after my surgery, I thought I was giving birth! I made a mistake listening to the nurse's recommendation of discontinuing the Senecot once my bowels finally moved. Alas, that decision would haunt me for the rest of my stay. It was a unique experience having to relieve my bladder with the catheter. I found the process was much easier to do while I was standing up. How ironic it was that I stood to pee for the next six days. It just seemed so weird doing something I hadn't done in years, all the while with no penis there to dread. <<BACK<< >>NEXT>> |
| "Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." Louisa May Alcott |