Stage 3 ALT - Dr. RBL at NYU
Last stage finally complete. I am two days post op. Stage 3 consists of glansplasty, urethroplasty, and SP catheter placement. The procedure lasted 2 hours and I went home the same day. It did take some time for me to be discharged because I was super nauseous. I think it was because they gave me oxy while I was on an empty stomach. Which I did ask for because I felt a lot of pain when I woke up in the incision area where the SP tube was placed. The nausea went away eventually after sleeping it off and eating some crackers and an icee. The nausea came back during the car ride home but I ate some more at home and it went away.
Overall I would say that this is the easiest stage of all three because I’m the most mobile and there’s not really a lot of pain. There is a lot of discomfort though. The SP catheter can get really uncomfortable especially if it’s tugged or moved too much. I try to keep my movements very slow and calculated. There’s a clamp attached to the tube that I always attach to my underwear or shorts. That way if I have to move the pee bag, the whole tube isn’t being moved or tugged. But you definitely feel all that movement in your bladder if the catheter is tugged or pulled or moves even slightly, so clamping it to something is key. It’s not painful really but it’s uncomfortable as hell.
The UL hookup area in my phallus also gave me a bit of pain and discomfort that first day of surgery. Like sitting up right in the hospital and in the car gave me some pain in that area. But not so much after that.
The only pain I really get right now is in the incision spot where the SP catheter is placed. And I only get that pain when I lay down flat to sleep. I found that placing a pillow underneath my knees helps ease the pain, I guess because the area is not as stretched out. A wedge pillow definitely helps make the pain go away. The only thing is, I didn’t sleep well using a wedge pillow lol so I found that for sleeping, pillow under knees is better. Other than while sleeping laid completely flat, I don’t feel the pain in that area.
Bladder spasms do happen and are very sudden and uncomfortable. They don’t happen that often for me tho so I don’t take any of the meds for that. For me, it’s something that’s tolerable.
The skin graft site is super bloody at the moment, which is normal. But I don’t even feel anything in that area honestly. The area was still numb from stage 2 so it’s definitely numb after this 3rd stage. I don’t know if I’ll feel anything after I’m cleared to shower, but for now I don’t feel a thing in the graft site. I actually used a trimmer on my thigh and all the way up to the crevice of where my phallus is. I did this the day before the surgery cuz I’m hairy af and I remember the most painful part of stage 2 was when they were removing the plastic wrap from the skin graft site. And it was because of my hair. So I’m hoping this time around it’s not as painful since I trimmed. I’ll keep yall updated.
In terms of mobility, I walk really slow because I feel bloated most of the time, probably from the SP catheter. But I can do all my basic living things that don’t require strenuous effort like brushing my teeth, getting dressed, eating, walking around, etc. I’m staying at my mom’s and she just helps me with cooking, cleaning, and laundry. She helped me today wash below my knees, but if I had my loofah/brush stick, that’s something I could do on my own.
Some things that make life easier are my wedge pillow, reacher grabber, peri bottle, and a big ass stainless steel water bottle. The water bottle helps so that I don’t have to keep getting up or calling for someone to bring me water. In terms of supplies, I’m not cleared to remove any bandages yet but I was told I’ll mostly be using Xeroform and coban wrap for the head of the phallus, and aquaphor for the skin graft site. I’ll most likely use non-adhesive pads with tape on the skin graft so that my underwear or pants don’t get covered in blood. But I’ll give a more updated supplies list as the days/weeks go on.
While this stage feels the easiest to me, it still takes a mental toll because everything takes me so long to do. I’m mobile, but not like 100% like I am when I’m fully recovered. I just try to take things day by day and I also remind myself that these first few days, nothing has to be perfect. For example, I give myself a sponge bath and for my back, sometimes I have to over reach to get to certain areas. If I can’t reach a certain area, it’s alright. Like I’ll get to it when I can fully shower. I just do my best with everything I can do, and if I can’t do it perfectly, it’s totally fine. Because I know when I’m more recovered, I’ll be able to do it how I really want. So just taking things one day at a time, giving yourself some grace, and having a lot of patience is super helpful not only for this stage but for all surgeries really.
That’s all I can think of for now. Stay tuned for more updates!