(89) All sorted hopefully!

Spent the last few days trying to sort a cheap hotel/hostel/B&B close to the hospital... The internet is fab but what a minefield.

Hotels close by were a ridiculous price, refuse to pay £200+ for a bed for two nights,the hostels were mixed beds only, if I was with somebody that would have been fine. My other problem was I will be on my own walking back to the hotel late at night, yes I am a wuss, so the location had to be literally by the underground!

Sorted...I have got one right next to Wembley underground, just a 20 min train ride from the hospital and £100.

Train tickets are cheap as we can travel off peak for once so they are all booked.

S unable to get holiday leave but now sorted, my friend Ruth will come and stay so at least I will be at peace when I'm at work.

Just got to get through the trauma of it now!

(88) Operation date confirmed...

Operation number 1 of 4 is on 16th June, how quick is that?

W has to be admitted on the Sunday and the operation takes place on the Monday, with a 5 night stay.
Operation is at St John and St Elizabeth hospital in St John's Wood, London.

Emotions had been all over the place at the beginning of the week, I think it had finally sunk in just what W was putting himself through and as a mum you feel all the pain!! So when W text me on Wednesday to say he had received the operation date it stopped me in my tracks...I'm fine at the moment, had a good heart to heart with the girls last night.

We have planned what we are going to do. I will be taking him then staying for a couple of days before collecting him on the Friday. Financially I can't afford to lose any income as W is going to be off work for a number of weeks and having no income at all. I will have 3 days compassionate leave, which I can't grumble my boss has been great during the past 3 years. 
Emotionally this is going to be a traumatic time for me, it will be awful leaving him there. W's girlfriend is having the following week off to nurse him at home, then it will be whoever is available to call in and help him to the loo and see that he is OK.


Looking for a cheap hotel/hostel at the minute, any recommendations would be appreciated.

(87) Dr Christopher, next step...

Rail strike was cancelled so off we went.
Arrived at the clinic in Harley St with time to spare, filled in the registration form and went in bang on time.

Quite head mashing if I am honest, Dr Christopher was very informative and clear about the whole process but such a lot to take in.
Four operations to go through, my main concern is the scarring from the skin grafts.  I hadn't realised just how deep they remove the skin, but like he explained the graft has to have veins, blood vessels and a nerve!
We were shown very graphic pics of the whole process, good job I'm not too tickled stomach they were very bloody and one showed the skin graft been held up like a large piece of meat, yuk!

Overall the scars will fade and W should have hair growth to cover them up. A sleeve tattoo was discussed, fab option but as W is going into teaching he feels its not appropriate, although he would love to have one, its bad enough with his part time job at Alton Towers the small ones he has, have to be covered.

So four operations, first one should happen within three months -
Laser treatment must start asap to remove hair from inner arm.
(1) Hysterectomy and the lower stomach cut away to create a penis.
(2) Skin graft from inner arm to create urethra tube and silicon testicle implant.
(3) Connection of urethra, vaginectomy and cosmetic work to penis.
(4) Erectile device.

Lots of recovery time after each operation, looks like mum will be playing nurse once again.

Hopefully we should have the date of the first operation later on this week, they will try to fit around us with work and university commitments.

Can't explain how I am feeling, not really had the chance to sit and think in depth, is it really happening to me!!?

Watch this space...