My last day as a Pre-op man

Today was an interesting day.

Got up early because my body hasn't adjusted to the time zone change. Tried to go back to sleep but I was too wired and afraid I might oversleep and miss my appointment.

I had a decent breakfast at the hotel. I'm staying at the Best Western. I hear that for Patients of Dr. Bowers it is the next best thing to the morning after house. It has a Fridge and microwave in the room which helps cut down on food expenses and allows for keeping healthier foods handy.

My daughter was playing with my Blackberry which has now disappeared. I don't know if she threw it in the Garbage, lost it in the sheets, ate it or it got sucked into a black hole. Whereever it is I can't find it in this room. I'm going to check in the morning to see if it was found in the laundry but chances are she threw it away.
I was worried about it at first but to be honest I have more important things to worry about. Luckily it is insured and a business phone. Though it will suck to not have all those business numbers, I still have my iphone. I will get those numbers back one way or another. Plus I can have the phone here in 2 days.

After that very eventful morning Janet from Dr. Bowers' office came to get us so I could have my pre-op appointment.
I went to Dr. Bower's office first and met Robin (she is the coordinator for the office). Robin gave me some papers to take across to the hospital (one for anesthesia and some for admitting). Honestly the hospital is right across the parking lot so it wasn't very far.
When I went across to the Hospital I met with a woman from the Anesthesia department to make sure my medical history forms were still correct (I submitted them a few months back) and to discuss what will happen anesthesia wise tomorrow before and during surgery. She also told me to shave my genitals as much as possible and what I miss they will give a touch up on right before surgery.

I then went over to admitting and took a number. While I was waiting I ran into a patient of Dr. Bowers who I connected to online. She was having surgery tomorrow as well which is why we said we would try and find one another. We are also staying in the same hotel which is cool.
While we were talking she told me that since she is having vaginoplasty she isn't allowed to eat for the rest of the day (she was only allowed a light breakfast today) and she will have to take a bowel prep solution called "golytely" (pronounce GO LIGHTLY). We joked about the name of it and she told me how she envied me only for the fact that I didn't have to have a bowel prep and I could eat all day up until midnight. The only thing that I have to do is drink extra fluids mainly for 2 reasons. 1) It is good to be hydrated to promote healing 2) Colorado is in the mountains and the air is really dry in general plus it's summer!

My number was finally called and I went to see the woman in admitting. They took some of the papers Robin sent me over with. The woman in Admitting made copies of my insurance card and ID. She had the letter from my insurance saying they would be paying for my surgery which is why she needed copies of my ID and cards. We also did my Healthcare proxy and living will forms. (This made my wife a little uneasy and she got teary eyed because she doesn't like to think of something bad happening to me).
I reviewed all the info we went over in admitting and signed the forms. I was given a wristband just for today for my labs to be done.
Shortly after I left admitting I was called to do labs. The lab tech had the usual difficulties getting my blood as all people do, she eventually got it and I was done.

We went to the hospital cafetaria because I still had to go back and see Dr. Bowers. We were hungry and had time to kill. The cafeteria was small and simple. They didn't have as many food options as we city folk are used to but we found something that looked good and it was good.

We went over to Dr. Bowers office where I filled out more papers. Robin checked my blood presure, weight and asked me a few questions. I was then placed in a room to wait for Dr. Bowers. I had met her several times before but this was the first time I was seeing her for an entirely personal reason.
When she came in and saw it was me she gave me a big hug. She knows me more in a professional capacity because I started my own clinic and I had them fly her into NYC about a year ago for grand rounds. She is used to my Trans community advocacy name, which is why she didn't realize it was me by looking at the chart. We caught up a little then it was down to business.
She told me that she has done about 20 ring Metas so far. She said when she first started doing them she use to also use a suprapubic catheter but stopped for a while. After she stopped using them a few guys had complications so she is back to using them and since she has been using them again things have been good.
All that to say. I will have a suprapubic catheter. I'm not thrilled about it but I'd rather have that than have complications so it is what it is.
I then got undressed from the waist down and she looked at my goods to see what she had to work with. She said that I had good length. She was excited and made a joke about how it is interesting that her African American patients tend to have more to work with on average. That made me smile despite the fact she was between my legs.
She said the plan is for me to stay 2 nights in the hospital but some guys feel good enough to leave after the first night. She said we will see how I feel and go from there. She also told me that surgery is about 3.5 hours. I will be her second surgery of the day so I am to arrive around 9:30AM. Since I did all my admission stuff today tomorrow will basically consist of me arriving, registering, changing clothes, IV then out like a light! Wake up and BAM I'm swinging low! lol. I am really happy. I feel all sorts of stuff right now. I will admit I am a little nervous moreso because it doesn't feel real yet. I am sure when I wake up it will feel real.

I will try and post briefly tomorrow night but chances are the good stuff won't be posted until later in the week! Just a few more hours to go!