(see post history for previous entries about this surgery)

This post covers week 5 post-op. It's about healing, exercising, and dilation.

Also, something that's not mentioned really at all - there's no word on what GCS does to the musculature down there. I doubt we have the same musculature as cis women, but I guess we assume GCS fixes it? I don't think I've read a single thing about this, and I hope everyone starts asking this to their surgeons. It's too late for me (I'll ask at my 3-month checkup anyways) but hopefully it can be a consideration in the future.

Swelling

Continues to go down! It's also starting to stay down even when I've been up & active for hours. I'm basically on my feet as much as I was before surgery, but I recline on couches instead of sit in chairs (most of the time).

The stiches are coming out, too >.< . I'm not interested in trying to snip it because I don't have feeling back on the inner labia yet (where the stiches are). So I just have to live with them poking me. Oh well.

Dilation

I was doing some blue dilator, but then the retraction phase hit! It's no lie - in the 2nd/3rd month everything gets tight as your insides heal. In the space of a couple days it went from nice and easy to be pretty slow (e.g. 1min to get in, to 3-5min). It's not actually painful, just really tight. Feels like sore muscles. So, I'm stuck at purple for now.

Also, fun fact - I regained the length I thought I had lost. I mentioned thinking I might have lost some awhile ago, and just decided to try dilating a bit longer (e.g. ~20min instead of ~10) and voila, I'm back! Possibly even a little deeper.

Exercising

Finally, I can get those endorphins! Right now I'm at a daily ~90min hike in the local trails. I'm hoping to start doing more in a week or two.

By now I'm confident that higher activity levels is really helping the healing. The swelling doesn't even get bad after all this walking.

Healing

Healthy pink flesh is conquering the granulation tissue! Slowly but surely. I still have some protein coating but it's been disappearing at a healthy rate. It's still lopsided because one side had a tonne of granulation tissue, but it's been getting better.

Feeling hasn't changed much, just more nerves zapping. I have no feeling around the canal's entrance yet.

I'm not having pee/bladder issues anymore! Probably was resolved with all the muscles healing.

Another thing people don't mention - post-op sleep issues! Gah! This is getting better but surgery really exacerbated my (probably ASD-related) sleep issues. Historically, I can't fall asleep until at least 30 minutes sitting in bed letting my brain process stuff. Since surgery it's been closer to 2 hours. I don't mind it too much (gives me a nice time to work on hobbies mentally) but it is something to consider.

Discharge

A whole subsection because I know what y'all like :P.

I'm not using any pads anymore because they were annoying. I'm just wearing loose underwear (maybe femme-ish boxers?) and loose pants and accepting the constant wetness. It's alot , but the airflow helps. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't soak through the thick-ish cotton underwear. Plus I think the lack of friction is helping healing.

It's also definitely not like pee or water or anything. I think it's clear-ish and dries clear-white-ish (unless there's protein, in which case it's yellow-ish), but I only inspect it via the underwear smears (I'm avoiding directly touching the area without gloves/shower until my 3month checkup). It's slimy. It smells warm and earthy and usually like me. Once in awhile it'll smell like honey (???).

Conclusion

Things continue to go well. Dilation is just a time to put on an interesting video. I'm not worried about being on my feet too long by now. Pokey stitches make me want to (gently) rip them all out.

I might as well continue posting weekly...pretty sure I wouldn't do it if I switched to monthly.

As always, feel free to ask questions in the comments or via DM.