I promised myself I'd do this, since it was such a pain not being able to find much about this surgeon's office. And sorry, but no pictures. I just don't really wanna, and frankly it's going to depend on your body type.

Background: Just for comparison's sake. I am 29, in fairly good shape, and was about 5'8"/180lbs. at the time of surgery. Been on HRT for four years this week, full-time significantly longer. Extremely bad genital dysphoria as early as three or so and was able to feel really strong phantom sensations.

Pre-Consult: I first tried to go through a different surgeon throughout 2018. So I already had the weight loss I needed to do out of the way and had been doing a consistent yoga routine with a bunch of prenatal stuff alongside regular kegels. That shit helps yo, do it.

Consults: June 2019. Went up to KC to meet the first of the team. Meridith Gray (Gynecology). Yes, like the TV doctor which I find hilarious. Dr. Gray was very knowledgeable and friendly but it was mostly stuff I was ready for. It took a bit to get scheduled but once my insurance cleared and the date was set for Feb/2020 the other consults were booked. Yes, consults. KUMC uses a three-surgeon team, all pulled from the relevant departments. I like it, Dr. Ponooru (Plastic Surgery) has great bedside manner and Dr. Broghammer (Urology) actually knew stuff I didn't about long-term expectations. Good team, and they compliment each other well. It was a pain though to have to go all the way up there for three consults and a pre-op testing appointment. Biggest complaint of the few I have, it was a 4hr. drive one way. But they are in network for Ambetter insurance in Arkansas.

Big Day: Things went smooth. One thing I really liked about this location is that you really are just another patient in the Gynecology Wing. Might be a little more dysphoria inducing for transmascs, and some people might prefer an experience very centered around catering to trans folk...but I liked how normal it all felt. I checked in, went back, the three surgeons popped in and on the last one they slipped the first anesthetic in the IV. I was out before they wheeled me out of the room. I woke up later in the recovery room and the nurse told me everything went well. And I got to spook her with how quickly I snap out of anesthesia, which is fun.

Hospital Stay: Yo, this part was rad. Gynecology wing so it's super nice. Private room that was big enough for my Dad to stay comfortably as well and the food was good. The nurses were all sweet too, only had one minor issue with the catheter bag getting screwed up but that normal. That said, it is a teaching hospital. You're gonna have to deal with med students doing rounds with Dr. Gray. I never saw the other two surgeons since. They more or less just do their part of the operation and leave the rest to her.

Hospital stay was two days, with a 1wk followup from the surgery date. So I had to stay in the area for a bit. The KC area has a chain called Extended Stay America that is cheap and has in-room kitchens, etc. Good option here. Those days suuuuucked though. The pain wasn't awful, but I do have a pretty damn high pain tolerance so take that with a grain of salt. The catheter was awful though. Annoyed the hell out of me. I was able to move around fairly well and eventually shower by Saturday, but take it easy and count on your buddy. You need someone with you.

The next Tuesday we were back at the Drs. Office for the followup. Enter Nurse Peggy, one of my new favorite people on the planet. That chick knows so much about vaginas. Here they take the packing out, and first dilation. Also worth noting she picked at a small blood clot on my new labia and commented how great it was I could feel her touch it. Shit was soooooo swollen. Like two bananas between my legs. Then we drove 4hrs. back. That was awful.

For what it's worth, the dilation schedule:

4/day, 20min each for three weeks

3/day, 20min each for three weeks

2/day, 20min each for three weeks

1/day, 20min each for three weeks

and you have multiple sizes of dilators and all that they'll go over. There's no real instruction there beyond listen to your body. The first night was rough and I bled a bit. There's this like, hole that opens up below the neovagina that's normal but look scary as fuck. From the second day on though it wasn't bad and got easier. Of the four dilators they give you they say you won't need to use the biggest and shouldn't expect it, but I can. Depth stayed pretty consistent too.

2 Week: Still swollen and bruised as hell but starting to actually look like a vulva. KC and back for a followup was the worst part of all of this but by that point I was also off the narcotic pain meds. Honestly should have gone ahead and taken 1-2 of the ones I had left. Had to move slow and didn't have much stamina, but I could get around.

1 Month: Starting to look alright, but still incredibly bruised. Dilation getting easier, using the 2nd smallest one regularly. A lot less messy by this point. I don't ever want to hear another TERF say I don't know how much of a pain it is to deal with periods is all I'll say there. I started working part-time again, physical labor too and it wasn't much of a problem as long as I didn't push myself.

3 Months: The biggest jump was probably the biggest so far. Should have had a 6wk followup in KC, but COVID. We did a telehealth appointment at 10wks. Once again, Nurse Peggy is awesome. By that point I had a lot more of a clear idea what to be asking about and it all seemed like normal stuff to her.

Work and getting back to Yoga are fine. I couldn't quite push myself too much, but things were mostly back to normal by now. Still haven't had sex yet, but could if I wanted to. Masturbation is pretty damn fun. Don't even have that much trouble getting fairly wet. Probably not enough for penetration without lube, but definitely enough to finger myself without it.

4 Months: Mostly cosmetic improvements between now and three months. Still bruised and the labia minora haven't fully emerged because of the last bit of swelling. The incision lines are visible but not that much. Very sensitive, not too many issues with it wanting to make a mess peeing. And even with the world falling to shit, I feel pretty damn good personally.

So all told, I'd recommend KUMC. They're in that nice middle ground between trained in the newest methods but still having some experience under their belt. I was skeptical of them reporting quicker recovery times than normal but it holds up in my case.