Also Kentuckian here, and I'm so, so sorry you had to go through this- and that you're still going through it. This sounds horrendous. Unfortunately, I have a family friend through my mother that had something similar happen after GRS, so I've heard of it, but that doesn't make it less terrible when it happens. I hope your fistula heals as best as it can and you can come off the colostomy bag.

I am absolutely shocked by your story. Yes, complications can happen, but the amount of avoidance of responsibility and and lack of compassion by your surgeon (and subsequent healthcare providers) is mind-boggling. The trauma and pain you had to go through was completely avoidable. Dr. Ramineni is now an honorary member of the Kathy Rumer Hall of Shame.

I can only hope you recover from this emotionally as well as physically. My heart goes out to you.

I’m sorry to be reading this…. I was one of the people who told you to go to ER. The thing is that srs requires not only competent surgeons, but some talent is necessary. We have tons of new surgeons offering srs or ffs, but how many are up to the challenge? I am sorry and sad to hear about your complications. Hopefully the fistulas will heal and you can enjoy finally having your vagina. ♥️

Honestly appalled at how much your concerns were brushed off, before being told you "should have done your research". I'm hoping for your recovery in time, and in the meantime rest assured that this is not at all your fault. GRS is complicated, and you were unfortunate, but its your own strength and self-love that will pull you through no matter what. Sending love <3

Wow, I'm so sorry. :(

I wonder if that plastic surgeon says the same thing to people who need facial reconstruction after a car accident. "Didn't you do enough research before driving to know that collisions are possible? You should've been prepared for this."

That "Didn't you do your research" sounds an awful lot like victim blaming. But I don't know exactly what they mean because it's not like knowing about it would have prevented it?

i'm glad to hear an update, ive been regularly checking for new comments/posts from you for a while.

i think i said this before but it bears saying again that if you were to undergo some kind of crowdfunding effort, i'm sure a lot of us would be more than happy to share your links and donate. there's lots of subreddits (and on other sites, hashtags) intended for mutual aid requests and promoting yourself when you need financial help, tho i can't speak for whether or not the moderation in those subs is adequate with regards to like... making sure you won't get harassed for being trans.

(i know in some situations, like if you get disability benefits or you depend on sliding-scale services, getting donations from people can ultimately hurt more than it helps because it affects your income bracket and can make you lose benefits, plus there's that shit about how payment apps are now reporting ""income"" over $600 to the IRS , so please use caution if you think youre in a position where this could mess you up.)

i'm glad you've survived, and sorry that you've had to have such terrible experiences. this sounds like a nightmare. i hope your recovery will be easy and you can put this all behind you soon.

Stay strong. It’ll be ok in the end

Thank you for sharing. It’s important that people see stories like this too. Best wishes for your recovery ❤️‍🩹

Sorry to hear things aren't going well. Hang in there.

Im sorry,,, you had to go through this...Be strong , praying for your faster healing and recovery..

"There are people who will try to dissuade us from pursuing surgery because they have misguided beliefs. There are people who will try to dissuade us because they have had bad experiences."

You are lucky to be alive and Im glad you are okay, however I believe your optimism going into the surgery is the result of not taking the above 'dissuasion' seriously. SRS with serious complications is equally if not more likely than SRS that goes well, let alone SRS that goes well without need for aesthetic revision. The methods of recruitment for outcome studies are WILDLY flawed. I have been shit on repeatedly as a naysayer, TERF, faker, and hypochondriac for trying to alert people to this. Please do not be so careful not to 'dissuade' others, your story is common in our community but those it happens to are embarrassed, in denial, or frankly too depressed/overwhelmed to put their reality out there for others to digest. I am very thankful for your honesty, and it should not come with so many qualifiers. If your reality dissuades someone from a surgery they were on the fence about, GOOD. SRS is really and truly something that should only be done if you are unable to live without it: the risk is so unbearably high otherwise.

OP i wish you luck in your recovery, do not lose hope. I know several people who were able to have a necessary colostomy reversed and recovered well in the years following. Take good care of yourself and do not beat yourself up over this. This too shall pass my friend