ONE WEEK and counting!

[rglassva]

Well, exactly one week from right now I'll be lying on a cold metal table in an operating room in Baltimore becoming bionic! Just found out I am Dr. Kramer's second patient of the morning so have to be at the medical center at 6:15am. Good news is I found out it's okay to take a bendryl the night before to help get some sleep - I'm sure I'll be too excited (and I'm sure a little anxious) at that point to get any on my own.
Things to remember to ask/tell Dr. Kramer:
1. Please try to use the LGX and size as aggressively as you safely can so I can take advantage of the LGX's tissue expansion properties over time (I need all the extra L and G I can get )
2. If I have my choice, I'd sure love for junior to point up a bit when pumped up - not sure doc has much control over that but can't hurt to ask, right?
3. Have a french catheter close by in addition to the foley - that's what they needed to use last fall when I had appendectomy and what I use periodically for self-cathing (to keep urethra dilated due to stricture from a long while back)
4. Don't forget about the ventral phalloplasty (to get rid of some "turkey neck") while you're down there.
Maybe I'll just right these on a post-it note and stick it "down there" in case I forget!
Anything else any of you bionic brotherhood members can think of?
Stay tuned - the countdown really begins now!

Rick

[RelievedofED1]

You are in good hands and can trust him to do the right thing. You picked a great surgeon. Congrats!!

[Leek65]

Please post updates after the procedure. Good luck!

[rglassva]

Off to Baltimore this afternoon - check into hotel - dinner with friends - benadryl to help me sleep - check in at hospital at 6:15 in the morning - hello bionic brotherhood! All in that order.
Will try to post as I am able after all is said and done. Until then . . . . .

[RelievedofED1]

Best of luck. Looking forward to hearing the good news.

[roninhouston]

Hope everything went well, by now the worst is over with. I had my IPP on the 14 so I'm just a week ahead of you. At 11 days out I am healing, finished taking my pills to fight infaction and tahing a minimum of pain medication. Still have some tenderness and sore spots which I expect will continue for a while. Back to most of daily life. Let your body tell you how much activity you should do:: when I've done too much walking or standing I get some pain and take a pill.

Bill, explain how the cylinder size used relates to the actual length, likewise does the RTE impact the actual length?

[RelievedofED1]

Hope everything went well, by now the worst is over with. I had my IPP on the 14 so I'm just a week ahead of you. At 11 days out I am healing, finished taking my pills to fight infaction and tahing a minimum of pain medication. Still have some tenderness and sore spots which I expect will continue for a while. Back to most of daily life. Let your body tell you how much activity you should do:: when I've done too much walking or standing I get some pain and take a pill.

Bill, explain how the cylinder size used relates to the actual length, likewise does the RTE impact the actual length?

The cylinder size matches the size of the corpora naturally occurring tubes in the penis and they are placed in both external part and hidden internal part. Just like there are growers and showers the size showing may be different from one person to another even if they have the same length cylinders implanted and same size RTEs. Belly size and general anatomy will make the "length" of the finished product variable though the longer the cylinders the longer the average penis size showing. One guy on this site with same size cylinders was one inch shorter than me when pubic bone pressed to tip measured. RTEs add to the length of the implant as they attach to the end of the implant cylinders and are placed internally and add whatever length they are to the inflatable cylinder length. Mine was 21 cm inflatable cylinder plus 1 cm RTE for a total corpora implant length of 22 cm which matches the measurement Dr Kramer measured per his op note. I know RTE's are used when the exact cylinder match isnt made or available. My AMS CX comes in 21 cm size not 22 so had to add 1 cm RTE. Was that what you were asking? Hope it helps.