My Orchidectomy
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:56 am
Hello,
Im writing to describe my bilateral orchidectomy I had exactly one week ago in Miami. Fortunately I live near Miami, which is where my surgeon and therapist are located.
Dr Harold Reed was my surgeon and I used Dr Carol Clark and Dr Marilyn Volker as my therapist to obtain the letters required to have the surgery. I chose to have this surgery because I am transitioning from male to female.
Once I had obtained my letters, which took about 6-8 months to get, I called Dr Reeds office for the consultation. The consultation costs 250. The office is nice and the staff professional. Dr Reed gave me a full physical, described the procedure and all the details. The surgery costs 2500. He drew blood and I was on my way to schedule the procedure. I had to make a 1000 deposit to ensure my surgery date. The lab work cost approx 170.
The next thing I did was make reservations with the Beach Place Hotel, located very close to the Surgeon. The cost was 201 for two days. The required amount of bed rest Dr Reed will tell you to have after the surgery.
I was very excited on my surgery date two weeks later. I had packed the night before and woke up early. When I arrived I paid the rest of my bill. Changed into one of those robes with no back and went to the surgery room. I chose to have sedation so they hooked me up to oxygen and started an IV. They spread betadine on the surgery site, did a little touch up in shaving. Eventually they injected something I cant pronounce, that was the sedation. To be honest, I couldnt tell I was being sedated. I was totally awake and aware. Dr Reed injected the local in about four different spots. This didnt hurt as bad as I thought it would. They checked for numbness and proceeded to make an incision. Dr Reed then worked one out and began cauterizing. The smell of burnt skin filled my senses. Eventually he attached hemostats to the cord and continued to cauterize. Once one was removed he then tied knots around the cord using some sort of cord. After that I simply couldnt watch anymore. They did the same to the other side and was finished. They stitched me up and applied a compression bandage. The compression bandage is very uncomfortable and you will wear it about 3 or 4 days. They then allowed the sedation to wear off, about an hour later I drove to the hotel and went to bed. The next morning Dr Reed visited me in the hotel and checked for swelling and spotting. I was fine. The next day I stopped at the office on my way home for a quick checkup. Everything was fine.
I then paid 600 to Dr Reed for hormone therapy, an annual fee. He drew blood and eventually wrote a prescription for estradiol.
I am pleased to have had the orchidectomy. Now I can eliminate the use of spironolactone forever. Eventually I will finish the surgery to become a female.
I wish you all luck
Im writing to describe my bilateral orchidectomy I had exactly one week ago in Miami. Fortunately I live near Miami, which is where my surgeon and therapist are located.
Dr Harold Reed was my surgeon and I used Dr Carol Clark and Dr Marilyn Volker as my therapist to obtain the letters required to have the surgery. I chose to have this surgery because I am transitioning from male to female.
Once I had obtained my letters, which took about 6-8 months to get, I called Dr Reeds office for the consultation. The consultation costs 250. The office is nice and the staff professional. Dr Reed gave me a full physical, described the procedure and all the details. The surgery costs 2500. He drew blood and I was on my way to schedule the procedure. I had to make a 1000 deposit to ensure my surgery date. The lab work cost approx 170.
The next thing I did was make reservations with the Beach Place Hotel, located very close to the Surgeon. The cost was 201 for two days. The required amount of bed rest Dr Reed will tell you to have after the surgery.
I was very excited on my surgery date two weeks later. I had packed the night before and woke up early. When I arrived I paid the rest of my bill. Changed into one of those robes with no back and went to the surgery room. I chose to have sedation so they hooked me up to oxygen and started an IV. They spread betadine on the surgery site, did a little touch up in shaving. Eventually they injected something I cant pronounce, that was the sedation. To be honest, I couldnt tell I was being sedated. I was totally awake and aware. Dr Reed injected the local in about four different spots. This didnt hurt as bad as I thought it would. They checked for numbness and proceeded to make an incision. Dr Reed then worked one out and began cauterizing. The smell of burnt skin filled my senses. Eventually he attached hemostats to the cord and continued to cauterize. Once one was removed he then tied knots around the cord using some sort of cord. After that I simply couldnt watch anymore. They did the same to the other side and was finished. They stitched me up and applied a compression bandage. The compression bandage is very uncomfortable and you will wear it about 3 or 4 days. They then allowed the sedation to wear off, about an hour later I drove to the hotel and went to bed. The next morning Dr Reed visited me in the hotel and checked for swelling and spotting. I was fine. The next day I stopped at the office on my way home for a quick checkup. Everything was fine.
I then paid 600 to Dr Reed for hormone therapy, an annual fee. He drew blood and eventually wrote a prescription for estradiol.
I am pleased to have had the orchidectomy. Now I can eliminate the use of spironolactone forever. Eventually I will finish the surgery to become a female.
I wish you all luck
