click on image for larger size Jerry Kellen McCracken 12/98 click on image for larger size Jerry Kellen McCracken 12/98	Update 1998 OK, so I've been busy. Now I've had my chest work done. It cost me about $6K to have my furry appendages removed. It's not as easy as it sounds and *things* do go wrong... I went to the Lake Tahoe Surgical Center in California. I had the honor of Dr. Lawernce Foster working on my chest. This man knows what he's doing ! A no nonsense Doctor ! He doesn't mince words and knows what he's looking at. This man has done many a chest, both to add and remove. The center may be reached at 1-800-SHAPE-UP. Dr. Foster started out by spending about an hour with me and discussing what my surgical options were. For me there weren't many choices. I had too much to have a simple 'keyhole' removal so I ended up with 2 incisions across my chest. I am lucky to have a bunch of fur so you really can't see any scaring. The most trauma, for me, was the night before. The waiting ! The worst for my wife was the next day, during my surgery. The waiting ! I had my dearest and longest friend there, Jackie. She helped keep me and Paula both sane. Paula has a problem with everyone's blood but her own isn't a problem - go figure. She did luck out when I had another FTM spouse, who is also a nurse, offer to change my bandages for the next few days. Things were just fine the first few days for me. I was on *major* pain killers. Paula was another story according to Jackie. Poor baby ! We left the Lake Tahoe area on Friday. It was a *long* ride home. You forget how much your body gets bounced around in a car when you aren't in pain... By Saturday I was retaining fluid in my chest, the same thing that happened with my hystorectomy. I knew this was going to be a long one. On Monday Paula had to leave for work about 100 miles away. I wasn't real happy about it and neither was she. Still, there wasn't much either of us could do about it... Tuesday I called Jackie. I noticed some pus oozing out of my nipple area and my bandages were smelling "funny", sort of a sick sweet smell. Jackie was over at the house in a flash ! Now remember, I've just had my chest 'fixed'. I'm not to raise my arms above my shoulders and to keep still as much as possible. I had called Dr. Foster's office on Sunday when I noticed that "something" wasn't right. He was on vacation, it was a 3 day weekend. There was another Dr. on call for Dr. Foster. I think he didn't understood what I was talking about and didn't sound too concerned. I went to Kaiser ER. I had to wait for 4 *LONG* hours. When I finally did see a Dr. and told him I'd had chest surgery, he called up and had a surgical resident come to the ER to examine me. When the resident removed the bandages I almost passed out. Not only did I have major fluid build up but I had a major infection ! He did ask at one point why I did not have Kaiser do my surgery, they do chest reconstruction. "Because Kaiser won't do surgery for FTM's". He said a very quiet, "Oh..." I guess I was passing pretty well, eh ? He said I had most likely lost my nipples due to the infection. There wasn't much he could do except remove the dead skin and give me antibotics. By the way, those of you who think that you would have seen the 'red stripes' before it was urgent - think again. In talking with Dr.'s, I have discovered that this type of infection has not the usual warning signs. There is also no way of knowing before you have surgery that you might get the infection. The bacteria lives in the cracks of your nipples - quietly until you have a place for it to 'explode'. Then it goes nuts ! So I have a beautifully done chest with no nipples. Big deal ! Who looks at your nipples anyway ! Only your lover ! Guess what ?!? The nerves grew back in the right place and I have full sensation. I do have a bunch of chest hair so I don't notice that my nipples aren't there. MORE LATER...
Jerry Kellen McCracken, January 1999
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