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Eve, I am sure there was a small part of one of my Wordpress blog entries that mentioned that I had a tracheal shave but more likely than not said it in passing. I had a large Adam's apple which I think was a sore spot for me but for others may not had been. There was zero pain involved with this surgery. There were three good size black and blue marks after surgery which took about two weeks to go away completely. Oh, this was done at the same time as gender reassignment surgery. I regards to how much happier did breast augmentation make me? Not very much, it was simply a end to a means of completing my female physical self. With that said I will say that there is a huge difference in the shape compared to wearing breast forms, did I say huge yep, I have stared at them several times after surgery thinking about the difference between breast forms and implants, like night and day but will reiterate that I was no where near as happy as having gender reassignment surgery. Concerning voice therapy, I have from time to time considered it but the more I consider it the less I think it will happen as my only enemy is myself at this stage in the game. The enemy is when around close friends I may lower my tone a tad as I am comfortable around them, realize this and adjust. When I lower my tone it's not much but I do notice it. At this point I much rather (next year) do some skin work to remove wrinkles on my upper lip which will not be done via surgery.

Really glad that you're happy with your new you, it must be a lovely place to be at. How much happier did the breast augmentation make you and how much bigger are your breasts than was the case? Why ask? Because I'm thinking I might need to do similar, at present using a UK sized 40b bra (which is admmittedly stretched around my back and sides) poses problems because it's a relatively rare size that's not made by all manufacturers, whereas 40c; 40d; 42d etc are much more available, yes I get by, and have more than most of my contempories in the UK, but still I sometimes feel a little disproportionate to my chest / shoulder size. I wasn't aware of your tracheal shave, have you posted info regarding this on your wordpress blog? Voice therapy is next on my list, and I have wondered about a tracheal shave. Hips? tell me about them ! I use long outer garments to hide my lack of them.............. Eve x

I totally agree Monica, some need more to pass when born with more male physical traits than others and that is perfectly fine to be the woman they should be, happy and fitting in to the world around us. And thank you for the compliment.

Thanks Christie. I truly have been at peace since gender surgery, for me it was the icing on the cake along with such wonderful support and caring friends I have who have been with me for my journey. Breast augmentation I consider beneath the icing and as it was came at the appropriate time. I wish this could be the same for others travelling down this path.

Karen, Think you are very passable as you are, but we must acknowledge some women need a lot more work to pass. This is a very personal choice, and I rejoice you are not one to be addictive to plastic surgery. Glad you are happy with your results, as I certainly am! LOL! Monica

Karen, I'm so happy for you! You sound very much at peace, which must be a wonderful place to be. Xoxoxoxo christie

In a recent post I place the image below into it which was taken by my friend who said she wanted a picture of me for memories of that day. I was thinking about female Mannerisms and Body Language but not at that moment looking at the picture below. Note this is three days after breast augmentation and not thinking about my body language what-so-ever. Several things became apparent that I would like to point out, men generally sit forward while females sit back on a chair, men typically have their legs spread and hands in their crouch or open to the outside of their legs. The purpose of this entry is for others to consider their posture not only when sitting but also when in other positions such as standing or walking. I have mentioned in the past my friend would constantly critique my mannerisms and body language when I first came out which in turn jogged my memories of being professionally taught female mannerisms. Not everyone will have someone that will critique their body language and mannerisms which means it is up to you to do so. I think doing this is critical in comfortably passing in the desired gender. Don't forget the little things such as putting your fingers through your hair,twirling your hair. Include hand gestures as needed and often. When a guy walks, subconsciously he claims the space as his and therefore walks with wider strides and kind've thinks of his shoulders like an outward extension of himself. When a girl walks, she is doing the exact opposite. Subconsciously, she is trying to take up the least amount of space possible. That is why girls walk with closer strides and keep their arms a bit closer to their sides. A picture says a thousand words as in the image below, When self-analysing myself when standing say in a check-out line I am always as shown similar to the right side image. Hopefully these suggestions are of assistance with your journey to a better life in your correct gender.

Karen, Excellent point! Couldn't say it better myself! Reminds me of when I was growing up, my parents would remind me not to be a "space pig," which means spreading out yourself and belongings over a bus seat or subway bench. Now that I think of it, my brothers were NEVER accused of being a space pig! LOL! Monica

So in under six months I have gone through both gender reassignment surgery, tracheal shave and breast augmentation where three years ago I thought this would be impossible and now very happy that I am finished with surgeries as there is in my mind not much more that can be done that would make me happier. I read about some who will get various parts of their face done to have the bone structure, hairline and eye's of a female and they might possibly benefit me to look more female but at what expense? Sure I can afford surgeries for better aligning my face to be more female yet that is in my opinion vanity at my age yet if I was in my early twenties I might had considered more surgery. Sitting here right now I am truly content with the results and hope that others going down the path take their time with making decisions on what surgeries (if any) will make the the female or male they truly want/need to be. And remember, for some surgeries will bring peace while to others it may bring the complete reverse which can very well be worst than if never having surgeries. Getting breast augmentation is reversible while genital surgery is not (well we could argue this in some cases) so please think long and hard before moving forward. One happy female here that could not be happier PS (Yeah I'd be lying if I said I didn't want hips)

Cheers Karen, Yes, it looks pretty dodgy, and I don't think I could keep my mouth shut for 2 weeks anyway! Eve

Thanks for the advice Eve. The wrinkle issue is pretty ingrained and have tried many high quality products so my next step is to visit a professional which I have done several so far but also discussing this with a close female friend who has much knowledge on this topic. I would be super cautious about any operation to change your voice. I read countless articles and the majority were not good in outcomes. When I say that I have money to burn on this I do but would only do this is I had a 99.99% success rate and that is not going to happen. Don't want to sound like Minny Mouse or worst, go the other direction. Hear for yourself from one doctor, examples are on left of page, I was not impressed. http://voicedoctor.net/surgery/pitch/feminization-laryngoplasty

Thanks Karen for your quick reply, I think I have discovered another US/UK difference! LoL. A tracheal shave in the UK is also to alter voice sound to more femme. I don't have much of an adams apple so I don't think that I need it for cosmetic purposes. I've probably got another 18 months or so to wait for GRS on the NHS, the waiting list is so long. Yes, breast forms are nothing like the real thing, I just think maybe I want bigger to be more proportionate, I think that they are unlikely to get much bigger naturally via oestrogen. I must advise you to try Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, it tightens and brightens the skin, it's really worked for me, but it's expensive compared to other manufactuers facial beauty products. I also use Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate around my eyes too. As with most things French it's expensive but it seems to have worked for me. So maybe your lip wrinkles problem could be solved by Clarins? Cheers, Eve.

Karen, Excellent advice and you look great!

As a cisgender Lesbian, the price for immediate interaction, as provided by the Internet, rather than meeting face to face, is a loss of community. It is important to maintain community. In the age of the Internet (especially social media), cell/smart phones, and other technology, it is becoming more and more difficult. In the Lesbian community, as I am seeing Lesbians approaching gaining their full civil rights, I am seeing less community. Presently, I only see Lesbian Connection and Golden Threads, among a few others, trying to maintain community among Lesbians, and they are struggling. Sadly, I have also noticed that most Lesbian bookstores no longer exist. My great concern is, when, as transpeople achieve greater acceptance, are they going to lose community, too? The challenge to the TLGB community, is to maintain community as the emphasis in our society shifts from face to face to online interaction. In my opinion, I feel we have it reversed. People should meet face to face PRIMARILY, and maintain contact (and community!) through technology. The Internet should be seen as a tool to support face to face interaction, but not to supplant it.

Veronica, gotcha. And that brings up a memory of when flying on a plane where I was in the middle seat. Both men tried to control the armrest but alas I was very manly then and did not allow that to happen. Well those days are gone so I will have to use my charm or never sit in a middle seat.

Veronica, great point about the elbows inward which is something I did not mention. I have my elbows out because of my breast surgery, there was a bit of chafing from the wrap they put on me where the padding had shifted.

Dear Ladies, Went to Karen's link and read it carefully, including the written and audio links. In the case of the pre and post operative audio samples at different ages, in most cases, I found NO improvement, and in a few I found a falsetto, which I consider a WORSE outcome. Suggest that when it comes to treatments, medications and surgeries, to wait until it has been in the public general usage for TWO YEARS before undergoing it yourself. Have saved myself from taking medications and having procedures that were later recalled or discontinued. Ladies, it pays to do your research! Yours truly, Monica

I had a little bit of an odyssey this weekend filing my prescription. So even though I received the script on Wednesday, I was not able to fill it until today (wow). It's amazing, but it hardly cost me a thing. 2 months of Estradiol and 1 month of Spironolactone for $25 through Costco. So I took Estradiol for the first time today. Just a 1 MG pill, but felt a little different immediately after for about 15 to 20 mins. Not sure what that was about. I had an empty stomach. Also, the Dr. asked that I let the pill dissolve under my tongue for maximum effect. I don't know if that was what did it. For the first 30 days, I am to take 1 Mg twice per day and then it doubles after that. I will have follow up bloodwork in August just to check my levels again. Should be interesting!! Which is amazing. Insurance is covering the bloodwork and appointments. The biggest short term expensive is electrolysis and laser. I had to delay the laser two weeks, because I had very little growth after 7 weeks. I don't know if it will come screaming back at 8 weeks. I hope not. Yesterday, my wife had a meeting with our pastor, where my pastor made disparaging remarks about local trans* issues in the area. I somewhat expected being trans may be a problem at my current church. Anyways, my wife was mad and upset and told me to put off telling our pastor that I am trans*. I told her that I may look at other churches. I grew up Presbyterian and did not realize that they are trans* friendly. I am not going to say what denomination that I currently go to, but I will seriously consider going back to the Presbytery. Methodists, Episcopals, UU's and other churches are accepting and won't be a problem for me. I will plan on visiting different ones, one per month, until I can decide what I want to do. I was so proud of my wife. Her momma bear instincts kicked in big time. I am so thankful for that!

Hi Lisa, I'm so glad that your wife is supporting you, and that you're now on hormones, you seem to be doing beter than me with your electrolysis, I hope it continues to be a success for you. Estradiol did the same to me the first time I used a patch. The Premarin never did do that, don't know why........... Living in a very secular society in the UK, I wonder at the US religous society, and how it affects you all..............'spose this is just another difference between our countries. Anyway I wish you happiness at whatever church you choose. Cheers, Eve.

Karen, Mine looked like a full support cotton bra that hooked on the front. Had the largest size the hospital offered, and they still had to stuff me into it! LOL! It did make me feel more comfortable and helped minimize scarring.

Monica, in regards to compression, this is the wrap they placed on me. They gave me instructions while placing the wrap on me to do it properly. Need to wear it for a full two weeks.

The jury is in, I totally agree with the others, don't see anything but a handsome man. Happy Birthday!!!

To the handsome young man named Warren, First, Happy Birthday! If I saw the photograph of you, I would not have known that this is a transman. Warren, there are days when anyone is blue. Today I was blue. Had to go to the library and had to ask for assistance on several occasions on one visit to use their computer (I had to make hard copies of an e-mail, and technology is always marching on, while I am standing stock still . . . LOL!) Twice, two small children pointed at me, asking about my disability, using the word, "cripple." The mothers shushed their child, but I didn't know what to say, because my disability is very complex. Was not angry or offended, but was not comfortable because I did not know how to interact with mother and child in a positive way (did not want to see the two children reprimanded). Last several weeks having a dispute with BOTH my credit card company AND a vendor . . . What do I do when it "piles up"? First, I try to decide what is the BIGGEST issue that I am confronting TODAY. Then I ask myself, what can I do about it TODAY? When I have made all efforts to address the issue, I set it down, and take on NOTHING ELSE for that day. The NEXT day, I repeat the process, addressing only ONE issue. No more than one issue per day do I address. Miraculously, many of the issues will go away by themselves, so subtly, that I can not remember what was bothering me. As for Facebook or any other website, or even group of people, I ask myself, does this person, website, social media organization, organization, school, employer PULL ME UP or DOWN? Seek out situations that consistently PULL YOU UP. Stay away from situations that tend to PULL YOU DOWN. Warren, I hope this helps. We both started out with a difficult day, and I hope by the end of the day, we both end with a good day! Always your friend, Monica

Monica, I agree sooo much with that! I was very happy to finally find a TG support group in the city, I'll be going to that in a couple of weeks (they meet the 1st Wednesday of each month). TG Guide has been wonderful and indispensable, but I know that being face-to-face with other trans people will be so very nice. And I do think that communities based on technology sometimes get overrated. Especially when it's based on "liking" facebook posts, and "re-tweeting." Those are easy. At least with TG Guide we have more extensive and meaningful discussions xoxo Christie

Hi Monica, You're certainly correct, face to face is Always Better and I think many people hide behind their screens. In business I often hear people say "Well, I sent them an email..." to which I respond "Why not pick up the phone and Call them?" It's too easy to pick an excuse and accept a distorted reality that it's okay to drop the ball. That said, though, I think an issue with the trans community is that most really do want to simply blend in, to be identified as their true gender and not stand out or be confused with their birth gender. I can't blame them at all. Some trans folks are comfortable identifying as trans and many (most?) are not. I imagine that's the way it will be until our society not only accepts but also embraces trans as viable and valuable members of society. But, I know what you mean, and it's good to express the desire that we stand up for ourselves and remain a community. Thank goodness for TG Guide, which provides me with even this little way that I too can stand up alongside those who are much braver and steadfast than me. Emma

I am very happy for you that you are well on your way on this journey woohoo!!!

Regarding T-friendly churches, there are several in the area to choose from. I am not necessarily giving up on my church, for a number of reasons. Karen, yes I have been dissolving Estradiol under my tongue. Initially, I am on 2 mg per day and then 4 mg per day after the first 30 days. I have been on 200 mg of spironolactone for over a month. I have a little bit of hair thinning on the top and receding hairline, so I am going to start taking finasteride after my next visit. Since it is an antiandrogen as well, my doctor said that he may need to back off the spiro a bit. We will see. It depends on my levels the next time I have bloodwork. It's weird, but almost immediately I noticed the affects of the spiro on me. Estradiol, not so much. Except the first time I took it, I was at the grocery, with my first dose under my tongue and I actually felt a "high" from it almost immediately for15 to 20 minutes that went away. That hasn't happened since then. I don't know if I'm just used to it now or if it was situational (i.e. I was standing up and took it after a 10 hour day of working). I had another hour of electrolysis today on the gray hairs. I will have laser next week, though after over 7 weeks, there are very few hairs growing in. The electrologist seemed to think that will change by next week. There has been almost no regrowth over the last 7.5 weeks. The dense areas of hair are almost gone. There have been a handful of hairs (maybe a couple dozen) that have grown back starting about 4 weeks ago, but the hairs are much more thin than before. But no regrowth over the last 4 weeks. So I am crossing my fingers.

Congratulations, Lisa! It must feel fantastic to get that part of your journey started! Best wishes, Sara

It is absolutely critical to have those pills dissolve under your tongue else they will be lost to your kidneys, having zero affects. Typically a doctor will begin with a low dosage and have you come back in several months to check your hormone levels and then make adjustments.