What is Chest Surgery Like?

Yesterday I posted this video to my YouTube channel which intends to be a quick overview of what to expect when you have chest surgery; it also hopes to answer questions and calm some nerves!

As with all my videos and blog posts, the opinions reflected herein are solely my own and I do not claim to speak for anyone but myself.

Here is a follow-up video I shot this afternoon with some tips for guys preparing for surgery.



This is a video log I shot the morning of my chest surgery in the hotel in Baltimore.



This is me seeing my chest for the first time on December 19, 2006, a week after my surgery.



Here is a video shot the same night I saw my chest for the first time and documents a simple, but significant milestone in any transman's transition - being able to wear a t-shirt for the first time with a flat chest.

Click here to watch a short documentary I did while in college called, "I Got a Sex Change with My Best Friend!"

I had my surgery with Dr. Beverly Fischer in Timonium (Baltimore), Maryland on December 12, 2006.

Emotions Before Top Surgery.

Tristan Skye (aka TristanSkye79 on the tube) just had his top surgery with Dr. Charles Garramone in Sunrise, FL. He made an awesome video documenting his experience and his emotions leading up to surgery, and examines his wife's feelings as well (after all, everybody in our lives transition, not just us!).

Tristan ended up being less nervous about the surgery than his wife Sicily was, probably because she was so busy getting everything in order and making sure it all went smoothly for him. Hat's off to awesome SOFFA's everywhere! Thanks for all you do.

Tristan and Sicily also run an awesome transgender social networking site called TQNation. Definitely check it out and create a profile.



Here is a video log I recorded on the day of my top surgery, December 12, 2006. As you can see, emotions were high that day.

I can't believe it will be four years in December since I've had the surgery. My life has changed in so many ways, more than I ever expected. Surgery has given me the freedom from the body I was trapped in my entire life. Thank you, Dr. Fischer!

Christian: One Day Post-Op with Dr. Medalie in Cleveland, Ohio

In this video Christian, aka ctshaw84 on the tube shares his top surgery experience with Dr. Medalie in Cleveland, Ohio. He is 26 years old, got double incision, and just had surgery done on the 24th of April.

Send some well wishes his way for a speedy recovery!

I Got a Sex Change with My Best Friend! [documentary: parts 1 & 2]

In the spring of 2007 I made a short documentary film while in college about my best friend Troy (tro23y on YouTube) getting our chest surgeries done together in December of 2006. We went to Dr. Beverly Fischer in Baltimore (Timonium), Maryland.

Chest surgery was one of the most moving and empowering experiences I have ever had, and I can wholeheartedly say it was made 1,000 times better by having it done with Troy.