Ya Girl Just Had Bottom Surgery!
My First Week of Bed Rest After Shallow Depth Vaginoplasty
I’ve been a part of the trans community for years, but this year, I finally reached a milestone: I had my shallow depth vaginoplasty with Dr. Mishra at Metro Health in Cleveland, Ohio. The journey here was long—waiting lists, nerves, and endless research—but nothing could really prepare me for the first week of recovery. Here’s how those first days went, honestly and unfiltered.
Day 1: Recovery Room Reality Check
Waking up from surgery, I thought it was 1pm. I drifted in and out of consciousness for what felt like hours, asking repeatedly to see my family waiting for me. Only at what I thought was 4pm did I discover it was actually 4am, and my family had already been sent home. The realization hit hard—I was more upset than I expected, so much so that a nurse had to calm me down while taking my vitals.
Not having my phone was panic-inducing. My partner had it, and I couldn’t reach loved ones or my online communities for hours. Eventually, after three hours, I was able to ask a nurse for my family’s phone numbers so I could call them. In the meantime, I drifted in and out of nightmares—one recurring fear that the surgery hadn’t actually happened.
Day 2: Numbness and Isolation
The next day was a blur of numbness and discomfort. My groin felt numb, and the angle I was lying at made my back ache. Even my hands were numb—I couldn’t hold the hosptial phone or push the buttons on the TV remote properly. Most of the day passed with me flipping through TV channels and dozing off when nothing good was on (which was most of the time).
Day 3: Reaching Out Online
By the third day, I discovered a pamphlet about a hospital tablet available for accessing MyChart. I immediately asked if I could use it to access the web. As soon as I could, I jumped into TransIRC.chat to let people know how I was doing and get some help reaching out to my Discord communities, too. Connecting with my online friends and support networks was a huge relief and helped break up the isolation of those early recovery days.
If you’re reading this and waiting for your own surgery date, or even just thinking about starting the process: the wait is hard, but you’re not alone. The little moments of connection—both in person and online—make a huge difference.
If you want to know more about my recovery, or have questions about shallow depth vaginoplasty, feel free to comment or reach out on TransIRC.Chat