Phalloplasty

Interview with Mick

Polare Magazine: What made you decide to go ahead with Phalloplasty surgery?

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Mick: I saw an American TV program. There were these blokes (trany boys) on the show talking about having this surgery, about having 9” - 12” penises that stay erect all night! I never realised that such a thing (Phalloplasty) was even possible. I'd never even met another boy at that stage.

Size was the last thing I was interested in ... The only reason I was interested in Phalloplasty was so I could pee.

Polare Magazine: There is lots of chat amongst other F.T.M.s at some point in their transition of the pros and cons of Phalloplasty. How did you think that a penis was going to enhance your life? Was the size an issue for you?

Mick: Size was the last thing I was interested in. The idea of a large penis was ridiculous. The only reason I was interested in Phalloplasty was so I could pee. That still is my only intention. I lead an incredibly outdoor lifestyle. I spend a lot of time out in boats fishing and the men I'm with have no idea about my gender. Not being able to pee like any other man makes things really difficult for me.

Polare Magazine: Had you spoken to anyone about the surgery before you went ahead with it?

Mick: Not really. It was while I was having my chest done that I made my first enquiries about the Phalloplasty. I found out that the surgeon who was doing my chest also did Phalloplasty. I made up my mind that I was going to go ahead with it pretty much immediately.

Polare Magazine: There are a number of different techniques used in the creation of a phallus, could you tell us a bit about your surgery?

Mick: The area used was the left hand side, from my groin up to my hip. A tube was made from the flesh in this area which had another smaller tube created inside of this. The smaller tube inside was part of the construction of a urethra. I was in hospital for three days. I felt incredibly immobile. For the next few weeks I was very numb all along my thigh and very tight in the abdomen down to the groin, though I had healed really well up to this point. I was surprised at how much the colour and texture had improved in this time. The next surgery took place four weeks later. The arteries were cut from the top end of the tube but the bulk was still left attached for" another couple of weeks. Then this was totally detached and let fall.

Polare Magazine: This must have been a pretty exciting time?

Mick: It felt very, very odd. The newness of the sensation of having something between my legs felt a bit like a brick on a string. It seemed slightly thinner at the base and I found myself sort of carrying it when I was in the shower. I felt such a need to support it. I also thought it was too long. As I said, the only reason I wanted it was to pee out of.

About three days after it was detached I noticed that the area where the stitches had been was beginning to turn black. A day later and the whole penis had pretty much changed colour. I didn't have an appointment to see my surgeon for another couple of days so I took myself off to my G.P. He basically panicked. He had no idea what to do, but managed to get my surgeon to see me immediately. The surgeon got me to come back the following day to remove it.

Polare Magazine: How did you cope emotionally with this episode?

Mick: I was so pleased to have it removed. I think at that time that's all that mattered, getting it off my body. I was relieved.

Polare Magazine: You've decided to go ahead with a second attempt of the same surgery. Firstly, was that a difficult decision, and what are your expectations this time?

Mick: Well, the surgeon said he was prepared to try again and I guess at that point I felt I had nothing to lose. I don't want to leave it for another few years. It just seems too far away. The surgery itself is the same but the process is drawn out a bit more. Of course I hope that it will work this time but I'm prepared for whatever the outcome might be.

Polare Magazine: There are obviously a lot of boys who would be interested in your experience. What suggestions would you have for others who may be contemplating going ahead with Phalloplasty surgery?

Mick: Since having gone through this, I guess I would suggest that people really look into first, weigh up everything you have to go through in the process with what your needs are in having a penis. It's a very long process involving a number of operations. Numerous things can go wrong at any point during that process. You could be a year down the track and still lose it. I guess I'd suggest that people go into it giving themselves a 50-50 chance of it working. Some people may feel that it's the penis that makes the man. I've really never felt this way. I guess if my lifestyle wasn't so outdoor orientated I wouldn't have bothered going ahead with it.

The Gender Centre is unclear of how many surgeons practice this technique in Australia, though it is clear that where it is practiced, it is experimental surgery.

Complications are common place, with the construction of an extended urethra probably being the most problematic of these. Information from the Netherlands (where Phalloplasty surgery has been accredited recognition) informs us that the majority of F.T.M. persons seeking Phalloplasty state that the desire to urinate while standing is a priority in pursuing this surgery.

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