A “Cut-Throat” Day

One does not usually volunteer to get their throat cut. Still less would they actually pay to have it done! Yesterday (Jan. 31) was such a day for me, though. To cut to the chase, I underwent chondrolaryngoplasty, a.k.a., a tracheal shave or Adam’s Apple reduction.

I have been getting by pretty well in public, but that bump in the front of my throat had always made me a little self-conscious. Now, it isn’t impossible for a woman to have a noticeable Adam’s Apple, just as it isn’t impossible for a man to naturally grow breasts. But either occurrence is rather unusual and likely to be noticed by others, perhaps not favorably. So this woman decided to get her problem solved and help herself be just that much more confident in public.

There are plenty of plastic surgeons who can and will perform this operation. I located a local surgeon after an internet search and booked a consult. It went well, and a surgery date was eventually booked. Before that date, however, I needed to gets letters of approval/medical necessity from both my therapist and my treating physician. I also needed to get certain medical tests done. And there was paperwork – we’re talking about modern American medicine after all!  Got it all done, although my doctor’s office waited until nearly the cut-off date to forward the test results to the plastic surgeon (what’s life without a little drama?).

Eventually the surgery date approached. As with many surgeries, there were pre-op restrictions on certain medications, especially blood-thinners such as aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.  Fasting at least 8 hours before the surgery and only minimal water beforehand on the surgery day. The operation is (usually) an out-patient procedure: check into the clinic in the morning, then comes an hour or so for pre-op stuff. You shed your clothes and change into a surgical gown, a nurse measures your “vitals” and inserts an IV needle. The anesthesiologist talks with you briefly, the surgeon discusses the procedure again and will likely mark up your throat where she wants to make her incision(s).

Then comes the operation. I laid on the table and the nurses got me arranged. The anesthesiologist put an oxygen mask on me, then said “I have started the anesthesia drip. You’ll start feeling something pretty quick.” I replied, “Hmmm. I don’t feel anythiii . . .ah, there it is!” I remember everything briefly disappearing in a sort of white fog and I could faintly hear the voices of the medical team.  Then, next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery area with my neck bandaged. The nurses checked on me and gave me a little while to really wake up. Once I felt able, they let me get up and get dressed. When my ride home arrived, I was wheeled out to the car.  End of adventure!

I had checked into the clinic at 7 a.m. and was heading home just before noon. I feel great today, except for a slightly sore throat.  I’m taking the prescribed antibiotics, but have not had to resort to any pain medication yet.  I am a bit lighter in the wallet, however. The little problem is, unless you have the most fantastic health insurance imaginable, you will be on your own to pay for this particular “cosmetic” procedure. In my case, this is about $9,000 (Medicare covers no part of this except some of the pre-op tests). You could pay more or perhaps a bit less, depending on prevailing rates in your area. There are some surgeons in Beverly Hills, for example, who would have done great work, I’m sure, and happily charged me another $5,000 or so.

Anyway, today I am one step closer to being the woman I want to be!  I see the surgeon again in a week, to get the stitches checked (not sure if they are taking them out then). I am assured the scar, if any, will be minimal. In any event, it won’t be as bad as having that bump in my throat!

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Dana Munson

I am 69 yrs old. Married. Knew in my youth that I wanted, in some way, to be a girl. Began crossdressing. But options for achieving transition back them were much more limited. (And, needless to say, the social environment was far less accepting.) So I "manned up" and figured I could out-grow the urge. Epic fail! Have continued to crossdress, on and off, for years. But I realized some years ago that I was not - or was no longer? - a classic crossdresser. I wanted more. Still, family and my marriage vows mean a lot to me, and I could not bring myself to uproot all of that. But the kids are grown and moved away, and my wife is nearing the end of a terminal illness. I have decided that I want to live out the rest of my life being as much of a woman as I can realistically achieve. Wife understands and, with her assent, I have started working on transitioning.

Latest posts by Dana Munson (see all)

• A “Cut-Throat” Day - February 8, 2023
• Legally me! - October 21, 2022