First Stage Phalloplasty | A Guide to Recovering at Home

Negotiating the toilet after first stage phalloplasty is a painful nightmare. Investing in a raised toilet seat like this one makes the whole thing so much easier. This has been a great investment throughout all my surgery stages.

Trying to prop yourself up with one hand is almost impossible. It’s hilarious for others to watch as we flail around like a beached whale (see some of my videos!) but not so fun for us. I invested in one of these backrests and used it through all my surgeries. It’s adjustable in height and doesn’t move, unlike pillows. It’s fab!

If you have pets, it’s a good idea to limit their ease of access to you, at least for the first few weeks. An enthusiastic dog in your lap is not what you want right now! Using gates to keep them out of your bedroom/lounge is a sensible option.

Yes, you can text your partner/friend to ask them to bring you a cuppa but it’s likely easier to use a walkie-talkie and most definitely an improvement on shouting!

You could also the excuse of surgery to invest in some smart home gadgets such as the Alexa. With a couple of these in your home, you can communicate between rooms, turn on lights, turn on the TV, play music, call people and so much more, simply by using your voice!

Your freshly stapled bottom will thank you for buying a comfort cushion! I don’t know what I would have done without one of these as it made sitting so much easier. Even after the staples, it helped loads, to reduce pressure after sitting for a while and soothe my sore bits.

These are a surgery staple for me, they are so comfortable and good for helping you stay upright and supported. They are great to make sleeping more comfortable too, especially when paired with the adjustable backrest.

In the early weeks after your surgery, you will only be able to sleep on your back or slightly propped up. When you start to be able to use a different position, a body pillow like this one is amazing. I am a side sleeper, I do not manage to sleep well on my back, despite several surgeries I have never got used to it. As soon as I am able to go on my side I do. With a body pillow, you can protect the area between your legs and position your body and arm comfortably.

The Hospital should hopefully send you home with a padded sling to protect you from knocks and bumps. A sling is also necessary to elevate the arm and help to eliminate swelling. Check beforehand what you will be sent home with and if you need to, buy something for your recovery at home.

They say the simplest things can be the most helpful and it is true! Buy some large pegs, you will be surprised how many uses they have. I used them to clip bread to a board so I could butter it, to hold a piece of paper still so I could write, to keep my leads from running off. They are rather handy!

A grabber tool will become your best friend! It takes so much effort and pain to move. A dropped item on the floor feels like a climb to Everest. A handy grabber tool like this one is great for picking things up off the floor and for grabbing stuff that’s hard to reach.

I would suggest you buy slip-on shoes, it will be a while until you can do up laces, however, even getting on slip-on shoes can sometimes be a challenge and a shoe horn will make this so much easier

You must not get the graft on your arm wet for a few weeks. Therefore, having something to keep it dry while you shower, is vital. Covering your graft arm with a water protector like this one, that’s one less thing to worry about. Then, you can also use your sleeve-protected arm to rest your new penis on, while you shower if you don’t have the hand of someone else.

Showering every day is exhausting, even with help from someone. Therefore, for those times in-between, and to keep things fresh, wet wipes will be your best friend! I know they are not great for the environment, but when needs must, this is the way forward. Make sure to choose ones that are fragrance-free and gentle.

Dry wipes are fantastic for many different things. They are much more hygienic than flannels to wash with and can be used to hygienically dry areas around wounds after showering too.

Make sure to have a few bottles of antibacterial gel dotted about your home. Keep bottles in the bathroom, beside your bed and where you sit during the day. Don’t be afraid to insist your visitors use it too! Unfortunately, our friends can be huge carriers for germs! Pump bottles are the easiest to use with one hand.

Bed protectors are great to lie on in bed and sit on in chairs. They help to protect wound areas and keep things hygienic. Also, they are especially good when you just want to sit or lie naked and let the air get to everything to aid healing. Another use for them is to sit on them and wash while avoiding soaking your bed or chair. You can get washable bed protectors, but for sake of ease get the disposable ones

Trying to wipe your bum successfully with one had is very difficult! Using wet, flush-able toilet tissue makes it easier and keeps things clean and hygienic too.

If you can, it is best to batch cook simple wholesome food in advance that you can defrost and reheat. Make sure to use containers that are airtight, suitable for the freezer, and suitable for the microwave.

You won’t be able to put anything directly on your lap for some time. Therefore make sure to get a tray with legs that extend, so that you can use it to go over your lap. These lap trays have fantastic multi-uses, not only to use to eat when in a chair or in bed but also to use with your laptop. Pair it with an anti-slip mat to help keep things still for one-handed use!

Chasing a plate around whilst you attempt to cut your sausages with one hand gets to be a tad annoying! A non-slip mat keeps your plate/mug/bowl still making one-handed eating and drinking much easier!

If you like to read and you haven’t already, buy a kindle. This makes reading with one hand much easier. If you get one that’s back-light, you will be able to read in bed without disturbing your bed partner if you have one.

It is a really good idea to invest some money into an entertainment package. You have so many options for additional TV channels, movies, games and a lot of this is payable monthly, meaning you do not have to lock into a contract. A simple and cheap way to give you more viewing options is with a device such as the Amazon Fire Tv Stick. With one of these, you can watch all the main channels on demand and have the option to subscribe to an additional service such as Netflix. Pair it with amazon prime and you get access to books, TV films, and music.

A minibike was a purchase on a whim that may have initially seemed daft but actually was a great help. Just to be able to sit and do some light peddling helped to keep me active. Once my arm started to recover I also used it to peddle with my arms to strengthen my arm too.