July 2009 Update

I had the operation on 14th April 2009 in Montreal, Canada under the auspices of Dr. Brassard. I am still recovering. The swelling has gone down and I can sit down without a rubber ring but I am still very sore along some of the suture lines which to quote my doctor have not yet granulated.
I have signed a new contract with Weatherford and I am now officially based in South Africa on a five week rotation. This does not mean that I will ever go to South Africa for work. I will probably go directly from home to current projects which need my attention. Ongoing projects are in Gabon and Senegal with upcoming work in Equatorial Guinea.
I will take this opportunity to clarify for all and sundry the nature of my relationship with my partner Kathryn. When I realised that Gender Reassignment was in my immediate future it also became clear very quickly that my relationship with Kathryn was suddenly very different. We no longer have a sexual relationship, Kathryn is one hundred percent heterosexual and since I am no longer able to satisfy Kathryn's sexual needs that aspect of our relationship has become open. Kathryn is free to find a new man if she wishes without any hindrance from me. In fact, I prefer to be with a happy Kathryn than an unhappy one, therefore if she did find a man who made her happy I would, I hope be thankful not jealous.
Kathryn likes to say that we are like sisters. I do not believe that this is true. We have a much closer relationship than that and a much closer relationship than most friends can attain. There isn't really a name for our relationship that fits the reality.
I know that if Kathryn enters into a new relationship, that I may have to leave the family home. I am not thinking too deeply about the ramifications should this come to pass, I prefer to remain blinkered and deal with this if and when it happens.
The negative aspects of my transition are the price I accepted that I would have to pay as the price of being allowed to finish my life as myself rather than continuing to try and fit into the groove dictated by our society.